The Allium cepa is a humble vegetable , and it is as essential to the culinary world as flour and butter . They are sweet , biting , savory , and redolent all in one small package . With so many different types of onion plant on the market , it is nearly impossible not to make our cookery taste good .
Home cooks love using dissimilar onion plant types to complement the solid food they wipe out with their friends and class . Unfortunately , most of us limit ourselves to only a few onion plant varieties .
It is dispute to break out of your comfort zona in the kitchen and experiment with different types of onions . Onions are good assembly multitude of purposes . We have put together an instructive list of all the smorgasbord of onions at either a grocery store or local Fannie Merritt Farmer ’ market .
Appreciation for Onion Types
Though most onion plant variety in the universe wo n’t give you as much victuals as a piece of Brassica oleracea italica , many recipes but would n’t work without them . These onions all have a specific sense datum on your roof of the mouth . Some are mild , while others have a more pungent flavor . judge out a few different side dish formula incorporating Modern types and see how each alters the overall taste .
We should weigh it a lavishness to have all the unlike onion type that we do . virtually every style of preparation have them in some way because they are so versatile . Think of all the different ways Allium cepa are make .
Roasting , pickling , grilling , caramelizing , deep - frying , and serving them raw are some of our favorite way to use this ingredient . These method do n’t even begin to turn to the dishes and cultures that rely on a luscious onion plant flavor .
We make stir - nipper , tacos , onion rings , vinaigrette , guacamole , and caramelized onions as main meal , sides , or condiment . Let ’s not leave how Asian , French , Mexican , American , and other culture use onions as a staple .
Of all the onion types for us to opt from , why would n’t you want to expand your noesis and experience them in as many ways as potential ?
Types of Onions
Onions are in the allium family , and they are related to chives , shallot , garlic , and leeks . The bulb and shoot are both edible .
When we slice into them , they let go a sulfur vapour that irritates our centre . Whether you turn them into a mirepoix or use them as a garnish , this listing is full of new onion varieties you may have never hear of before .
Sometimes it ’s easiest to buy onions from the store but why not endeavor to develop your own ? Learn howto start onion seeded player , if they farm well in container , how far asunder do you plant onionsand the best sentence to reap them for the best taste .
Common Onion Varieties
Among the most common onion types are chickenhearted Allium cepa . This onion is a workhorse that shows up every day and taste beautiful in whatever formula you throw it in .
If this were the only type of onion you ever eat , you would still live a very fulfilling life . lily-livered onions have brown papery skin that wraps around white flesh .
They have a strong , sharp flavor and olfactory perception . Whenever a formula does n’t specify what case of onion plant to apply , yellow onions are always a safe bet . The maindifference between white and yellow onion , other than colour , is in flavor . White onion are more pungent .
More Common Onion Types
Sweet onions are another kind that we love to use . They are larger than yellow onions and have insipid bodies . They are lighter brown on the outside and the flesh contains extra wampum that makes them the perfect onion for caramelise .
Because they are so large , they are also smashing for preparation onion closed chain . honeyed Allium cepa sort let in Maui , Walla Walla , and Vidalia onions .
Preheat your oven to 375 ° farad . Peel the onions and wash them under cold water . rationalize the onions in half and slice them so that they are a fourth part - inch thick . Spread the onion slices over a baking sheet of paper and toss them with the quartern - cup of vinegar , vegetable oil , Strategic Arms Limitation Talks , and black pepper .
Bake your onions for 12 minutes until the onion are cranky . Take them out of the oven and finish them by fling them with the extra two tablespoons of balsamic vinegar .
White Onions
whitened onions have a milder , sweeter smack than yellow onions . They have papery white skin and an ivory white center . Because they ’re less intense , they are great for serving in pico de gallo or on top of a cony dog .
Red Onions
The differenttypes of cerise onionsdon’t just offer a bright pappa of magenta gloss through your nutrient . These onion are both sweet and mild so that you’re able to eat them raw or cooked .
The exterior hide is deep purple , and the inner flesh also has traces of a brighter violet color . We love to utilize reddish onion on burgers , sandwiches , and salads .
size of it is one major departure betweenshallots vs cherry-red onions . They have alter flavor profiles , as well .
Shallots
The primarydifference between onion and shallotis that shallots are much smaller than traditional onions . They are wrapped in brown skin and disclose a imperial chromaticity when you cut into them . Their bulbs turn back multiple lobes , similar to how a head of garlic has private cloves inside it .
shallot are aromatic with a garlicky flavor . They are less intense than the previously listed onions , and they are more finespun because they have smaller and thinner layers .
These layers permit them to be minced extremely exquisitely and meld dead into sauces and salad dressings . They are also great for blackguard in a pan with chicken or other fowl .
Scallions
You may have learn the terms greenish onions , bound onion plant , or scallions used interchangeably . Scallions are immature onions that have n’t formed their bottom incandescent lamp yet .
You usually purchase the entire plant life from the entrepot , from the etymon all the way up to the tall green shoots or grow onionsin containerson the terrace .
You may cook with them , but they make even right garnishes for tacos , soup , omelets , and more . scallion add color and craunch to a photographic plate – two crucial constituent to a good meal .
Leeks
With so many types of onion to clean , Allium porrum are among the most underappreciated onion in the United States . Other countries do a better job at incorporate them into their culinary art .
scallion are mold like overgrown green onion and must be washed well because they grow in the grit . They are delicious in soups and sauces , and some people have learned how to substitute them for murphy .
Onion Family Members
schnittlaugh are technically not onions , but they are very closely related . schnittlaugh consist of edible leaves and stems and have a very standardised flavor to green onion plant . These are much longer and thinner and form like a empty unripe tube .
Even though chives have an oniony flavor , they are meek than basic yellow and red onions . Their flavor is more similar to Allium porrum , which is nice because you wo n’t end up with bad breath .
Spanish Onions
Spanish onions expect almost identical to white-livered onions . Sometimes grocery computer memory may even publicize them as yellow onions , even though they technically are n’t the same thing .
They are orotund vegetable with dry , yellow skin and white flesh . They have a balmy and sweet taste and it is safe to prepare them any way you see fit . If you incidentally cook too many for a formula , keep onions saucy after cuttingthem by stack away them in an airtight container in the fridge . If you do n’t think you ’ll use them all shortly , you may alsofreeze chop onionsin the same container or in a zipper seal base .
Pearl Onions
Some of the most unique - looking onions that made the inclination are pearl Allium cepa . These onion character are marble - sized , only about an inch in diam , and normally sold in netted bags .
The most vulgar ones sold have ashen skin , but there are red and gilded onion varieties as well . Pearl onions are both mild and sweet .
Many people care to use up them whole , but they ’re also toothsome when guy , glazed , or pickled . They are popular in braises , stews , and gratins .
heat up the oven to 350 ° farad . Coat a casserole dish with non - stick spray . coiffure the pearl onions in a big saucepan and impart body of water until they are covered . Boil the Allium cepa for six to eight minutes until they are tender .
evaporate two tablespoon of cold butter in a saucepan over low high temperature . Whisk in the flour for one minute until politic , and then slowly whisk off the half - and - one-half until there are no big lumps and it is thick .
impart the nutmeg , mustard , salt , and common pepper to the liquid . Stir in one cup of the shredded cheese and remove it from the heat . debilitate the onions and stir those into the cheese as well .
Pour the entire onion plant mix into the baking knockout and sprinkle it with the stay shredded cheese .
Set the bread slices in a intellectual nourishment central processor with the melted butter and thyme and process them to make bread crumbs . patter the stinkpot over the top of everything and bake uncovered for 30 moment until bubbling spicy .
Cipollini Onions
Similar to sweet onions , Cipollini onions have smaller , unconditional - form bodies . They are a petty perfumed than most onion and are what you most probably discover in your sweet and sour chicken from Formosan takeaway .
A good deal of mass enjoy marinade and pickling them as well . Pearl onions are an splendid substitute for Cipollini onions because of their pernicious flavor .
Unique Types of Onions
Bermuda onions are another form with a flatter shape . Their cutis is either white or yellow and very thin . They have a succulent and juicy inside and a spicy aftertaste .
People value these onions because they have a low sulfur content that does n’t burn your eyes and nostrils when you cut into them . There are White Bermudas , Yellow Bermudas , and Crystal Wax Bermudas .
With so many onion plant types to take from , it is gruelling to know which ace will bring best in your family recipes . The only way to appreciate them all is to try them one by one and falsify them in a variety of fun shipway . Before cooking , learncan you tell if an onion is badso you do n’t spoil a formula with mushy , smelly onions that are right smart past their prime .
If learning about the different eccentric of Allium cepa has made you a more well-educated home cook , share this list of onion sort on Facebook or Pinterest .
