Grab an onion and discover why everyone is going crazy over this delicious onion boil recipe! Seasoned with just butter, olive oil, salt and cajun seasoning, the onion takes center stage for this dish and is packed with nutrients and delicious flavor.
Onions are one of the most widely used vegetables throughout the world, yet are almost always stuck in a supporting role. Sure, they have their moments when caramelized, grilled or marinated, but featuring a whole onion as the focal point of a meal? Not so much.
That all changes with this easy onion boil recipe! Brought to the mainstream by TikTok creator @doll_mimi, onions are finally being given their flowers.
The funny thing about the name is that the onion gets roasted and we're not actually boiling anything. Some think it came to be because the seasonings resemble that of a seafood boil. I actually think "onion broil" would be a better name, especially because I like to broil it at the end to caramelize it further!
Simply scoop out a bit of the top of an onion to create a well, load it up with whatever seasonings you wish and pop it in the oven. The flavors will seep into the onion and it softens to a point where each layer can be separated with just a fork. I love it on a bed of rice with some crispy chickpeas or other roasted veggies. It's seriously amazing!
Why You'll Love this Onion Boil Recipe
- Bold, delicious flavor
- Easy recipe using simple ingredients
- Fun way to enjoy an otherwise sharp and pungent vegetable
- Pairs well with many dishes
- Easy to customize - add any seasonings you wish!
Ingredients
At its core, you really only need 3-4 ingredients: an onion, butter (and/or olive oil) and salt. The fun is then all in the seasonings you can add as well. I actually like to keep mine pretty basic with a bit of cajun seasoning, but feel free to add more yourself!
- Onion: I prefer a sweet yellow onion over a white onion for this dish, but both definitely work. Yellow onions tend to hold their shape better when roasted than white ones do. I've seen a couple people rave about using Vidalia onions.
- Butter: Butter adds rich buttery flavor to the onion in addition to helping it caramelize. I use vegan butter to keep it plant-based. You can use solid butter or melted. I've also made this recipe using extra virgin olive oil as a butter substitute which also works!
- Salt: Salt helps to bring out the flavors. Add a little to each layer of the onion as you eat it!
- Extra virgin olive oil: Mixing the seasonings with olive oil (or melted butter) makes it easy to pour overtop the onion so it gets evenly coated. Plus, it adds incredible flavor.
- Seasonings: Cajun spice is my go-to for this onion recipe, but you can also add others such as garlic powder, old bay, smoked paprika, Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning Salute Blend, onion powder and/or black pepper... really anything you want!
How to Make this Onion Boil
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Season the onion. Use a small melon baller to scoop out the top center portion of the onion (about ⅓ of the way down) to make a well in the center. Place the onion on a sheet of aluminum foil and add the butter into the well. Mix the seasonings with the olive oil and pour over the butter into the well, allowing the oil and seasoning mixture to drip down the sides of the onion. Season with salt and any additional seasonings desired.
3. Wrap the onion in aluminum foil. Seal the entire onion tightly in the aluminum foil and place it in a small baking dish or cast iron skillet to catch any oil that seeps out of the foil.
4. Roast on the center rack of the oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and open the foil to check on the onion. The entire onion should be fork tender and the center should jiggle. It also should be slightly caramelized. If it needs more time to cook, simply reseal the foil and pop it back in the oven for another 10 minutes and recheck after that.
5. Caramelize it futher by broiling (optional). Turn the oven to broil. Open the foil and drizzle more melted butter (or olive oil) and an extra pinch of salt. Broil for 5-10 minutes, watching closely to avoid burning. This will give the onion a golden brown caramelized exterior on top.
6. Serve. Peel away the outer layer and then enjoy each layer beneath that with an extra sprinkle of salt if desired. Be sure to pour all the juices from the foil overtop the onion when serving to maximize flavor. I love to serve this with rice, crispy chickpeas or lentils and other roasted veggies like these crispy Brussels sprouts. Enjoy while hot.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator once it has fully cooled to room temperature.
Recipe Tips
Make it an onion "broil." Broiling after roasting is not part of the onion boil recipes on TikTok, but doing so caramelizes the onion further and adds a bit more texture and sweetness. I definitely recommend this step! Just make sure to pull it out when it turns golden brown to prevent burning.
Use the layers to make stuffed onions! This dish is typically enjoyed with a fork, but another option is add some rice, herbs and seasonings onto each layer and roll them up!
Health Benefits of Onions
Onions are low in calories and are a good source of fiber and vitamin C, as well as providing potassium and vitamin B6. Additionally, onions have been shown to have therapeutic value in treatment of various diseases associated with oxidative stress, inflammation and immune-dysregulation (source).
Whether served as a main course or side dish, I hope you enjoy this viral onion boil recipe! Please comment below or tag me @eatingbyelaine so I can see all the seasonings you choose to use.
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Onion Boil (Viral TikTok Recipe)
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 2 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Grab an onion and discover why everyone is going crazy over this delicious onion boil recipe! Seasoned with just butter, salt and cajun seasoning, the onion takes center stage for this dish and is packed with nutrients and delicious flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 large (15 ounce) sweet onion, peeled and ends trimmed off
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon salt (plus more to taste when serving each layer)
- optional additional seasonings: ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon old bay seasoning
- optional garnish: finely diced parsley leaves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Season the onion. Use a small melon baller to scoop out the top center portion of the onion (about ⅓ of the way down) to make a well in the center. Place the onion on a sheet of aluminum foil and add the butter into the well. Mix the seasonings with the olive oil and pour over the butter into the well, allowing the oil and seasoning mixture to drip down the sides of the onion. Season with salt and any additional seasonings desired.
- Wrap the onion in aluminum foil. Seal the entire onion tightly in the aluminum foil and place it in a small baking dish or cast iron skillet to catch any oil that seeps out of the foil.
- Roast on the center rack of the oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and open the foil to check on the onion. The entire onion should be fork tender and the center should jiggle. It also should be slightly caramelized. If it needs more time to cook, simply reseal the foil and pop it back in the oven for another 10 minutes and recheck after that.
- Caramelize it futher by broiling (optional). Turn the oven to broil. Open the foil and drizzle more melted butter (or olive oil) and an extra pinch of salt. Broil for 5-10 minutes, watching closely to avoid burning. This will give the onion a golden brown caramelized exterior on top.
- Serve. Peel away the outer layer and then enjoy each layer beneath that with an extra sprinkle of salt if desired. Be sure to pour all the juices from the foil overtop the onion when serving to maximize flavor. I love to serve this with rice, crispy chickpeas and other roasted veggies like these crispy Brussels sprouts. Enjoy while hot.
Notes
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator once it has fully cooled to room temperature.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 60
- Method: Roasted
Nancy Greenwalt says
What can I use instead aluminum foil?
I don’t use foil for cooking. Thank you! Nancy
Elaine Gordon says
If you have a small lidded casserole dish you can totally use that. Or, you could try bleach-free parchment paper and twist it tightly. Please LMK what you end up doing and how it goes for you. Thank you!