Bacon onion bombs: tuck a cheesy beef meatball inside onion-layer shells, wrap in bacon and air-fry at 180°C until golden and cooked through, then serve with a quick sweet-and-sour dipping sauce.
Instructions
- 1
Slice off the onion tops and bottoms, cut each in half, and peel off the skin. Separate the layers into half shells — you need 8 pieces (4 pairs).
- 2
In a bowl, combine ground beef with paprika, salt, and black pepper.
- 3
Blitz the mozzarella in a blender into fine crumbles. Add to the meat mixture and mix thoroughly until every bite has cheese and spice throughout.
- 4
Shape the meat into balls roughly the size of a small orange — big enough to fit inside the onion shells.
- 5
Nestle each ball into an onion half, then cap it with another half on top. Press together firmly.
- 6
Wrap each onion bomb crosswise with 2 slices of bacon to hold everything together.
- 7
Air fry at 180°C / 350°F for 20 minutes until the bacon is golden and the meat is cooked through.
20:00 - 8
While the bombs cook, make the sauce: combine ketchup, brown sugar, cornstarch, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and water in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally for 2–3 minutes until thickened. Transfer to a dipping bowl.
03:00 - 9
Serve the golden onion bombs with the sweet and sour sauce on the side. Dunk and enjoy.
Watch the video
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get the onion shells?
Halve and peel onions, then separate the layers into curved half-shells. The bigger outer layers cup the meatball; pair two to enclose each bomb.
How do I stop them falling apart?
Press the meatball firmly between two onion halves, then wrap snugly with two crossed bacon slices — the bacon holds everything together as it crisps.
Oven instead of air fryer?
Yes — bake at 200°C for about 30 minutes on a rack until the bacon is crisp and the beef is cooked through (74°C / 165°F inside).