Grilled Blooming Onion

An onion blooms into a show-stopping side dish when it's cut just right and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese and seasonings. Just grab the tender onion petals off the onion and dip them in the creamy barbecue sauce for a fun and festive vegetable side dish.

Grilled Blooming Onion
Photo: Caitlin Bensel
Servings:
4

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup mayonnaise

  • ¼ cup reduced-fat sour cream

  • 1 tablespoon barbecue sauce

  • 1 large sweet onion (about 1 pound)

  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika

  • 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

  1. Preheat grill to medium-high. Stir mayonnaise, sour cream and barbecue sauce together in a small bowl until combined. Set aside.

  2. Slice pointy stem end off of onion; remove and discard peel, keeping root end intact. Place the onion, cut-side down, on a cutting board. Leaving a 1/2-inch rim around the root, make 4 evenly spaced lengthwise cuts from the root end down to the stem end. (This will create 4 onion sections.) Repeat the process to make 3 additional lengthwise cuts in each onion section, creating 16 sections total. Turn the onion over. Using your hands, separate layers of 16 "petals" as needed, keeping the onion intact at the root end.

  3. Place the onion on a sheet of foil. Stir Parmesan, paprika and Italian seasoning together in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixture between the petals of the onion; drizzle with oil.

  4. Place the foil sheet with the onion on the grill rack; grill, covered, until tender and lightly charred, 20 to 24 minutes. Serve with the mayonnaise sauce.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

213 Calories
19g Fat
9g Carbs
4g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 4
Serving Size 2/3 cup onion petals & 2 Tbsp. sauce
Calories 213
% Daily Value *
Total Carbohydrate 9g 3%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 4g 8%
Total Fat 19g 24%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Cholesterol 20mg 7%
Vitamin A 1022IU 20%
Sodium 328mg 14%

Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate.

* Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.

Related Articles