Stuffed Onions (Sogan Dolmasi)
Betül’s Notes
These stuffed onions are a family favorite year-round and a popular Turkish dish, but I find Stuffed Onions especially comforting for the fall. The onion gets soft and sweet and acts as the perfect vessel for the savory meat filling. It’s a great way to use up lots of onion, without the onion flavor overpowering.
Stuffed Onions (Sogan Dolmasi)
Ingredients
- 4 large yellow onions
For the Filling:
- 1/2 lb ground beef 80% lean
- ½ cup yellow onion finely chopped*
- 1/3 cup tomatoes finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1/4 cup short grain white rice rinsed and drained
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 ½ tsp pepper paste
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes or Marash pepper
- 1/2 tsp mint chopped
- 1/4 tsp basil chopped
- 1/2 tsp sumac
- 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
For the Sauce:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 ½ tsp pomegranate molasses
- 1 tsp sumac plus more for topping
- Fresh parsley for topping
Instructions
Prepare the Onions:
- With a sharp knife, cut the onions halfway widthwise and peel off the skin. Make an incision hallway through the peeled onions.
- In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add the onions and boil until the outer layers become translucent and peelable, about 2-3 minutes. Peel the outer layers and repeat with remaining layers until you have separated the large outer layers from the smaller ones. Set aside the inside layers to use for the filling.
Prepare the Filling:
- Finely chop the insides of the onions set aside from earlier. In a large bowl add ground beef, chopped onion, garlic, tomatoes, rice, bulgur, tomato paste, pepper paste, olive oil, salt, black pepper, pepper flakes, mint, basil, sumac, and pomegranate molasses. Mix with a wooden spoon until well combined.
Bake the Vegetables:
- Preheat the oven to 400F.
- Spoon 2 tbsp of filling on the edge of a layer of onion and gently roll it up. Place it seam side down in a large, shallow baking dish*. Repeat with remaining onion layers and filling.
- In a small bowl, add olive oil, tomato paste, pomegranate molasses, and 1/2 cup water. Mix until combined. Drizzle the sauce over the stuffed onions and cover with lid. Bring to a simmer on the stove, then turn to medium-low heat and cook for 30 minutes.
- Remove the lid and cover the dish with foil. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove foil and cook for 15 more minutes until the onions are translucent and the meat is cooked through. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10-15 minutes. Top with additional sumac and fresh parsley.
- Serve with yogurt, rice, and a simple salad on the side.
- Bon appetit!
Notes
*Note: Make sure to set aside the insides of the onions when preparing them, as they’ll be used later on in the recipe.
*Make sure your baking dish is also flameproof. Most metal, cast iron, or even some enameled cast iron will work, just make sure not to use glass!
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