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With a triple-layer shell, the onions are sturdy enough to hold the sausage, mushroom and spinach filling, while still being melt-in-your-mouth tender. It's a humble meal made of mostly pantry and freezer staples (and as long as you remember to use no-sugar sausage, it's also Whole30-friendly).
How to prep onions for stuffing
I recommend sticking with basic white onions, which are large and often uniform in size, with tender, mild flesh. The easiest and fastest way to make stuffed onions is by cutting the onions in half. Trim one-half inch from the top of the onion, then cut the onions in half from pole to pole and remove the outer papery layers. Next, it's time to remove the inner onion layers, leaving three outer layers of the onions intact, which is just enough for a shell that's sturdy, but tender.
The best way to use up leftover onion layers
Don't toss those inner layers! You can, of course, reserve them for any recipe that calls for chopped or sliced onion, but our favorite way to use them is for caramelized onions. Whether you cook them slowly on the stovetop or opt for a more hands-off method in your slow cooker, your kitchen will be perfumed with the sweet scent of onions. Keep some in the fridge to use right away, then stash the remainder in the freezer (because yes, you can freeze caramelized onions), and use them for future pizzas, pastas, frittatas and more!
SAUSAGE STUFFED ONIONS
SERVES 6
• 6 large white onions (12 to 14 ounces each)
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed in the refrigerator overnight or in the microwave
• 1 pound uncooked sausage
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 400 F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil.
2. Trim the top 1/2-inch from 6 large white onions. Cut the onions in half from pole to pole. Peel and discard the outer papery layers from each half. Carefully remove the inner layers of each onion half, leaving three outer layers in place for the shell. Reserve the inner layers. Place the scooped-out onions in the baking dish flat side up and cover tightly with aluminum foil.
3. Roast the onion shells until slightly softened, 30 to 40 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the filling.
4. Coarsely chop 2 of the inner onion layers (about 1 cup total) and save the remaining onions for another use. Place the chopped onion, 8 ounces cremini mushrooms and 2 garlic cloves in a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Pulse in 2-second bursts until finely chopped, about 20 pulses.
5. Thaw 1 package chopped spinach according to package directions if needed. Squeeze all the excess moisture from the spinach with your hands. Remove the casings from 1 pound sausage if needed.
6. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes.
7. Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, chopped vegetables, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until softened and the mushrooms release their juices, about 8 minutes. Add the spinach, stir to combine, and cook 2 minutes more.
8. When the onion shells are ready, evenly divide the sausage mixture among the onions. Bake uncovered until the tops are golden-brown, about 20 minutes.
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