Stuffed Onions with Rice and Pine Nuts

Discover salantourmasi, a unique recipe for Greek stuffed onions. Think of these as onion dolmades featuring a warming spiced rice filling with pine nuts and herbs. This vegan, gluten-free Mediterranean side dish is just what dinner needed.

These Greek Stuffed onions, known traditionally as Salantourmasi, are a hidden gem of Mediterranean cuisine. They may be less well-known than gemista a.k.a. Greek stuffed peppers or tomatoes, but they are just as flavorful. When it comes to Mediterranean side dishes, this is one of my all-time favorite recipes!

In my version, onions are simmered until tender, then filled with a warming spiced rice mixture featuring cumin, cinnamon, fresh herbs, and toasted pine nuts. You could think of them kind of like onion dolmades. Baked until golden and tender, these vegan and gluten-free stuffed onions make for a show-stopping appetizer or side dish alongside roast lamb.

While preparing the delicate onion layers takes a bit of patience, the result is an elegant, melt-in-your-mouth dish that tastes like a trip to the Greek islands!

Key Ingredients 

These stuffed onions may look fancy, but they’re made with easy-to-source humble ingredients.

• Garlic and onions are just part and parcel when it comes to adding flavor to a dish. I prefer medium white onions to be the star of this show as they are mild in flavor, allowing the spices to shine.
• Extra virgin olive oil: Adds flavor and intensity. I like a peppery Greek olive oil, like our Early Harvest from Christianoupolis.
• Tomato puree: Adds moisture to the filling. 
• Arborio rice: I use Arborio, a short-grain variety. Feel free to use long-grain rice if you prefer the texture. Do not use jasmine or basmati as they are too aromatic and will distract from the flavor of the dish. 
• Spices: The warming spices are essential to this dish. Ground cumin has a warm, aromatic quality, and cinnamon adds a sweet-meets-savory note. Do not be tempted to reduce the amounts or omit either spice or the dish will be bland. Salt and pepper enhance the other flavors.
• Pine nuts: Use roasted pine nuts, as they have a toasty and nutty flavor and a sweet undertone. Do not add other nuts or substitute, as they will be too hard for the delicate onions and rice.
• Fresh herbs: I wouldn’t dare call these stuffed onions Greek if it were not for the amount and the variety of herbs! Mint provides freshness, and parsley a savory flavor. 
• White vinegar: Gives any roast vegetable an added kick. The harsh acidity from the vinegar is completely cooked out, leaving a delicious savory yet sweet note, which is a great complement to the nuttiness and spices in this dish. 

How to Make Stuffed Onions

When it comes to making stuffed onions, the key to success is making sure the onions are softened. Soft onions ensure that once the filling is added, you can easily wrap and fill them so that the filling won’t leak out. From there, everything cooks in together—there is no need to precook the rice. Add raw rice to the filling, and it will cook just fine.

Soften the Onions and Make the Filling

• Get ready: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Rinse the rice and let it soak for 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Trim and peel the onions. Slice the top and bottom ends off 8 medium white onions. Remove their outer skin. Use a sharp knife to gently cut halfway down the center from top to bottom (this will make separating the layers easier later). Be careful not to cut all the way through or the onions will fall apart. Set aside.
• Simmer the onions: Add the onions to a large pot of boiling water, reduce the heat to a simmer and allow to cook until they’re soft but still hold their shape, about 10 to 15 minutes.
• Drain the onions. When they’re cool enough to handle, carefully remove the outer layers of each onion, about 4-5 layers per onion, and set aside. Chop the remaining inner layers and set aside.
• Sauté the chopped onions and garlic. In a sauté pan on medium-high, heat 1/4 cup of olive oil. Add the chopped onions and 2 cloves of minced garlic. Sauté stirring frequently, to soften the onion for about 3 minutes, then stir in 1 cup of tomato purée. Season to taste with salt and pepper and cook for 3 minutes more, then transfer to a large mixing bowl.
• Make the rice mixture. Add the rice to the bowl with the tomato, onion, and garlic mixture. Then and 1/2 cup each of chopped parsley, and mint. Stir in a 1/2 cup water. Season with 1 teaspoon ground cumin and 1 1/2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon. Add 1/4 cup of toasted pine nuts and mix well to combine.

Stuff and Bake the Onions

• Stuff the onions. Take one onion skin at a time and carefully fill with one tablespoon of the mixture. Wrap the onion layer tightly around the rice stuffing to seal.
• Transfer to the baking dish. Place the filled onions tightly side by side in a medium shallow baking dish, Dutch oven, or oven-safe pan with the cut side down. Pour over 1/2 cup of water, 1 tablespoon of white vinegar, and the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil. 
• Bake the onions. Cover with a lid or foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until the onions are golden and rice cooked through, about 30 minutes more. For even more color, broil for 1 to 2 additional minutes before serving.
• Serve. Garnish with scattered chopped parsley and toasted pine nuts over the top and serve immediately.

Tips and Variations

Here are some tips for how to make this recipe fit your schedule and your taste:

• The onions can be prepared the day before. Boil and separate the layers, then cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to fill and bake them.
• Add 1/4 cup of black currants to the filling for a sweet note, which works wonderfully with the nuts and spices.
• Add 1 tablespoon of tomato paste to the filling in addition to the puree for more color and depth of flavor. 
• Use red onions or yellow onions. While white onions are traditional, red or yellow onions will also work.

Make it a Meal

Serve this elevated rice dish alongside roast meat, baked Greek meatballs or fish, perhaps with plenty of ouzo to go around. Or, serve as a comforting vegan dinner with a crunchy salad, like traditional Greek salad or Maroulosalata (Greek lettuce salad).

Origin of Salantourmasi (Greek Stuffed Onions)

I alwasy like to share a little history about the Greek recipes I grew up with and this one is no different. I think it helps people connect with their food and the world at large.

This stuffed onion recipe hails from Kastelorizo, a small and remote Treasure island in the Aegean Sea found at the southernmost part of the Dodecanese. Both its name and use of cumin and pine nuts are influenced by its proximity to Turkey’s southern coast, where those flavors are used in many dishes.

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