Stuffed Onions with Fragrant Rice and Pine Nuts

These stuffed onions are a popular and simple dish in Greece called Salantourmasi. Whole onions are filled with a warming spiced rice mixture with cumin, cinnamon, fresh herbs, and crunchy pine nuts and baked in the oven until golden. These gluten free and vegan delights make for a comforting and elegant entree, appetizer, or side dish. 

Stuffed onions, like the many stuffed vegetables in Greek cuisine, are no new phenomenon. You probably know the vegetarian or meat variety of stuffed tomatoes, eggplants, and zucchinis eaten in the heart of summer; or the stuffed cabbage leaves and grape leaves or silver beet leaves in the winter, and the list can go on. 

The humble onion stuffed with an herb and rice mixture will introduce you to a new experience with Greek stuffed vegetables! These stuffed onions are typically served as an appetizer, but you could double the recipe and serve as an entree. The individual onions also make for a beautiful side dish for a dinner party, alongside a portion of roast lamb and a traditional Greek salad. 

Preparing the onions is a little tedious but worth the effort. The good news is that you can prepare the onion skins ahead of time (see tip below). And, though they take some tender love and care, these stuffed onions are well worth the time. Impressive to behold, and delicious to consume!

Table of Contents

1. Origin of Salantourmasi
2. Ingredients For Stuffed Onions 
3. How to Make Stuffed Onions
1. Soften the Onions and Make the Filling
2. Stuff and Bake the Onions
4. Getting Ahead and Variations
5. What to Serve with Stuffed Onions
6. You’ll Also Love: More Stuffed Vegetable Recipes
7. Stuffed Onions with Fragrant Rice and Pine Nuts Recipe

Origin of Salantourmasi

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. 

Ingredients For Stuffed Onions 

These stuffed onions may look fancy, but they’re made with humble ingredients that are easy to source. Here’s what you need: 

• Onions: I use medium white onions as they are milder 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.
• Garlic: Sautéed garlic and onions are just part and parcel when it comes to adding flavor to a dish. Here it complements the rice filling without overpowering.
• Salt and pepper: Enhance flavors.
• 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 characteristic of the warming spices is paramount 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. 
• Pine nuts: Added for crunch and flavor. Be sure to 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: These stuffed vegetables would not be called Greek if it were not for the amount and the variety of herbs. In this instance the mint gives freshness and the 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

The most important part of this stuffed onions recipe is that the onions are softened well. Soft onions ensure that once the filling is added they can be easily wrapped and the filling does not leak out. From there, everything cooks in unison easily—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 and allow to simmer 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 inner remaining layers and set aside.
• Saute the chopped onions and garlic. In a sauté pan on medium-high, heat ¼ 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. Drain the rice and add it to the bowl with the tomato, onion and garlic mixture. Then and ½ cup each of chopped parsley, mint, and water. Season with 1 teaspoon ground cumin and 1 ½ teaspoons of ground cinnamon. Add ¼ 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 ½ cup of water, 1 tablespoon of white vinegar and remaining ¼ 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.

Getting Ahead 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 ¼ 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. 

What to Serve with Stuffed Onions

While simple basmati rice is all the side dish you need on a weeknight, these rice-stuffed onions are ideal for a dinner party when you want something a bit special. Serve this elevated rice dish alongside roast meat 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).

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