Stuffed onions with tuna is a traditional Asturian dish that turns humble onions into something truly special. Sweet onions are hollowed out, filled with a savory mixture of tuna, hard-boiled egg, tomato and roasted peppers, then slowly simmered in a rich tomato-wine sauce until meltingly tender.
This is a labor of love, but the result is absolutely worth it. The long, gentle cooking lets the onions soften and absorb all the flavors of the sauce, creating a comforting dish that's perfect as a starter or a light main course.

Serve these stuffed onions warm, with plenty of the sauce spooned over the top. They're ideal for a special dinner or a cozy family meal, and they taste even better the next day.

Ingredients for Stuffed Onions with Tuna
Serves 4
- 1 egg
- Salt
- 4 large onions
- 300 g canned tuna in olive oil
- 200 g tomato sauce (75 g for the filling and 125 g for the sauce)
- 175 g roasted red peppers (75 g for the filling and 100 g for the sauce)
- 55 g olive oil (20 g for the sofrito and 35 g for frying the onions)
- 1 garlic clove
- 150 ml white wine

How to Make Stuffed Onions with Tuna Step by Step
1. Boil the egg
First, boil 1 egg. Bring a small pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat, add a pinch of salt and the egg. Cook for about 12 minutes, then remove the egg and let it cool. Once cold, peel and finely chop it.

2. Hollow out the onions
While the egg cooks, hollow out 4 large onions. Peel each onion, then use a corer or a small teaspoon to remove the inside, being careful not to break the outer layers. Try to leave only the two outermost layers intact.

3. Chop the onion pulp
Once all 4 onions are hollowed, set aside a little of the removed pulp to use later for sealing the stuffed onions. Chop the rest of the pulp; you'll use it for the sauce sofrito. There's no need to chop it very finely since the sauce will be blended later.

4. Prepare the filling
To make the filling, put the chopped hard-boiled egg, 300 g canned tuna, 75 g tomato sauce and 75 g roasted red peppers cut into small squares in a bowl. Mix well with a fork.

5. Stuff the onions
Fill the onions using a small spoon, pressing the filling down so it's compact inside each onion.

6. Cover the onions
Cover the opening of each onion with the reserved onion pulp, pressing down gently so they are well sealed.

7. Sauté the garlic and onion for the sauce
Now prepare the sauce in which the stuffed onions will cook. Heat 20 g olive oil in a casserole over medium heat. When hot, add 1 chopped garlic clove and sauté for a few moments. Then add the chopped onion, a pinch of salt and cook for 5-6 minutes.

8. Add the roasted peppers
Next, add 100 g roasted red peppers cut into small squares, mix with the sofrito and cook for 2-3 minutes.

9. Add tomato sauce and white wine
Now add 125 g tomato sauce, mix and cook for 2 minutes. Then raise the heat and add 150 ml white wine. Mix and cook for 2 minutes until the alcohol evaporates completely.

10. Blend the sauce
At this point the sauce is ready. Blend it with an immersion blender and set aside.

11. Brown the stuffed onions
To cook the stuffed onions, use a casserole that fits them snugly so they stay put during cooking. Heat 35 g olive oil in the casserole over medium-high heat. When hot, place the stuffed onions inside, season with salt and let them fry lightly for a couple of minutes.

12. Add the sauce
Then pour the sauce into the casserole with the onions and reduce the heat to low.

13. Simmer and serve
Let the stuffed onions cook for 2 hours and 30 minutes with the lid on. After this time, serve them hot.

Tips for the Best Stuffed Onions with Tuna
Choose the right onions
Large, firm onions work best because they hold their shape after hollowing. Try to leave only the two outermost layers so the onions stay intact during the long cooking time.
Use a snug casserole
Pick a casserole that fits the stuffed onions tightly so they don't move around while cooking. This helps them keep their shape and prevents them from falling apart.
Be patient with the simmer
The long, slow cooking is what makes these onions so tender and flavorful. Keep the heat low and the lid on, and let the onions gently braise until they're meltingly soft.
| Prep Time | 40 minutes |
|---|---|
| Cook Time | 2 hours 55 minutes |
| Total Time | 3 hours 35 minutes |
| Servings | 4 |
| Course | Starter |
| Cuisine | Asturian |
| Calories | 456 kcal per serving |
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