If I’m being honest with you, I hated onions as a child. I’m sure most of us did. Luckily, my taste buds have grown up over time. My maturity level, however, has not. If you’d like to know more about the most common types of onions, read on fellow kitchen wizard.
I currently have a love-hate relationship with onions. Yes, they have the ability to take pretty much any dish to a whole nutha level. But these mofos make your eyes water, like you’re watching your kid finally graduate. (Good job, Jimmy; it only took you 5 years!) In some cases, they may even make your eyes burn like some sort of post-apocalyptic murder weapon.
There are a ton of onion varieties, but we will just stick to the main ones that are available at pretty much any grocery store.
5 Different Types of Onions (The Most Common Ones)
Please note: The following is just a general guideline. It is possible to have instances where you have milder or stronger onions, regardless of what type they are. This will all depend on how fresh the onion is. As with most produce, the fresher, the better. Overall, onions are usually more intense when eaten raw, and their flavour becomes more mild and sweet as you cook them.
Yellow Onions
- The all-purpose onion
- Common in most recipes unless a specific onion is requested
- Yellow onions have a very balanced flavour when cooked
- Use them in soups, stews, sauces, meat dishes, stir fries, pastas, rice dishes, or whatever else your stomach desires
- The longer you cook them, the milder the flavour
- Yellow onions are perfect for caramelizing
Tip: I wouldn’t recommend eating these raw, unless you enjoy gnawing on sweaty armpits, then by all means, feast away.
Spanish Onions
- Spanish onions have more of a sweet and mild flavour
- They are similar to the yellow onion but Spanish onions are slightly sweeter
- Spanish onions can be eaten raw
- These onions are perfect for salads, sandwiches, burgers, and hotdogs
- You can use these interchangeably with yellow onions and white onions
White Onions
- White onions take the crown when it comes to Mexican and Latin American dishes
- The flavour is milder than a yellow onion
- White onions can also be eaten raw so use these in salsas, tacos, or burgers
- You can use white onions interchangeably with yellow and Spanish onions
Red Onions
- The “beauty queens” of the onion family, as they are mainly just used for looks
- They are perfect for burgers, sandwiches, and salads
- Red onions can be used in place of white onions since both can be eaten raw
- The flavour however, is a bit stronger than a white onion
- Like most onions, they tend to get a sweeter flavour when cooked
Tip: Red onions do tend to lose colour when you cook them.
Shallots
- A great substitution for any onion and my personal favourite
- Shallots have a “bulb” appearance and look similar to giant garlic
- These onions can also be eaten raw
- General rule of thumb: 3 shallots = 1 onion
- Shallots are very mild and sweet. They are a great starter onion if you’re just getting used to the flavour.
Storing Different Types of Onions
Whole Onions
The lasting power of your onions will depend greatly on their living conditions. Onions prefer a cool, dry, and dark environment. If possible, you’ll want to store your onions in a mesh bag. A cupboard or cool room should work just fine.
You’ll want to avoid storing them in plastic bags or with potatoes. Raw onions and potatoes are not friends. Don’t try to make it happen. Storing these items together can result in premature spoilage.
DO NOT store whole onions in the fridge or freezer.
Some onions may only last a month whereas others can last up to half a year. Again, it depends on where they’re living, breathing, and hanging out.
Onion Halves
These will only keep for a maximum of 2 weeks. You’ll want to wrap your onion halves in plastic wrap and then store them in the fridge.
Diced Onions
These will also only keep for a maximum of two weeks. You’ll want to store your diced onions in an airtight container and refrigerate them.
If you’d like to use them at a later time, diced onions can also be frozen. This is great if you like to meal prep in advance. For more ideas on meal prepping, check out this other Canuck Kitchen post.
To freeze diced onions, you’ll want to spread them out on a baking sheet after you’ve sliced and diced them to your desired size. Freeze the baking sheet for about 1-2 hours, and then remove the baking sheet from the freezer. Transfer your frozen onion pieces to an airtight container or zippered freezer bags.
Another option is to puree the chopped onions and transfer them to ice cube trays. Be sure that you remember what it actually is, and hopefully you don’t accidentally use it for smoothies.
Diced onions can be kept for up to 6 months in the freezer.
How Do I Know Onions Are Expired
Throw it out if your onion has one or more of the following:
- Black or brown spots
- Soft spots
- Squishy = bad
- Sprouting (It will look like there is a green sprout coming out of the onion.)
- A funky or abnormal odor
How to Choose the Perfect Onion
The perfect onion is:
- Firm
- No bruising, damage, or any other unaesthetic happenings
- Skin that is dry
- No soft spots
- A couple layers of loose outer skin is completely normal. Just peel it off and continue enjoying your onion
Overall Key Points for Different Types of Onions
- If you’re looking for the mildest flavour, go for a shallot or a white onion
- White, red, shallots, and Spanish onions can be eaten raw
- Onions have a sharper flavour when raw, but milder and sweeter when cooked
- The longer you cook an onion, the more mild the flavour
- When shopping, grab em, squeeze em, and whiff em. You’ll know if it’s good.
Ready to start cooking? Check out our recipe section and start using some onions.