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Vegetarian, Italy

Piedmontese stuffed onions with rice

Piedmontese stuffed onions are an Italian dish made with large onions hollowed out and filled with parmesan, egg and crushed amaretti cookies, then baked until golden. For 4 people, it takes 90 minutes and costs about €2.60 per serving. The key to success is boiling the onions whole first, which softens them before stuffing.

Tonight, big Piedmontese stuffed onions with parmesan, egg and amaretti, baked until golden, served with rice.

Piedmontese stuffed onions with rice
Total time
1 h 30
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€2.60
Calories per person
570 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter

Under the golden crust of parmesan and breadcrumbs, the amaretti filling usually surprises people the first time around. The crisp almond cookie adds a subtle sweetness that softens the taste of the cooked onion, while the egg binds everything into a soft, almost melting texture. This is a classic dish from Piedmont, simple in its ingredients but one that takes a bit of patience to hollow out the onions without breaking them.

This is a good choice for an unhurried weeknight dinner, or for a Sunday meal when you feel like cooking without rushing. The plain rice served alongside soaks up the baking juices and balances the richness of the filling. It tends to please adults and curious older kids more than young children, since the taste of cooked onion is quite pronounced.

The ingredients

4 people

Fruits and vegetables

  • Large yellow onions 4

Dairy

  • Grated parmesan 80 g
  • Eggs 2
  • Butter 30 g

Pantry

  • Amaretti (Italian dry almond cookies) 60 g
  • Breadcrumbsoften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Basmati riceoften in the pantry 250 g
  • Nutmegoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Eggs, Lactose, Gluten, Tree nuts

The step by step recipe

  1. Boil the whole onions in salted water until tender. 30 min

    Leave the skins on, they hold the layers together.

  2. Drain them, cut off the tops, hollow them out keeping 2 layers, and chop the removed flesh.

    Keep the outer layers thick enough to hold the filling.

  3. Mix the chopped onion flesh with the parmesan, eggs, crushed amaretti, nutmeg, salt and pepper.

    Crush the amaretti into coarse crumbs, they add an almond note.

  4. Fill the onions, sprinkle with breadcrumbs, add a small knob of butter and bake at 190°C. 35 min

    Set them in a narrow dish so they stand upright.

  5. Cook the rice in salted water, drain, and serve it alongside the baked onions. 12 min

    Spoon the juices left in the dish over the rice.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick onions that are round and similar in size, so they cook and brown at the same rate.
  • Don't throw away the onion core you remove while hollowing them out, it gives the filling its flavor once chopped.
  • If the filling seems too dry, add a spoonful of the onion cooking water to loosen it before stuffing.

The variations

  • Swap the parmesan for pecorino for a saltier, sharper taste.
  • For a gluten free version, use gluten free breadcrumbs instead, the rest of the filling stays the same.
  • To save time, skip precooking the onions whole, halve and hollow them raw instead, the oven time will just run a bit longer.

What to serve it with

  • Plain basmati rice
  • A simple green salad
  • A glass of dry white wine

Storage

Stuffed onions keep for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a closed container. They freeze well once cooked, thaw them in the fridge before reheating in the oven. Reheat at 160°C for about fifteen minutes so the top crisps up again.

Questions about this dish

Can you replace the amaretti with something else?

Yes, you can use plain dry cookies blended with a few drops of almond extract. The result will be close, just a bit less fragrant.

Can you prepare the stuffed onions ahead of time?

Yes, stuff the onions the day before and keep them in the fridge uncooked. Take them out thirty minutes before baking for even cooking.

How do you keep the onions from falling apart while baking?

Leave 2 thick layers when hollowing out the onions, they hold the filling together. Arrange them snugly in the baking dish so they don't tip over.

Is this dish good for kids?

The taste of cooked onion and amaretti is quite strong, and some kids won't like it. You can serve them just the rice with a bit of parmesan on the side.

How long does it take to make Piedmontese stuffed onions with rice?

Count 1 h 30 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in Piedmontese stuffed onions with rice?

About 570 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does Piedmontese stuffed onions with rice cost?

About €2.60 per serving, or €10.40 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains eggs, lactose, gluten, tree nuts. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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