Vegan Stuffed Onions
These vegan stuffed onions are a flavorful, plant-based dish filled with rice, herbs, and warm spices. Naturally gluten-free and vegan, they make a perfect main course or a delicious side dish
These vegan stuffed onions are a flavorful, plant-based dish filled with rice, herbs, and warm spices. Naturally gluten-free and vegan, they make a perfect main course or a delicious side dish
Info
Prep Time:
15mCook Time:
30mDifficulty Level:
Ingredients
Servings: 5
For the Onions:
- 5 large white onions
For the Filling:
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 spring onions (with greens), finely chopped
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- ¾ cup Carolina rice
- Juice of ½ lemon
- ¼ cup black raisins
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- ¼ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 pinch ground cloves
- 1 pinch allspice
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
For the Sauce:
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 2½ cups warm water
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 1 pinch sugar
Directions
Prepare the Onions
Peel the large onions and trim both ends. Make a vertical incision halfway through each onion. Place them in a pot of water to cover and boil for about 15 minutes, or until softened. Remove and let cool.Prepare the Filling
Rinse the rice, drain well, and drizzle with lemon juice. In a pan, heat half the olive oil and sauté the chopped onion for 5–6 minutes until softened and sweet. Add the spring onions, rice, tomato paste, raisins, pine nuts, and walnuts. Stir to coat and sauté for another 2 minutes.Partially Cook the Filling
Pour in 1½ cups of hot water. Lower the heat and let the mixture simmer gently until most of the liquid is absorbed.Finish the Filling
Remove from heat and stir in the mint, parsley, cumin, cloves, allspice, salt, and pepper. Let cool slightly.Stuff the Onions
Carefully separate the onion layers. Place about 1 tablespoon of filling into each layer and roll tightly. Arrange the stuffed onions seam-side down, packed snugly in a baking dish to prevent them from opening.Make the Sauce
Dissolve the tomato paste in the warm water. Add salt, pepper, and sugar, and stir well. Pour the sauce over the stuffed onions. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil.Bake
Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C (390°F) for about 30 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the dish inside for an additional 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the sauce to be absorbed.
Recipe Tips
For even more flavor, you can serve these stuffed onions at room temperature with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a few lemon wedges on the side — a true taste of traditional Mediterranean mezze!