When you think about onions, an image of classic soffritto probably comes to mind (especially if you’re Italian). But onions are also perfect as the main ingredient – stuffed, for example! Their delicate taste makes them suitable to be stuffed with different ingredients for a soft and succulent result. Want to make a light aperitif that’s rich in flavor? Make these onions filled with rice and lentils, and wrap them in bacon before roasting! You’ll love it.
The best onions to use
There are different varieties of onion – some taste sweeter, while others feature a stronger flavor. In any case, let them soak for about 30 minutes before stuffing them, so they lose the pungent flavor. Before stuffing them, dry them with paper towels to keep them from getting too soggy while roasting.
Rice and much more
For the rice filling, first boil it separately and then mix it with the lentils. You can also stuff these onions with spelt or barley -- the recipe is always the same (but in this case, it’s not gluten-free).
Our recipe
Here’s how to make these savory bacon-wrapped onions filled with rice and lentil – all roasted in the oven to perfection and served warm!
Ingredients:
4 medium-sized onions
breadcrumbs (gluten-free if desired)
9 oz boiled rice
7 oz boiled lentils
1 carrot
extra-virgin olive oil
16 slices of bacon
Method:
Start by cleaning the onions and cutting them in half horizontally. Blanch them in boiling salted water for 5 minutes. Then drain them with a slotted spoon and dry them with paper towels. Remove the central part of the onion and slice it. Transfer the sliced central part of the onion to a saucepan to sauté with the sliced carrot in a little extra-virgin olive oil. Once golden-brown, add the (already boiled) lentils, season with salt and turn off the heat. Using an immersion mixer, reduce the vegetables and lentils to a purée, adding a tablespoon of water if needed. In a bowl, mix the rice with the lentil purée. Season with salt to taste and stuff each onion with about a tablespoon of this filling. Level the filling and sprinkle each onion with breadcrumbs. Then wrap each onion with two slices of bacon. Place the onions on a greased baking dish, one next to the other, and roast them for about 10 minutes at 350°F (175°C) until crispy. Once out of the oven, serve immediately!
In the photo gallery above, discover even more tips for making roasted stuffed onions to perfection!