Roasted onion with beef (Printable)

Savory roasted onions filled with seasoned beef and topped with a flavorful glaze.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 4 large yellow onions
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Beef Filling

03 - 14 oz ground beef
04 - 1 small carrot, finely diced
05 - 1 celery stalk, finely diced
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste
08 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
09 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
10 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
12 - 1 teaspoon salt

→ Glaze & Garnish

13 - ¼ cup beef broth
14 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
15 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

# Directions:

01 - Set oven temperature to 400°F.
02 - Peel the onions, trim the tops, and slice a thin layer off the bottoms so they stand upright.
03 - Carefully scoop out the centers using a spoon or melon baller, leaving a ½ inch shell; finely chop the removed onion flesh.
04 - Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, then add chopped onion flesh, carrot, celery, and garlic. Cook for 4-5 minutes until softened.
05 - Add ground beef and cook until browned, about 5-6 minutes; drain excess fat if necessary.
06 - Stir in tomato paste, thyme, oregano, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Cook for another 2 minutes, then remove from heat.
07 - Fill the hollowed onions with the beef mixture, pressing firmly, and arrange them in a baking dish.
08 - Pour beef broth around the onions and cover loosely with aluminum foil.
09 - Bake for 35 minutes.
10 - Remove foil, sprinkle Parmesan if using, and roast uncovered for 15-20 minutes until onions are tender and tops are golden.
11 - Let rest for 5 minutes, sprinkle with fresh parsley, and serve warm.

# Cooking Tips:

01 -
  • Each onion becomes its own little edible bowl, so there's something genuinely fun about how they come together.
  • The beef filling gets cozy and deeply flavored while the onion caramelizes around it, creating this balance between sweet and savory that makes you want seconds.
  • It looks impressive enough to serve at dinner, but it's actually forgiving and doesn't require any fancy techniques.
02 -
  • Don't make the onion shell too thin or it'll collapse during roasting; aim for about the thickness of a thumbnail.
  • The beef mixture will release moisture as it cooks, so don't worry if it seems a bit loose before it goes in the oven.
  • If your onions are particularly large, they might need an extra 10 minutes of roasting time, so start checking around the 45-minute mark.
03 -
  • Freeze these before roasting if you'd like—they actually cook beautifully straight from frozen, just add 10 to 15 minutes to the cooking time.
  • Make them a day ahead and reheat gently in the oven at 160°C covered with foil; the flavors deepen and settle overnight.

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