These stuffed onions are delicious and look gorgeous on a holiday table. Sweet onions are filled with an apple and sage sausage stuffing and then baked until mellow and golden. They’re surprisingly easy to make, and they’re ready in just over an hour!
Everyone knows sausage and roasted onions belong together, so I decided it was time to combine them in a more intentional way. These sausage-stuffed onions feel elegant and a little special, but they’re surprisingly easy to make. They’re a great way to show off how versatile (and downright delicious) onions can be.
I start by making a simple stuffing with Italian sausage, sautéed celery, apple, sage, coarse bread crumbs, and chicken stock. Then I scoop out the inner layers of red and sweet onions and pack each one generously with the sausage mixture. Everything gets baked until the onions are tender and lightly golden, and the filling is savory, juicy, and full of cozy flavor.
The finished onions are beautiful on the plate and easy to serve thanks to their individual portions. I love them as a holiday side dish, but they also work really well as an appetizer for a dinner party. Savory, comforting, and always a hit, these stuffed onions are one of those recipes people remember.
How to hollow out an onion
Because they’re sturdy and have a layered structure, onions are easy to hollow out with a spoon. Use half the pulp in the recipe, and reserve the remaining chopped onion for a different recipe.
- Look for onions with a wider, flatter shape and similar size.
- Use a sharp knife to chop a ¼-inch thick slice from the stem end of the onion.
- Peel off any onion skin layers and discard them.
- Use a spoon to scoop out the inner onion layers, leaving about two to three outer layers.
- Ensure the bottom remains intact to serve as a vessel for the stuffing.
Make ahead instructions
This is a great make-ahead dish for special dinners. Prepare them up to a day in advance and store them in your fridge. Wait to add the water to the baking dish until you’re ready to cook them, then follow the cooking directions as outlined in the recipe card.
Stuffed Onions Recipe
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Ingredients
- ▢ 6 medium onions
- ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ▢ 1 stalks celery (minced)
- ▢ 1 Italian sausage (casing removed)
- ▢ ½ medium apple (peeled, cored, and diced small)
- ▢ 1 teaspoon dried sage (crumbled)
- ▢ ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ▢ ½ cup coarse breadcrumbs
- ▢ ¼ cup chicken stock
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Slice a ¼-inch thick slice from the top of each onion. Trim the bottom, if needed, so that the onions sit upright. Use a spoon to scoop out all but 3 layers of the onion. Reserve the bits you scoop out. 6 medium onions
- Mince ½ cup of the reserved onion bits. (Save the rest for a different recipe.) Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and saute until they’re soft, about 5 minutes. 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 stalks celery
- Add the sausage and break it up as it cooks. When it is no longer pink, add the minced apple, sage, and salt and saute for 2 minutes more. 1 Italian sausage, ½ medium apple, 1 teaspoon dried sage, ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the breadcrumbs and chicken stock. ½ cup coarse breadcrumbs, ¼ cup chicken stock
- Divide the sausage stuffing between the hollowed-out onions then place them into a baking dish. Pour ¼ cup of water into the baking dish then cover the top with foil. Bake the onions for 30 minutes then remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the onions are soft and the top of the stuffing starts to brown.
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here .
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More holiday side dishes
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
Christmas Salad with Herbs, Walnuts, and Pomegranate
Easy Sweet Potato Casserole with Candied Pecans
Stuffed Onions Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 medium onions
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 stalks celery , minced
- 1 Italian sausage , casing removed
- ½ medium apple , peeled, cored, and diced small
- 1 teaspoon dried sage , crumbled
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup coarse breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup chicken stock
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Slice a ¼-inch thick slice from the top of each onion. Trim the bottom, if needed, so that the onions sit upright. Use a spoon to scoop out all but 3 layers of the onion. Reserve the bits you scoop out. 6 medium onions
- Mince ½ cup of the reserved onion bits. (Save the rest for a different recipe.) Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and saute until they’re soft, about 5 minutes. 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 stalks celery
- Add the sausage and break it up as it cooks. When it is no longer pink, add the minced apple, sage, and salt and saute for 2 minutes more. 1 Italian sausage, ½ medium apple, 1 teaspoon dried sage, ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the breadcrumbs and chicken stock. ½ cup coarse breadcrumbs, ¼ cup chicken stock
- Divide the sausage stuffing between the hollowed-out onions then place them into a baking dish. Pour ¼ cup of water into the baking dish then cover the top with foil. Bake the onions for 30 minutes then remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the onions are soft and the top of the stuffing starts to brown.
