Onion Bombs

5 from 1 vote

Our no-fail recipe for viral onion bombs is baked in the oven for perfect results every time. Seasoned beef stuffed with gooey, melty cheddar wrapped in onion and bacon makes a yummy dinner your family will love.

Prep Time25

Cook Time40

Total Time1 5

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Onion Bombs Recipe

Servings:

Calories: 439kcal

Ingredients

4 medium-sized yellow onions, you will use the outer 2 layers of each onion
2 pounds lean ground beef, 93%-7% blend
½ cup bread crumbs
1 large egg
¼ cup whole milk
⅓ cup bottled barbecue sauce, to brush onto the onion bombs when baked (We used Sweet Baby Ray’s original)
3 tablespoons bottled barbecue sauce, for the meat mixture (We used Sweet Baby Ray’s original)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
8 cheddar cheese cubes, 1-inch sized
16 pieces center-cut smoked bacon

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a large-rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Set aside.
Prepare the onions by slicing the top and bottom off of each onion. Peel off the outer skin layer. Slice the onions in half (top to bottom) and remove the two outer layers of onion. These will be your two largest pieces from each onion, giving you a total of 8 sets of onion halves. Set aside.
Add the lean ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, milk, 3 tablespoons bottled barbecue sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper to a large mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon or your hands, mix the ingredients together until they are combined and all the ingredients are evenly incorporated.
Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions.
Flatten one of the portions of meat in the palm of your hand to a roughly 3-4 inch-sized disc.
Add one cheddar cheese cube to the center of the ground beef disc, then wrap the sides up around the cheese cube to form a large cheese-filled meatball.
Place two equal-sized onion halves on either side of the meatball. You should be covering most of the surface of the meatball. If the meatball is too large or too small, choose onion halves that fit the meatball the best.
Lay out two pieces of bacon in an x-pattern, set the onion bomb in the center, then pull the bacon up and wrap the onion bomb with the bacon. You can secure the bacon with a toothpick if needed.
Place the bacon-wrapped Onion Bomb onto the prepared baking sheet and repeat steps 5-8 until all the onion bombs have been assembled and placed onto the baking sheet.
Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the onion bombs from the oven, and brush the top and sides of each onion bomb with the remaining ⅓ cup of bottled barbecue sauce. Return the onion bombs to the oven and continue baking for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the barbecue sauce has caramelized and the internal temperature of the onion bombs reaches 160-165°F.
Allow the onion bombs to cool for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Notes

The onion bombs won't stay together well without bacon, or if the meat mixture is too loose. Make sure to wrap the bacon tightly around each onion bomb and gently press the meat mixture together to help keep the meatball together.
One way to make sure your onion bombs cook evenly is to use fairly thick, evenly sized-pieces of onion for each bomb. That way, you avoid having some onion pieces undercooked and some overcooked.
If it's difficult to separate the onions without breaking them, you can soak them in hot water for three to four minutes. This will soften the onions and make it much easier to separate them.
Using a meat thermometer is the most accurate way to determine the doneness of the meatball. If you don't have one, your onion bombs should be done when the bacon is golden and crispy, and the onions can be easily pierced with a fork. You may have to cut open one of your onion bombs to make sure your ground meat is cooked through.
You want to create a tight seal around your cheddar cheese cube. The cheese will melt before the meat is done cooking, and it might leak out if it isn't fully encased in the meatball.
If you like lots of BBQ sauce, you can brush extra onto the meatballs at the 30-minute mark and serve with sauce on the side.
The barbecue sauce may burn or become too caramelized if it's applied too early in the baking process. To prevent this, make sure to wait until the onion bombs are almost fully cooked before brushing them with barbecue sauce.

Nutrition