If you love onions (or butter), you need to try an onion boil. It’s downright delicious.
I love the aroma of onions caramelizing in butter. That said, I never thought I would want to eat an entire onion all by myself. However, this viral TikTok recipe has me reallocating funds to a dedicated onion budget. If you have seen videos of creators making an onion boil, you understand why.
Like our recipe for the onion boil recipe is hardly new. However, it has blown up on social media and is probably causing onion farmers (and breath mint manufacturers) to see profits like never before. While some TikTokers dig into their onion boil straight up, others use this buttery, seasoned, tender onion to create or finish a It’s an incredibly easy recipe that’s affordable, versatile and yields a huge flavor payoff.
What is an ‘onion boil’?
Onion boil is a term that covers a category of recipes that involve hollowing out a whole onion, stuffing it with butter and seasonings, and then cooking it in the oven, grill or air fryer until sweet, tender and dripping with buttery goodness. Most versions wrap the onion in foil before cooking to help the onion steam and lock in flavor. However, air-fryer onion boil recipes typically leave the onion unwrapped to allow the edges to get slightly crisp.
As for seasonings, Old Bay is a popular choice (and, likely, why the recipe is known as a “boil”). However, you can doctor up your onion with any seasonings you enjoy. Steak seasoning, homemade taco seasoning, lemon pepper or curry powder would all taste great and give you leeway to enjoy this humble onion dish with just about any cuisine.
Ingredients
1 large sweet onion, peeled
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
1 teaspoon
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Directions
Step 1: Core the onion
A peeled and cored apple sits on a wooden surface next to a knife with a black handle.
Lauren Habermhl For Taste Of Home
Using a sharp paring knife, core the center of a sweet onion to create a hollow well. For best results, don’t go all the way through the other side. Make sure the bottom of the onion stays intact, so the butter doesn’t leak out instantly.
Editor’s Tip: An apple corer or vegetable peeler also works for coring an onion.
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