Stuffed Onions

  • Level: Easy
  • Yield: 4 servings
  • Total: 1 hr
  • Active: 25 min
Move over, bell peppers! These onions are stuffed with a mixture of fresh breadcrumbs, garlic, fennel, sage, Parmesan and anchovy fillets for a filling bursting with savory flavors. The onions are double-baked, making them irresistibly sweet and tender. The recipe calls for using the entire onion, including the scraps, so you won’t end up with a lot of leftover bits, and using day-old bread to make breadcrumbs is an excellent way to use up the last of a loaf you might have around. Serve the onions alongside a roast or casserole or any other favorite main dish.
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Ingredients

4 small or medium onions

Kosher salt

1 cup chicken broth

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 anchovy fillets in oil

1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground fennel seeds

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup fresh breadcrumbs (see Cook’s Note)

1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage leaves

1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (about 1 ounce)

Directions

  1. Position racks in the middle and lower third of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F.
  2. Peel the onions and cut each in half crosswise into 2 round cups. Trim the ends so they sit flat. Scoop out the insides with a spoon, leaving a shell of 2 to 3 layers; reserve the onion scraps. Place the onion cups in a baking dish just large enough to hold them in one layer. Sprinkle the cups with salt. Pour the broth into the dish and scatter the butter cubes around the cups.
  3. Cover the pan with foil. Bake on the lower rack of the oven until the onions are tender enough to pierce with the tip of a paring knife but still hold their shape, about 40 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, dice enough of the onion scraps to make 1/2 cup. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the anchovy fillets and mash briefly with a wooden spoon until they melt into the oil. Add the diced onion, fennel seeds and garlic; cook until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the breadcrumbs, sage and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Let cool slightly, about 10 minutes, then stir in the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Taste and season with salt if needed.
  5. When the onion cups are tender, remove the foil and fill the cups with the breadcrumb mixture. Return to the oven and bake uncovered on the middle rack until the tops are crisp and browned, 15 to 20 minutes.

Cook’s Note

To make fresh breadcrumbs, remove the crust from stale bread with a serrated knife. Cut the bread into cubes and place them in a food processor. Process until you have fine crumbs. For this recipe you’ll need about 4 ounces stale bread to yield 1 cup of breadcrumbs.

Let's Get Cooking!

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