Description
Rice Stuffed Onions (Sogan Dolmasi) is a comforting Middle Eastern dish featuring tender onion shells filled with a fragrant spiced rice and beef mixture, simmered in a tangy tomato and pomegranate molasses sauce. It’s hearty, flavorful, and beautiful enough for both family dinners and festive gatherings.
Ingredients
5 large onions
250 g ground beef
150 g short-grain rice, rinsed
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 1/2 cups water (for sauce)
1 tablespoon tomato paste (for sauce)
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses (for sauce)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Peel onions, trim top and bottom, and make a cut halfway down without cutting through. Blanch onions for 10 minutes until softened. Cool slightly, then separate layers into shells.
- Finely chop the leftover onion centers and mix with rice, ground beef, tomato paste, pomegranate molasses, olive oil, parsley, salt, pepper, paprika, and allspice.
- Take an onion layer, place a spoonful of filling inside, and fold over to make a neat parcel. Repeat with remaining onion shells. Arrange seam side down in a pot.
- Mix water, tomato paste, and pomegranate molasses for the sauce. Pour over the stuffed onions.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer gently for 45–60 minutes, until rice is cooked and onions are tender.
- Let rest 15 minutes before serving warm.
Notes
Make vegetarian by omitting beef and adding more rice, herbs, or pine nuts.
Bulgur can be used instead of rice for a nuttier flavor.
A splash of lemon juice or chicken broth can enrich the sauce.
Can also be baked at 350°F (180°C) for 1 hour covered with sauce.
Freezes well in portions; reheat directly from frozen.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3–4 stuffed onions
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 420mg
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
