Layered Stuffed Onions and Tomatoes with Spiced Beef and Rice

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-22 · Updated 2026-05-22

Tender onion layers and hollowed tomatoes stuffed with a fragrant blend of spiced ground beef, rice, and herbs, baked to perfection. This Middle Eastern beef recipe, ready in about 90 minutes, pairs large onions, medium tomatoes, and ground beef for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 320 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Build a week of meals around this recipe" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 3 large onions, peeled and separated into layers
• 4 medium tomatoes, tops sliced and flesh scooped out
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 cup uncooked long grain rice
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cups water or beef broth

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Rinse 1 cup uncooked long grain rice under cold water until clear, then soak in warm water for 20 minutes and drain.
2. Step 2: In a large bowl, combine 1 lb ground beef, soaked rice, 1 small finely chopped onion, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 tsp ground allspice, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, 1 tsp salt, and 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley. Mix thoroughly.
3. Step 3: Separate 3 large peeled onions carefully into individual layers, and stuff each layer with a tablespoon of the beef and rice mixture, shaping into small rounds.
4. Step 4: Hollow out the centers of 4 medium tomatoes and stuff each with the remaining beef and rice filling.
5. Step 5: Arrange stuffed onion layers and stuffed tomatoes snugly in a large baking dish, drizzle with 3 tbsp olive oil, and pour 2 cups water or beef broth around them.
6. Step 6: Cover with foil and bake at 350°F for 1 hour until the rice is tender and the beef is cooked through. Remove foil in the last 10 minutes to allow tops to brown slightly.