At a Glance
- Courtney Cook Bales turns ordinary onions into edible vessels for ramen, catfish, and more.
- Her 2.7 million TikTok followers have jumped on the trend, creating their own onion-cup variations.
- The quirky recipe was showcased on The Jennifer Hudson Show on Jan 19, 2026.
- Why it matters: A single TikTok trend can reshape snack culture and inspire millions of viewers.
Courtney Cook Bales, a 36-year-old Georgia-based English teacher, has turned her kitchen experiments into a viral sensation. After teaching her students about cheese-stuffed sweet potatoes, she began cutting onions in half and layering them to hold foods like ramen, fried catfish, and smoked salmon. The videos quickly spread, with her 2.7 million followers recreating the recipe in creative ways.
The Onion Cup Craze
Bales’ onion-cup concept is a simple twist on a classic vegetable. She slices an onion lengthwise, removes the inner flesh, and uses the onion “shell” to hold a variety of toppings. Her videos showcase a range of options:
- Fried catfish
- Ramen noodles
- Chili, French fries, and smoked salmon
- Condiments such as mayonnaise, Japanese barbecue sauce, soy sauce, and crispy onions
The trend mirrors the 2024 “egg flight” craze, where creators paired different egg-based foods in a single shot. Bales’ “onion cup flight” features a lineup of toppings, each presented in its own onion shell.
Bales on The Jennifer Hudson Show
On Jan 19, 2026, Bales appeared on The Jennifer Hudson Show with her signature dish. She presented Hudson with steamed soup dumplings topped with melted Muenster cheese, and she suggested adding chili crisp, soy sauce, and mayonnaise. Hudson, who did not use the onion cup, praised the dumplings, saying, “This is so good!” The segment highlighted how Bales’ creations can be adapted for different audiences.
TikTok Community Response
Since May 2025, when Bales first posted a lunch video, thousands of TikTok users have shared their own onion-cup creations. The community’s engagement has included:
- Recreating Bales’ recipes with unique toppings
- Adding personal twists, such as smoked salmon or French fries
- Sharing videos of onion-cup flights, echoing the style of the 2024 egg-flight trend
The widespread participation demonstrates how a single influencer can spark a culinary movement across a global platform.
Beyond Onion Cups
Bales is not new to inventive cooking. She has posted daily British-food experiments since May 2025, featuring dishes like Ploughman’s lunches and chocolate-covered Weetabix. As a mom of four, she often frames her recipes as family-friendly snacks, making them accessible to viewers with busy lifestyles.
Her teaching background also informs her approach: she explains ingredients and techniques in a clear, step-by-step manner, mirroring classroom lessons. This educational style resonates with viewers who enjoy learning while cooking.
Key Takeaways
- Courtney Cook Bales has leveraged TikTok to popularize onion cups, a versatile snack format.
- The trend has inspired a wide range of toppings and has been featured on mainstream media.
- Bales’ blend of education and creativity continues to attract a large, engaged audience.
The rise of onion cups underscores the power of social media to transform everyday ingredients into viral food phenomena.
