Meet Onion Boil: The Unexpectedly Delicious Recipe Taking Over the Internet

Here's why everyone is suddenly eating whole onions.

Trends move swiftly through the TikTok food world, better known as FoodTok. Some of them make it into our regular meal rotations at home, like Smash Burger Tacos. Others, like Scrambled Pancakes, have short-lived lives, even if they're delicious and there's nothing wrong with the recipe. A few months ago, eating an entire cucumber in one sitting took TikTok by storm. Now, it looks like people are chowing down entire onions.

Before you recoil in horror at the idea of eating a whole onion, we need to get one thing out of the way. The onion for this recipe is cooked, so, no, people aren't eating raw onions like they would a piece of fruit. Plus, people already eat whole onions all the time. Whether they're battered and deep-fried, like in a Blooming Onion, or sliced and caramelized in onion-forward recipes like French Onion Soup, chances are you've probably eaten whole onions in one sitting before.

What Is an Onion Boil?

If you live somewhere with access to good seafood, then you're probably familiar with a seafood boil, sometimes called a Low Country boil. Throw some crab, shrimp, kielbasa, corn, and potatoes into a pot with seasoned broth and let it boil. Then drain, slather with butter, and dig into one of life's most fun feasts.

The current onion trend takes components of the seafood boil and applies them to an onion—except there's no boiling. Instead, the onion is hollowed out and stuffed with butter and seasonings, then cooked in the oven. The most popular way to season the onion is with Old Bay Seasoning, which gives it the Low Country boil vibe.

How to Make an Onion Boil

TikTok’s Dorian Jessica is one of the many social media home cooks jumping on the trend, and her method of making an onion boil is pretty simple. There are no precise measurements here. It’s one of those “measure with your heart” recipes.

Cut off the ends of your onions, then peel them. Scoop out a hole from the top of each onion and place them on a piece of foil large enough to wrap the number of onions you have. Then mix melted butter with garlic powder, red meat seasoning, lemon pepper, pepper, and Old Bay Seasoning. Pour the butter all over the onion, then, for good measure, sprinkle on more Old Bay and a drizzle of chili oil. Wrap the onions tightly in foil, and bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the onion is soft.

How to Eat an Onion Boil

While most people are pulling off the onion layers one by one and eating it just as is, we imagine this would be a stellar side dish to a burger, chicken, or steak, or served with eggs and toast. The recipe is simple in construction but delivers big, bold flavors that work well with pretty much anything.

If you're sitting at your desk wondering if you have enough Old Bay Seasoning to do this right now, that's another thing that could be adapted. Think of this recipe as a foundation for whatever spices you already have on hand. Taco seasoning, Greek seasoning, and even curry powder would taste just as great.