Turkish Stuffed Onions or Soğan Dolması, an incredibly comforting and delicious high-protein dish made by stuffing tender onion layers with a delicious mixture of beef mince, rice, herbs and mild spices before baking them in a rich stock. They look impressive, but they are incredibly easy to make with everyday ingredients for a hearty and budget-friendly family dinner.
These stuffed onions are one of the many varieties of dolma, which are stuffed vegetable dishes enjoyed throughout Turkey and other neighbouring countries. There are incredibly delicious dishes usually stuffed with mince and rice, but they can also have a vegetarian stuffing too.
I have quite a few stuffed vegetable dishes on my blog, from Romanian Sarmale, stuffed peppers with beef mince and rice, stuffed grape leaves, but also quinoa-stuffed aubergines, stuffed butternut squash, or stuffed sweet potatoes.
Stuffing vegetables in a great way of using up veggies, especially if you have an abundance in your garden, but also creating new, exciting dishes that are family friendly and absolutely delicious.
I opted for beef mince (also known as ground beef in the US) for the stuffing, which adds a lot of flavour and makes this dish packed with protein and goodness. You can, however use lamb mince too, or a combo of beef and lamb, but also chicken or turkey mince too.
The dish was cooked entirely in the oven, for perfectly tender onion layers and juicy stuffing. It's an easy dish to cook from scratch, and this simplified version uses everyday ingredients while staying true to the comforting flavours of the Turkish cuisine.
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Note!
Go to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions!
Ingredients overview
The stuffing
- beef mince - I did not cook it beforehand, it stays nice and juicy when cooked from raw
- rice - I used basmati rice, but short-grain rice can be used too, the cooking time might be slightly longer though
- shallot - or any other onion
- yellow onions - we need large onions, as they layers will be large enough for the stuffing. Red onions can be used too, but not shallots, as they are too small for this job
- garlic - use fresh garlic for the best possible taste
- tomato paste - adds colour and natural sweetness
- paprika - I used regular paprika, pepper flakes can be used too
- dried mint - unlike the fresh one, it doesn't overpower, but adds a subtle flavour
- olive oil - keeps the mixture moist
- ground coriander - adds warmth
- salt & pepper - to taste
For the stock
- beef stock / broth - adds extra flavour and a deeper colour to the dish
- tomato paste - adds natural sweetness and a deep red touch
- olive oil - you could use any other oil, but the olive oil adds a Mediterranean touch
Step-by-step photos and instructions
- bring a pot of water to the boil
- peel and trim the ends of the onions and make a cut from top to bottom on one side of the onions
- boil them for 10 minutes on a medium heat until soften
- remove the onions from the pot and allow them to cool down just enough to be able to handle them
- separate the onions into individual layers
- peel and chop the shallot and garlic finely
- add them to a large mixing bowl together with the rest of the stuffing ingredients
- place a generous tablespoon of the mixture inside each onion layer, and roll it up
- arrange the stuffed onions snuggly into a baking dish
- to make the broth, mix all the broth ingredients, and pout it over the stuffed onions
- cover the dish with kitchen foil, and bake in the preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius (350 Fahrenheit) for 45 minutes
- remove the foil, increase the temperature to 200 degrees Celsius (390 Fahrenheit) for 15-20 minutes until lightly browned
- leave to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Expert tips
Choose larger onions, as they can be separated into much bigger layers that are easier to fill. Small onions will only take a small amount of beef mixture and would end up being too time-consuming.
Don't overcook the onions, we only need them to be soft enough and pliable to separate the layers. Overboiled they might not hold their shape as well.
Don't overfill the onion layers, as the rice cooks, it will expand, so we need to leave room for that too. Make sure the stuffed onions are arranged tightly in the baking dish to help them keep their shape.
It is important to cover the dish during baking time so that the onions can steam well and allow the beef mixture to cook through.
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Turkish Stuffed Onions with Beef and Rice
Ingredients
For the beef mixture
- 450 g beef mince ( ground beef, 1 lb)
- 4 large onions
- 1 shallot
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried mint
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 65 g basmati rice (â…“ cup)
For the broth
- 400 ml beef stock (broth, 1 â…” cups)
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 Fahrenheit).
- Peel and trim the ends of the onions, and make a cut from top to bottom on one side only.
- Bring a pot of water to the boil, and cook the onions for 7-8 minutes.
- Allow the onions to cool just enough to be able to handle them, and carefully separate them into layers.
- To make the beef mixture, peel and chop the shallot and garlic, and add them to a mixing bowl together with the beef mince, olive oil, paprika, ground coriander, parsley, salt and pepper.
- Mix until well combined.
- Place one tablespoon of the beef mixture inside an onion layer, and roll it up gently.
- Repeat with the rest of the beef mixture.
- Arrange the stuffed onions tightly into a baking dish.
- For the broth, mix together all the ingredients and pour the mixture over the onions.
- Cover the dish with kitchen foil and bake for 45 minutes.
- Increase the oven temperature to 200 degrees Celsius (390 Fahrenheit), remove the kitchen foil, and bake the onions for a further 15 minutes.
- Remove the dish from the oven, and allow the onions to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
- Choose larger onions, as they can be separated into much bigger layers that are easier to fill. Small onions will only take a small amount of beef mixture and would end up being too time-consuming.
- Don't overcook the onions, we only need them to be soft enough and pliable to separate the layers. Overboiled they might not hold their shape as well.
- Don't overfill the onion layers, as the rice cooks, it will expand, so we need to leave room for that too. Make sure the stuffed onions are arranged tightly in the baking dish to help them keep their shape.
- It is important to cover the dish during baking time so that the onions can steam well and allow the beef mixture to cook through.
Nutrition
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