Description

This Onion Boil recipe features large sweet onions baked and seasoned with a flavorful blend of spices and butter, resulting in tender, aromatic onions with a rich, savory taste. The onions are hollowed out, filled with a spiced butter mixture, wrapped in foil, and baked to perfection. An optional broil step caramelizes the tops for an enhanced depth of flavor, making it a perfect side dish or a deliciously simple vegetarian treat.

Ingredients

Scale

Onions

2 large sweet onions

Butter and Seasonings

2 Tablespoons butter, divided
2 teaspoons chili onion crunch
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon paprika (smoked or regular)
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning blend
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

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Instructions

Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F to ensure it reaches the right temperature for baking the onions evenly.
Prepare Onions: Peel the onions and, using a paring knife, carefully cut a 1-inch diameter hole at the top of each onion. Use a small spoon or butter knife to scoop out the center, creating a well that extends halfway down inside the onion.
Add Butter to Onions: Slice 1 tablespoon of the butter into two pieces and place one piece inside the well of each hollowed onion, allowing the butter to melt internally during baking and infuse flavor.
Make Spice Butter Mixture: In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Add chili onion crunch, minced garlic, paprika, Old Bay seasoning, Cajun seasoning, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper into the melted butter and stir well to combine all spices evenly.
Season Onions: Pour the spiced butter mixture evenly over the two onions so it fills their wells and spread some of the mixture over the sides for full flavor coverage.
Wrap and Bake: Wrap each onion tightly in foil and place them in a baking dish to catch any drips and ensure even baking. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until the onions are fork-tender. If not tender after 60 minutes, continue baking and check every 10 minutes.
Unwrap and Adjust: Carefully peel back the foil from the tops of the onions. At this point, you can add more melted butter and seasonings if desired for extra flavor.
Optional Broil: For an extra touch, set your oven to broil. Return the onions (uncovered) to the oven and broil for 2-3 minutes to slightly caramelize the tops, adding a delightful texture and deep flavor.

Notes

Choose large sweet onions such as Vidalia or Walla Walla for best flavor and tenderness.
Be careful when hollowing the onions to avoid cutting all the way through the bottom.
Adjust the spice blend based on your heat preference; reduce Cajun seasoning or chili onion crunch for less spice.
Wrapping onions tightly in foil helps steam them for tenderness but keeps them moist during baking.
If broiling, watch closely to avoid burning the tops as broilers can be intense.
Leftover baked onions can be refrigerated and reheated gently for another meal.