It’s no surprise the viral onion boil is taking the internet by storm. Onions are one of the most common and affordable ingredients, yet they’re usually just a supporting act. In this trend, though, the onion finally takes center stage. 

We tried the viral onion boil so you don’t have to…but if you’re curious, you can follow our simple step-by-step guide below. So grab an onion and get ready to uncover all the layers of flavor hiding inside.

For this onion boil you only need a few ingredients: an onion, butter, olive oil and a variety of seasonings. We used salt, Old Bay, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and black pepper, but feel free to add more!

All ingredients are to taste; we used two and a half tablespoons of butter and about four tablespoons of oil. 

We used a red onion, but onion boils can also be done with yellow or white onions and even shallots. 

Tip: Make sure you have some aluminum foil on hand as it is essential to cook the onion in it. 

How to make the viral onion boil

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Step 2: Prep the onion. 

First, peel the onion and cut off both ends. Use a small knife or tool to scoop out the center of the onion, enough to stuff some butter into it. 

We used a small pumpkin cutting tool. However, this step can also be done with a melon scooper, small spoon or a knife. 

Next, stuff the opening with butter. We also mixed the scooped pieces of onion into the butter to use the whole onion and enhance the flavor.

Step 3: Mix the seasoning. 

Pour your olive oil into a small container, next pour in a generous amount of seasoning and stir. 

Tip: Go easy on the salt if you are adding other seasonings as they may already be salty. 

Step 4: Prep for cooking 

Once your oven is heated, line a baking dish with aluminum foil, enough to wrap the onion in. 

Place your onion in the center of the lined dish, then pour the oil based seasoning onto the onion. Pour all of the seasoning as the onion will boil in the seasoning that falls off of it. 

Now, wrap the onion tightly with the foil. 

Step 5: Cook the onion for one hour. 

Remove the onion from the oven, it should be tender when poked with a fork. The outer layer may not be as tender as the inner layers. If the onion is not ready, wrap it back up and place it into the oven for 10 more minutes. 

Step 6: Caramelize the onion by broiling

This step is optional, but if you would like the onion to be more caramelized, set your oven to broil. 

Uncover the onion, splash it with olive oil or butter and add a dash of salt. Place the uncovered onion back into the over for five-10 minutes. Make sure to watch out for burning. 

Step 7: Plating 

Put the onion onto a plate and make sure to pour the juice from the aluminum onto the onion. 

Peel away the first layer and enjoy all the others under it. 

Tip: If the outer layer of your onion is not as tender as the inner ones, cutting the onion in half is a convenient way to eat it. 

We ate the onion with rice as it helped balance the flavor of the spices. 

Overall the onion boil was a 10/10 for an easy to make, flavorful and affordable meal.