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Grilled Blooming Onion

This Grilled Blooming Onion is a lighter spin on a beloved Steakhouse starter. Whether you’re hosting a gathering or just want to spice up your weekday grilling routine, this grilled blooming onion is a great alternative – or a surprising side dish – to the usual suspects of burgers and hot dogs!

Grilled Blooming Onion set on a piece of foil and drizzled with steak sauce.

It’s time to rethink the classic steakhouse blooming onion with a healthier, grilled version that doesn’t skimp on flavor. This delicious starter makes a great addition to any barbecue menu, especially when looking for something more unique than the standard fare.

Grilled Blooming Onion Recipe

There’s something special about taking a well-loved classic and giving it a new, healthier twist. That’s precisely what we’re doing with the iconic steakhouse blooming onion. Instead of the traditional deep-fried approach, this recipe calls for grilling the onion, which not only cuts down on the calories but also brings out a sweet and caramelized flavor in the onion. And don’t worry, we’re not compromising on the indulgence. Olive oil, a light sprinkling of salt and pepper, and a dose of shredded cheese ensure every bite is packed with savory goodness.

Overhead photo of a blooming Onion inside of foil.

Ingredients

  • Onion
  • Olive Oil
  • Salt & Pepper
  • Shredded Mozzarella Cheese & Shredded Cheddar Cheese
  • Steak Sauce

How To Grill Blooming Onion

So how do we feel about this blooming onion so far? I happen to LOVE it! And preparing it is a breeze.

  1. Take a large white onion, carve it into petals while keeping it intact, douse it with olive oil, seasonings, and cheese, then wrap it in aluminum foil before letting it roast on the grill.
  2. The key to achieving a perfect grilled blooming onion is patience. Grill it for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the onion becomes tender. Once done, remove it from the grill, carefully unwrap the foil, and serve it hot.

Sounds simple, right? It is, and the result is a deliciously soft and cheesy onion. Best of all, you can customize this grilled appetizer with your choice of steak sauce, hot sauce, soy sauce, or any other flavoring you fancy.

Tips & Swaps

  • Choose the Right Onion: Not all onions are created equal when it comes to grilling. Vidalia onions, known for their sweet, mild flavor and larger size, are ideal for this recipe. They hold their shape well during grilling and their sweetness is enhanced when caramelized.
  • Spice It Up: The beauty of this recipe is its versatility. Whether you prefer the classic tanginess of steak sauce, the heat from a good hot sauce, or the savory umami from soy sauce, you can adapt this recipe to suit your taste buds. Even a combination of these sauces can work wonders.
  • Secure the Onion: When cutting the onion into wedges, be careful not to cut all the way through. Keeping the bottom intact will help hold your blooming onion together while it grills.
  • Cheese Choice: The recipe calls for mozzarella and mild cheddar, which offer a lovely melting characteristic and mild flavor. However, feel free to experiment with other types of cheese as per your preference.
  • Grill Time: Remember, patience is key. Ensure the onion is tender and fully cooked before removing it from the grill. Undercooking will result in a crunchy onion, while overcooking may cause it to become overly soft and lose its shape.
  • Serving: Serve the Grilled Blooming Onion immediately for the best taste. It’s excellent as a standalone appetizer, or it can complement your main grill dishes.
  • Safety: Be careful when opening the aluminum foil after grilling as the steam inside can be hot.
Grilled Blooming Onion served on a plate and drizzled with steakhouse sauce.

You’ve got a crowd-pleasing grilled appetizer that brings steakhouse flavors to your backyard. This revamped blooming onion is a must-try for the grill season, perfect for impressing guests or treating yourself to a restaurant-worthy appetizer at home.

What To Serve With Grilled Blooming Onion

More BBQ Friendly Appetizers

Grilled Blooming Onion | www.diethood.com | Your favorite steakhouse appetizer, healthified! | #recipes #appetizers #healthy

Grilled Blooming Onion

Katerina | Diethood
This Grilled Blooming Onion is a lighter spin on a beloved Steakhouse starter.
4.86 from 7 votes
Servings : 2
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 large vidalia onion
  • ½ tablespoon olive oil
  • salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons shredded mild cheddar cheese
  • 2 tablespoons steak sauce, or hot sauce, soy sauce, etc…

Instructions
 

  • Heat the grill.
  • Cut onion into 6 to 8 wedges, stopping 1/2-inch short of the bottom. Do not cut through to the bottom – leave the bottom intact.
  • Cut out a piece of aluminum foil.
  • Place onion on foil and slowly open up the onion a little bit, pulling the wedges apart.
  • Drizzle onion with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
  • Add the cheeses to the open center of the onion. Drizzle the entire onion with your choice of steak sauce or hot sauce, soy sauce, etc…
  • Wrap the foil around the onion tightly and grill for 30 to 35 minutes or until the onion is tender.
  • Remove from grill and slowly open up the foil.
  • Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Choose the Right Onion: Vidalia onions, known for their sweet, mild flavor and larger size, are ideal for this recipe.
  • Spice It Up: Whether you prefer steak sauce, a good hot sauce, or soy sauce, you can adapt this recipe to suit your taste.
  • Secure the Onion: When cutting the onion into wedges, be careful not to cut all the way through. Keeping the bottom intact will help hold your blooming onion together while it grills.
  • Cheese Choice: The recipe calls for mozzarella and mild cheddar, however, feel free to use other types of cheese as you prefer.
  • Grill Time: Ensure the onion is tender and fully cooked before removing it from the grill.
  • Serving: Serve the Grilled Blooming Onion hot for the best taste. It’s excellent as a standalone appetizer, or it can complement your main grill dishes.
  • Safety: Be careful when opening the aluminum foil after grilling as the steam inside can be hot.

Nutrition

Calories: 197 kcal | Carbohydrates: 17 g | Protein: 9 g | Fat: 11 g | Saturated Fat: 5 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4 g | Cholesterol: 24 mg | Sodium: 450 mg | Potassium: 268 mg | Fiber: 2 g | Sugar: 10 g | Vitamin A: 267 IU | Vitamin C: 9 mg | Calcium: 258 mg | Iron: 1 mg

Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.

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26 comments on “Grilled Blooming Onion”

  1. I tried this for the very first time, and my husband and I were totally blown away with the taste! They were very flavorful and very yummy.I am glad that I made 1 for my husband (steak sauce and bacon flavored hot sauce) mine was soy sauce and hot sauce. These were so good 1 would not been enough! We took the sauce that was left at the bottom of the foil and put it on our hamburgers! Took the hamburgers over the top of the yummy meter. Will be making again very soon. FYI I used more olive oil than the reciepe called for so that is why I had extra sauce at the bottom of the foil.

  2. I live in an apartment, so no grill for me. What would the temp and baking time be if I did this in the oven?

  3. I absolutely NEVER take the time to comment on food blogs but I HAD to comment on these. My family absolutely gobbled these up. Since we love onions, love the bloomin’ onion AND have heart issues in the family, I was SUPER excited to find this and tried it that night. I used one onion per person thinking that was enough but clearly I was wrong… they actually fought over them they were so good. The rest of the meal was ignored! I used sweet onions and drizzled homemade steak sauce and homemade comeback sauce before grilling along with a little olive oil, s/p and cheeses including some parmigiana. I have a feeling I will have to drastically increase my onion purchases! Also can’t wait to try these out while camping. Thank you so much for this recipe.

      1. Loved the flavor but had a hard time keeping the onion in one piece, separated in sections. It fell apart and all the cheese was stuck to the bottom on the tin foil. I used Worcestershire sauce and will try again.

  4. So would this work the same do you think if I put the foil wrapped onion ball in hot coals while camping?

    1. Katerina - Diethood
      Katerina Petrovska

      Hi Claire! Yes, that would work for sure! Cooking time might differ a bit, but nevertheless, it will work.

    1. Katerina - Diethood
      Katerina Petrovska

      Hi Michelle!! Usually, I reach over for the Steak Sauce. But, I have made it with hot sauce, too. It’s delicious!

  5. Avatar photo
    Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes)

    I adore this blooming onion! So smart that you grilled it! I want to be just like you when I grow up!!

    1. I stick a garlic clove in a bit of the core I dug out at the top, butter, olive oil, salt, pepper and Remoulade sauce to top it all off. Grilled for 30 minutes on gas grill at medium high temp.
      Wrapped in foil tends to steam it if you don’t go high enough heat and long enough to brown it a little.
      I use an apple slicer to begin the cuts and complete the cuts to near-bottom. I use it to begin the cuts and then pull it up, turn it a few degrees and do another partial cut to make it more like a ‘bloomin onion’.

  6. This is what summer is all about! I love grilling blooming onions and can make a meal out of them. I need to try your recipe. It looks MUCH better than the one I’m using which is just butter and a bouillon cube. Love the addition of the cheeses to yours. Great recipe!

  7. Avatar photo
    Trish - Mom On Timeout

    I totally have to try this Kate! I love that it’s a healthy version of one of our favorite appetizers. And the foil…I think you did pretty darn good cause foil is a SERIOUS pain in the butt to photograph 🙂 Pinned!

  8. Foil frustrates me too, I can never pull it out of the box right lol.

    Have fun today, I just went through my kiddos birthday party last weekend! I invited my friends too 🙂

  9. There is nothing wrong with your photos. I’m sure there is nothing wrong with the others so please share. You are your own worst critic. I am so doing these with vadalias but in the oven. yum.

  10. Shiny, shiny aluminum. 🙂

    I recently saw someone making the giant Outback version and the cutting technique to get it to ‘bloom’ is so simple that it was embarrassing. However, I think I’d go for the full Monty treatment with battering and deep frying and only have it once a year or two rather than baking since I enjoy the crispy, crunchy bits.

  11. I think the photos with aluminum foil gives the feeling that it’s right from the oven, which makes me more tempted. So don’t worry about the photos, they are doing their job just perfectly. This is definitely an amazing side!

    1. Katerina - Diethood
      Katerina Petrovska

      That was the idea – leave the foil on so it looks more homey. 🙂 But it was really, really hard to take photos because of that foil… I just couldn’t get it to work. I may need to upgrade to a better, more professional camera. 🙂 THANK YOU!! xo

  12. Avatar photo
    Laura Dembowski

    You may not like these pics, but they are more than enough to get me to want to make this. I mean, a healthy blooming onion – it does not get better than that.

    1. Katerina - Diethood
      Katerina Petrovska

      Thanks, Laura! 🙂 Normally, I would not have shared it. I have tons of recipes that I haven’t shared because the photos are just horrible. But, I had to share this. This stuff is way too good, even if the pictures are a bit blahhhh. 🙂

  13. Avatar photo
    How to Philosophize with Cake

    Wow what a great idea! Never thought of grilling an onion like that, but it sounds delicious. 🙂

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