An A to Z guide to choosing, storing, preparing, and cooking fresh produce and recipe ingredients.
Mike Kemp/Getty ImagesOnions
Among the most versatile of vegetables, these relatives of the lily add flavor—and vitamin C—to nearly any savory dish. They have a sharp taste when raw but mellow when cooked.
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How to Choose Onions
Select specimens that are firm and heavy; avoid any with a strong odor, soft or discolored spots, or green sprouts at the neck, as the flesh will probably taste bitter. Good choices when you’re using raw onions are Bermuda, Spanish, and red onions, which are milder than the pungent, mesh-bagged yellow variety. “Sweet onions” (Vidalia, Maui, Walla Walla) are in fact sweet, as well as mild and juicy. -
How to Store Onions
Store whole onions in their mesh bag (or any container that lets air circulate) for up to 2 months in a cool, dark, dry space. Because of sweet onions’ higher water content, they keep only up to 2 weeks. Don’t store onions under the sink or near potatoes, because moisture and the gases emitted by potatoes will cause the onions to rot. Refrigerate a cut onion, skin on (it will last a bit longer) and tightly wrapped, for up to 4 days.
—Melinda Page -
How To: Peel and Chop an Onion
The best way to reduce tears when you're working with onions is to minimize the amount of time you spend, by learning how to chop this versatile vegetable quickly and efficiently.RELATED VIDEOS
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