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Blooming onions are normally all about the fried crispy batter and the dipping sauces. This baked onion is all about the onion and the chile. The following recipe turns a normal sweet onion into a sweet and spicy delight. Just fill a cut onion with green chile, bake, top with some cheese and bake again. The result – a tender sweet onion infused with the flavor and spiciness of roasted chile and finished off with gooey cheese.
Serve as a side dish or over rice for a vegetarian meal.
If you’ve ever been to a New Mexican restaurant, you have been asked the state question – Red or Green? This question tells you that the dish you ordered can be served with red or green chile. Therefore, it just makes sense that if you can have a blooming onion with green then you can have one with red. Click on this link to check out the equivalent of this dish, but smothered in red.
5 from 1 vote
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Blooming Onion with Hatch Chile and Cheese
Prep
15 mins
Cook
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 15 mins
A healthier version of the blooming onion -A Baked blooming onion with Hatch chile and cheese.
“*” See Kitchen Notes for more information or links to special ingredients.
Course: Side Dish, Vegetarian
Cuisine: New Mexico
Recipe Author: MJ of MJ’s Kitchen
Ingredients
The following ingredients are for one onion. You can make as many onions as you need.
- 1 medium sweet onion*
- 2-3 large roasted chiles*
- 1 – 2 ounces Monterey Jack cheese*, a cube for each onion, the rest grated
- ¼ cup vegetable broth*
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375°
Peel the onion and remove the top part of the onion (about the top 1/2’”)
Carefully do a clean cut on the bottom of the onion, removing any remaining root, but don’t cut into the core. The core will hold the onion together while it bakes.
Using a paring knife, cut a vertical hole down the middle of the onion, stopping about ½” above the core. Remove the center and use for another purpose.
Make about 5-6 vertical cuts into the onion, stopping ½ – ¼” above the core.
Carefully separate the layers to create a “blossom”.
Transfer onion(s) to a baking dish.
Place a piece of cheese vertically in the hole in the middle of the onion.
Distribute the chopped green chile throughout the onion pieces as shown here.
Pour ¼ – ½ cup broth into dish (1/2 cup for 2 – 4 onions)
Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Place in oven and bake for 25 minutes.
Remove from oven. Increase oven temperature to 400°F.
Remove the aluminum foil. Using a turkey baster, remove all but about 1/4” of liquid from the baking dish if there is too much liquid. Set aside for a sauce when serving.
Scatter the desired amount of grated cheese onto each of the onion(s), placing cheese between the “petals” of the bloom.
Return to oven, uncovered, and baked for another 10 minutes.
Remove from oven and prepare to serve.
Serve in a bowl, topping each onion with some of the reserved liquid.
Kitchen Notes
For a complete meal, serve over brown rice or a wild rice blend. Top with some of the reserved liquid.
Onion – The best sweet onions are the flatter ones, but they don’t work well logistically for this recipe. It’s best to use the more rounded sweet onions. If you really, really love onions and you can’t find sweet onions, then substitute with red onions.
Chile – Any roasted chile works in this recipe, so use your favorite. Of course I love using New Mexico red and/or green chile as you already know.
Cheese – Monterey Jack is the perfect cheese to use because it has a low melting point which allows it to melt and meld in the 10 minute bake. It also has a mild flavor that best complements the chile and onion. A mild cheddar also works if you don’t have Monterey Jack.
Vegetable Broth– The broth is used as the salt component and as the steaming liquid. While baking, the onions steam in the broth, infusing flavor and salt into the onions. However, unless you are a vegetarian, you can substitute vegetable broth with chicken or beef.
This dish was inspired by the delicious chile from the Hatch Chile Store.
If you’ve enjoyed this Blooming Onion with Hatch Chile and Cheese, then you will also enjoy these other onion recipes and some more chile recipes:
Link to Green Chile Recipes in MJ’s Kitchen
Tags
chile gluten-free Hatch chile onion vegetarian
Mock Strawberry Fig Preserves
Easy Spiced Pickled Chile Peppers and Onions
45 Comments
April 26, 2023 at 4:53 am ·Reply
Great side dish to make a change. Believe or not, I have never had blooming onions…
Pingback: Blooming Onion with Red Chile, Chorizo and Cheese - MJ's Kitchen
Mark
November 7, 2016 at 7:54 am ·Reply
MJ have you tired adding chorizo to this.?
mj
November 9, 2016 at 8:11 am ·Reply
No I haven’ but it sounds wonderful!!! If you try it, let me know how it turns out. (Sorry the for late reply. I’ve been out of town for a few days.)
September 19, 2016 at 11:25 am ·Reply
wow I’ve never had a baked blooming onion and I bet it tastes great! The addition of chile makes it sound even better. Thanks for sharing!
mj
September 19, 2016 at 4:46 pm ·Reply
Thanks Yi! Normally blooming onions are battered and fried, but I tried to go healthy and baked them instead. The green chile with the onion was quite delicious!
September 8, 2016 at 12:21 pm ·Reply
Love your Baked Blooming Onions, MJ! They look so delicious and are so much healthier than the fried variety! Thank you for sharing them with us at the Hearth and Soul Hop. Hope to ‘see’ you again this week!
mj
September 8, 2016 at 1:55 pm ·Reply
Thank April for your comment, all of your sharing and for your great blog hop!
September 7, 2016 at 3:04 am ·Reply
This looks stunning! Yummy! 🙂
mj
September 8, 2016 at 12:17 pm ·Reply
Thanks so much Tiffany!
September 6, 2016 at 9:10 pm ·Reply
Years ago, I roasted onions on the grill that were wrapped in bacon with a bit of butter and covered in foil. I think yours here, MJ, would top those. And I FINALLY have hatch chiles to use.No doubt about it. I’ll be making these onions. I might even serve mine over a bit of polenta. Everything’s better on top of polenta. (If ever the Bartolini had a motto, that would be it.) 🙂
mj
September 8, 2016 at 12:16 pm ·Reply
I don’t know John…your bacon wrapped onions sounds pretty darn good to me!!! 🙂 Hope you do make these. They are quite delicious and, yes, they’d be awesome over polenta!!! Thanks!
Pingback: Hearth and soul blog hop: September first week - Zesty South Indian Kitchen
September 6, 2016 at 2:52 am ·Reply
I love, love baked onion although as I grow up my stomach has a real hard time digesting it! This one looks so delicious and pretty in its looks! Pinned!
mj
September 6, 2016 at 12:17 pm ·Reply
I’m with you Katerina…I love baked onion! Sorry that it doesn’t agree with you anymore. Maybe bake it a little longer? So far, it doesn’t bother me, but then maybe it’s all of the chile I eat. 🙂
September 6, 2016 at 12:48 am ·Reply
Now I want to make some of this, such a nice recipe and a good looking dish at the same time
mj
September 6, 2016 at 12:15 pm ·Reply
Thanks so much Raymund! It did turn out to be a good dish, didn’t it? 🙂
September 5, 2016 at 9:50 pm ·Reply
I can eat this any day MJ, here is HEB our local grocery store there is Hatch chilie festival, I bought some hatch chilies mild ones but made Indian dish, next time I will make this. Thanks for sharing with Hearth and soul blog hop, pinning, tweeting and featuring on this week hop.
mj
September 6, 2016 at 12:15 pm ·Reply
Thanks Swathi!! I know you love onions so I think you’ll really like this recipe. Thanks for all of the sharing and for the feature!!!!
September 3, 2016 at 8:37 pm ·Reply
I’ve always resisted making blooming onions because of the deep frying. But your version sounds outstanding! And way less guilt!
mj
September 5, 2016 at 1:18 pm ·Reply
Yep – way less guilt and way less of a mess! 🙂 Thanks Liz!
September 2, 2016 at 8:55 pm ·Reply
Ohhhh this is a genius idea, MJ! I LOVE IT. I’ve seen enough fried version of it, and you just make it more fun, delicious, and unique blooming onion!
mj
September 5, 2016 at 1:12 pm ·Reply
Thanks so much Nami! You can use as spicy or as mild of a chile as you want. 🙂
September 2, 2016 at 2:28 pm ·Reply
LOVE this beautiful idea!! A must make FOR SURE!
mj
September 5, 2016 at 1:11 pm ·Reply
Thanks so much GiGi!
September 2, 2016 at 9:54 am ·Reply
Really awesome recipe MJ, now thta is the right way to enjoy a Blooming Onion! A guilt free version with better flavor.
mj
September 2, 2016 at 12:37 pm ·Reply
Thanks Evelyne! I’ve even made it without the cheese and it was still good and even more guilt free. 🙂
September 2, 2016 at 6:21 am ·Reply
I can only eat a couple petals from a blooming onion but your version…I could eat the whole onion. It sounds great.
mj
September 2, 2016 at 12:36 pm ·Reply
I agree Karen! The fried version is really heavy. Hope you’re doing well!
September 1, 2016 at 1:24 am ·Reply
Baked onion is something I definitely like. It’s such a nice idea, I’ll make it for the evening 😀
mj
September 1, 2016 at 9:20 pm ·Reply
Thanks Marta! Hope you enjoy it!!
August 31, 2016 at 1:35 pm ·Reply
It looks amazing, I have never seen anything like this! I have to make these onions.
mj
September 1, 2016 at 9:18 pm ·Reply
Thanks Adina! It’s really tasty. 🙂
August 31, 2016 at 6:56 am ·Reply
These look absolutely delicious, MJ!
mj
September 1, 2016 at 9:18 pm ·Reply
Thanks Amy!
August 31, 2016 at 4:02 am ·Reply
From what I understood from the comments, blooming onions are quite famous in the US. I must say I’ve never even heard about them, not to mention taste them but from your description I am sure your version is the best. Moreover, it looks sooooo beautiful with red patches of chile! I only have shallots and long red onions in the house (though I have freshly made chicken stock), so I’m putting white round onion on my next shopping list! (I just hope my clumsy hands will manage the cutting…).
mj
September 1, 2016 at 9:18 pm ·Reply
The Outback restaurant here has made the blooming onion pretty famous. It is normally fried and a heart attack waiting to happen. 🙂 So, I’ve made it a little lighter and definitely tastier with the roasted chile. Yes, you do need real onion for this. Hope you do give it a try with some of your roasted chile. You’ll love it! Thanks Darlin!
August 30, 2016 at 9:16 am ·Reply
What a fun idea! This looks much tastier than the usual blooming onions one finds, and of course is much healthier. Good stuff! And timely for me — I have a bunch of Hatch chilies that I’m going to be roasting today. Using, of course, your method for doing them on the grill. 🙂
mj
August 30, 2016 at 12:34 pm ·Reply
Yes, it was fun!!! I love the transformation of a simple onion to the decadent dish. 🙂 Oh YAY!!!!!You’re roasting chile! Well, I ‘m sure you are having fun and driving your neighbors crazy!!!!
August 30, 2016 at 8:05 am ·Reply
What a fabulous version of Blooming Onion! The traditional fried Blooming Onion is too over the top for me. Your recipe captures the essence of the recipe with even more goodness from those Hatch chiles.
mj
August 30, 2016 at 12:33 pm ·Reply
Thanks so much Deb! I’m with you…the fried version is just too much!
August 30, 2016 at 7:24 am ·Reply
One word… YUM! I would simply love these blooming onions with hatch chile. So much better than those traditional blooming onions and much more flavor too. 🙂
Hope you are having a great end to summer! 🙂
mj
August 30, 2016 at 12:32 pm ·Reply
Thanks Ramona! You know, at one point in going through the pictures I came across one said “Ramona’s going to love these!” 🙂 I am having a wonderful August and am looking forward to the fall. Hope the same for you and your family!
August 30, 2016 at 7:21 am ·Reply
Your blooming onions look so cool! Saw this cutting method in Pinterest, but it’s coated with breadcrumbs and fried..looks great, but just too fattening for me. I prefer yours with chile and cheese.
mj
August 30, 2016 at 12:31 pm ·Reply
Thanks Angie! It did turn out good didn’t it? 🙂 And it was SO easy! I’m with you that the fried version is just too fattening, but I do love onions, so I’m always looking for ways to dress them up.
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