Bosnian Stuffed Onions (Sogan-dolma)
Sogan-dolma Say it: so-GAHN DOL-mah
A Bosnian interpretation of the Ottoman stuffed-onion tradition, Sogan-dolma is a hearty Sarajevo favorite for family meals and holidays. Soft onion shells surround a savory filling of minced meat, rice and herbs, while a tangy sour-cream sauce bakes around them until the onions are tender and golden. Make it ahead and finish it in the oven; bread is the usual partner for the creamy juices.
Bosnian Stuffed Onions (Sogan-dolma)
Sogan-dolma
Pronounced so-GAHN DOL-mah
- Serves
- 6
- Prep
- 45 min
- Cook
- 1 hr 15 min
- Total
- 2 hr
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, milk, egg. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Onions and filling
Sauce
Method
Slice 1/2 inch (1 cm) from the top of each onion; keep those caps for another use. Level the root end just enough that the onion stands, keeping the root intact. In a big pot of salted boiling water, cook the onions 8–10 minutes, until the outside layers bend easily. Transfer to cold water to stop the cooking.
Working from the top, ease out the middle layers, leaving 2–3 outside layers as a shell. Chop roughly 1 cup of the removed onion for the filling.
Warm the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the chopped onion and garlic for about 5 minutes, until softened. Put them in a bowl and cool briefly.
Add the beef, rice, egg, parsley, paprika, salt, pepper and dried mint, if using, to the cooled onion. Use your hands to combine thoroughly. Let the mixture rest for 10 minutes.
Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Spoon the meat mixture into the onion shells, filling them without compacting hard because the rice will swell. Stand the filled onions in a baking dish that holds them closely.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 1–2 minutes, until light golden. Pour in the warm broth and milk slowly while whisking; simmer, whisking, until thickened, 3–4 minutes. Off the heat, fold in the sour cream, paprika, salt and pepper.
Ladle the sauce around and over the onions, covering the tops lightly; the sauce should reach about halfway up. Cover with a lid or foil and bake for 40 minutes.
Remove the cover, baste the onions with sauce, and bake for 15–20 minutes more, until the onions are soft and the tops are lightly colored. Rest for 10 minutes. Serve with extra sour cream and parsley.
Regional variant: Sogan-dolma in tomato sauce (sogan-dolma u paradajz sosu)
Use a tomato-based sauce instead of the creamy one: sauté one chopped onion in oil, add 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 teaspoon paprika and 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) water or broth, season with salt and pepper, and pour over the stuffed onions. Bake uncovered or simmer on the stovetop until the onions are tender and the sauce has thickened.
Cook's notes
- A short blanch makes the onion leaves flexible, so they are less prone to tearing.
- Leave a little room in each shell; swelling rice can otherwise force the filling out.
- If the sauce becomes too thick in the oven, loosen it with a splash of warm broth or water.
Serve with
Crusty bread or somun alongside, plus extra sour cream or kiselo mlijeko.
Make ahead and storage
The unbaked dish can be covered and chilled for up to 24 hours; allow 10–15 extra minutes in the oven. Reheat leftovers gently on the stovetop or in the oven.
Questions cooks ask
How do you make sogan dolma?
Blanch 6 large yellow onions in salted boiling water 8–10 minutes, then cool and ease out the middle layers, leaving 2–3 outside layers as shells. Fill with ground beef, rice, egg, garlic, parsley and paprika. Bake covered in a butter-flour-milk-sour cream sauce at 375°F (190°C) for 40 minutes, then uncovered 15–20 minutes.
What is sogan dolma?
Sogan-dolma is a Bosnian stuffed-onion dish from Sarajevo, an interpretation of the Ottoman stuffed-onion tradition. Soft onion shells hold a filling of minced meat, rice and herbs, and a tangy sour-cream sauce bakes around them until the onions are tender and golden. It is served as a hearty family or holiday meal.
What should you serve with sogan dolma?
Crusty bread or somun is the usual partner for the creamy juices, along with extra sour cream or kiselo mlijeko. The recipe also suggests serving with extra sour cream and parsley after the dish rests for 10 minutes.
