You ask me, “What is the best vegetable of the season?”. My answer and I say this with ease- Vidalia Onions. What is better than a Vidalia onion you ask? Simple- Stuffed Vidalia Onions. Intoxicatingly sweet onions stuffed with nutty parmesan cheese, crunchy panko crumbs, savory sauteed garlic and zucchini and of course butter!
Vidalia onions are southern through and through and every Southerner knows you can’t have cook a vidalia onion without butter so please bare with me on this “healthy dish” and if it makes you feel better everytime I say butter just pretend I am saying olive oil! There now, don’t you feel better already!
Last weekend my husband was cooking one of our million bags of red snapper that he caught while deep sea fishing back in the beginning of July. Seeing as how we have had every side dish imaginable to go with our weekly fish dishes I wanted to do something new and fun and most of all EASY! It was the weekend and I don’t cook on the weekends. This is hubby’s job and one he is quite good at:) So with a bag of vidalia onions sitting there staring right at me I knew what needed to be done. Stuff those babies!
Butter (enter your pretend word here) + Panko + garlic= magic. Butter (again pretend word) + garlic + Panko + cheese and zucchini stuffed in an onion= perfection. There is nothing hard or time consuming about this dish. Hollow out the center of your onion with your choice of weapon. Saute the garlic and zucchini in butter (enter pretend word) and toss with cheese, a few seasonings and Panko then stuff away. Wrap in foil and either bake or grill on high. That’s it.
- 4 Vidalia Onions or similar sweet onions
- 1 medium zucchini, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 TBSP butter
- ½ cup panko
- 1 tsp freshly chopped basil
- ½ tsp salt and pepper each
- ¼ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp thyme
- ½ cup parmesan cheese, grated
- Cut a half inch thick slice off the top and bottom of your onion so that the onion will sit up straight. Use a knife and carefully carve out a small circle in the top of the onion. Then with a spoon scoop out the center carefully, leaving the onion layers intact. Place each onion on its separate sheet of foil. Set aside.
- Saute the zucchini and garlic in the butter for 5-7 minutes. Turn off heat and add in the panko, cheese, and remaining seasonings. Mix well and then spoon the filling into the center of each onion.
- Wrap the onion up in the foil, making sure to pat down the top to seal the stuffing inside and place on either a baking sheet and bake for 20-30 minutes at 450 or place the individually wrapped onions on the grill over high heat and grill for 10-15 minutes.
I’ve never made a stuffed onion, but there’s no reason why I can’t try. What can go wrong? I’m inclined to try grating the zucchini and squeezing water out of it and tossing it in the BUTTER with breadcrumbs and cheese, etc.
I’ve never stuffed a an onion before, but it’s so logical…why haven’t I done it before!!!???? Phenom idea Jessica!
I’m not a huge onion eater, but stuffed with butter and bread crumbs, they might convert me!
When I think of onions Vidalia comes to mind but this is on a whole new level yummm
This looks good! I love onions and have never had them stuffed before! Love this!
To tell you the truth I use onions a lot in our cooking but never made it stuffed. This is brilliant:)
Yum! Now that’s an onion I may have to eat!
I love onions but never tried them stuffed. They look really good and would be nice with any Dinner.
I have never prepared onions in this way. So creative and yum!
I totally laughed as I saw your post because I searched 3 grocery stores today for a vidalia onion. Seriously! It was the one ingredient that I needed for my carrot and ginger soup and I couldn’t’ find one anywhere. Maybe everyone read your post and grabbed them all up 🙂
My hubby so adores onions so he would be one happy camper if I made him up one of these.
xoxo,
Jackie
what! No vidalia onions? That is craziness. I would have complained:) not really, when that happens to me I just use whatever sweet onion I can find and add a dash of sugar in the pan while I caramelize them. Just as good:)
I love onion that becomes sweeter by grilling/roasting/braising… so delicious! This is my very first time seeing stuffed onions! I never thought onion can be stuffed. 😀 There’s always something new we can try out in the kitchen!
Ooh, I love onions and stuffed onions sound even more scrumity – I love what you have used to stuff these little gems with Belle.
🙂 Mandy
We are a huge fan of onions. These stuffed onions look so yum with cheesy panko filling.
Oh I want to make these today!! We so love vidalia onions and what a great way to cook them.
I dont think so I can get those here, but they sure sound and look wonderful and tempting. Thanks for introducing me to a new dish.
Hey Helene,
If you can;t get vidalia onions than you can use any sweet onion. It would taste just as good!
This has never crossed my mind – and I love Vidilia Onions! This is belleicious brilliant! Good one – sounds terrific.
ooo girl! this looks amazing! i love vidalia onions and i am going to have to try these! hope you are doing well!!
What did we do before Panko. Love these and I will definitely use the butter.
Sam
This looks like a very interesting recipe for sweet onions, will definitely try this 🙂
Oh. My. Word. My husband would love this recipe. He loves onions like there’s no tomorrow. Really 😀
This would be a fantastic Thanksgiving side dish! I love onions 🙂
Oh yes it would Liz. I didn’;t think about that. now I have to make a note to do it this year
this is new to me. I like stuffed pepper and stuffed tomato but never really stuffed onions. And I know I will love it cause I love onions any time.
I have yet to stuff a tomato- I need to do that. I can think of endless ways too:) Thanks for the idea
I love stuffed anything…but stuffed onion is something I haven’t tried. Now I know what I have been missing!
You definitely are missing out:) Girl you have gotta try them. they are sooo good
WOW, looks amazing 🙂 Love your blog
that filling with cheesy breadcrumbs sounds very nice! i will not pretend on the word ‘ butter’ but i pretend that i never see this now…wish i cld taste some and go!
Butter and panko are definitely magic words in my world! How wonderful that your husband was able to go deep sea fishing and able to bring home such a great catch! Vidalia onions are the BEST and I love cooked onions! So nice that your husband cooks on the weekends! I can’t imagine if that would happen in my house! Be well, Jessica and I’ll talk to you soon!
~ Roz
No need for any pretend word for me, I’m all about butter, the more the better!
I’ve never made stuffed onions but always mean too – and I would use butter – lots of it and yours look incredible!
Mary x
it looks like an awesome side dish! sweetness from the onion, crisp from the crumbs! yum.
Fantastic recipe—this might be one of my favorites of yours yet. a humble yet elegant dish. vidalias rule!
Stuffed onion. Say no more! This is on the menu this week. Thanks Jessica!
I adore vidalias and you just reminded me to stick up before they stop importing them! You can’t go wrong with their sweet deliciousness!
Goodness! I made stuffed onions for the TV taping but used lobster, too, for the stuffing. They were delicious. I’ve been known to just boil a pot of onions for myself for lunch! Never thought of the Vidalias, just said sweet onions. Gonna try this recipe, too. Thanks for sharing.
Lobster? oh that sounds amazing! I want to try that as well. Thanks for stopping by
Excellent article. I certainly love this website.
Keep it up!
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Stuffed Vidalia Onions