Stuffed Onions with Sun-Dried Tomato & Hazelnuts Recipe
These Stuffed Onions with sun-dried tomato and hazelnuts are a delicious vegetarian dish perfect as a hearty appetizer or light main. Large onions are roasted and then hollowed out to be filled with a flavorful mixture of giant couscous, toasted hazelnuts, sun-dried tomatoes, vegan feta, fresh herbs, and warming chili flakes. A final bake with optional vegan cheddar-style cheese creates a bubbling, golden top that is both comforting and elegant. This recipe is ideal for a plant-based diet and offers a delightful combination of textures and Mediterranean-inspired flavors.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 6 large onions (red or white)
- 100 g hazelnuts
- 750 ml vegetable stock
- 100 g giant cous-cous
- 8 sun-dried tomatoes from a jar
- 150 g vegan feta (sometimes called ‘Greek White’ vegan cheese)
- 1 tsp dried chilli flakes (adjust according to your taste)
- handful sultanas
- handful fresh mint (or a combination of mint and parsley)
- handful vegan cheddar-style cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Roast the onions: With skins on, chop the top centimetre or so from each onion and wrap each one in foil. Bake at 180°C for one hour. Unwrap and leave to cool. This initial roast softens the onions and can be done a day in advance for convenience.
- Toast the hazelnuts: Place the hazelnuts on a baking tray on the oven’s bottom shelf and roast for 5 minutes until they begin to brown and the skins loosen, enhancing their flavor and making them easier to chop.
- Cook the couscous: Bring the vegetable stock to a boil in a saucepan, add the giant couscous, and simmer for 6-8 minutes until just cooked through. Drain thoroughly and set aside to cool.
- Prepare the stuffing mix: Finely chop the roasted hazelnuts, sun-dried tomatoes, and vegan feta. Combine them in a large bowl.
- Mix the stuffing: Add the cooled giant couscous to the bowl. Sprinkle over the dried chilli flakes, sultanas, and fresh mint, then gently mix to combine without breaking up the feta too much.
- Season the stuffing: Taste the mixture and season with salt and black pepper to your preference.
- Prepare onions for stuffing: Remove the skins from the roasted onions; they should peel off easily. Carefully scoop out the centre of each onion, keeping just two intact layers to create a shell. Place these empty onions back on the baking tray.
- Add onion centers to stuffing: Chop the removed onion interiors finely and add one-third to the stuffing mixture, saving the rest for use in other dishes like pasta sauces or curries.
- Fill the onions: Carefully fill each hollowed onion with the stuffing mixture, pressing down to pack them fully. Optionally, scatter the grated vegan cheddar-style cheese on top.
- Final bake: Bake the stuffed onions at 180°C for 15 minutes until the tops are bubbling and golden brown, signaling they are heated through and ready to serve.
Notes
- This recipe is vegan-friendly but can be adjusted to fit other diets by substituting cheeses.
- The initial roasting of onions can be done a day ahead to save time on serving day.
- Leftover onion centers can add depth to other meals like stews, sauces, or stir-fries.
- Adjust the amount of chilli flakes based on your preferred spice level.
- The optional vegan cheddar topping provides a melty finish but can be omitted for a lower-fat version.
Keywords: stuffed onions, vegan recipe, sun-dried tomato, hazelnuts, giant couscous, baked onions, plant-based, Mediterranean flavors, vegan feta
