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Ingredient

Cut from root to tip, the layers show as rings.

Cut from root to tip, the layers show as rings.

onion

Also known as: White Onion, Yellow Onion, med onion, onions

A pungent, layered bulb vegetable, and one of the most common aromatics in cooking; used raw, sautéed, caramelized, or roasted.

Buying guidance

Plain yellow or brown onions -- the papery golden ones sold loose or in mesh bags -- are the default for cooking. Pick one that feels heavy for its size and firm all over, with dry, tight skin; reject any with soft spots, green shoots, or a musty smell. "Large" means roughly tennis-ball sized, about 1 1/4 cups diced.

Substitutions

  • Two medium onions in place of one large -- the same thing, counted differently.
  • Sweet onion (Vidalia, Walla Walla) -- noticeably sweeter; cut back any added sugar.
  • White onion -- sharper, perfectly good.
  • Red onion -- fine, though it muddies the color of pale dishes.
  • Shallots, or a leek (white and pale green parts only, washed well) -- more delicate.
  • Dried onion flakes -- emergency only, and it tastes like one.
Two mediums measure out to about one large.

Two mediums measure out to about one large.

Tips & common mistakes

Cutting with a dull knife crushes more of the onion's cells than a clean cut from a sharp one does, releasing more of the compound that makes eyes water -- a sharp knife genuinely helps.

Storage

Keep whole onions in a cool, dry, dark, ventilated spot rather than the fridge or a sealed bag -- both trap moisture against the skin and encourage mold or sprouting faster than open pantry storage does. Once cut, refrigerate in a sealed container, partly to slow spoilage and partly because its smell spreads to other food easily.

Whole onions want a cool, dry pantry; cut onions want the fridge, sealed.

Whole onions want a cool, dry pantry; cut onions want the fridge, sealed.

More specific

Used in 57 recipes