Who wants to spend all day weeping over their cutting board?? Cutting an onion doesn’t have to be torture. I’m going to show you how a real deal (charlatan) chef does it, with all the best tricks to keep the tears away. The next time you make Pico de Gallo, French Onion Dip, or Spaghetti, you’ll impress yourself with how quickly you get this done!
Table of Contents
- Onion chopping, maybe the wrong way
- It’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to
- Other ways to reduce the tears:
- You need a SHARP knife
- How to cut an onion: 2002 AOL method
- How to cut an onion: Chef-sies method
- How to slice an onion
- Storing onions
- FAQs about how to cut an onion
- Recipes starring onions!
- How to Cut an Onion Recipe
The fact that I ever cut onions is a testament to how obsessed I am with only eating delicious food. Because cutting onions IS THE FREAKING WORST.
Can I get an amen? The time, the chopping, the TEARS for days and days. I’m not just a watery-eyes and maybe a sniffle onion-cryer. I am a bust-out-the handkerchief-and-slide-to-the-floor-sobbing-onion-cryer.
(Side note, my best friend Sarah told me recently that her husband keeps a handkerchief in his pocket at all times. White ones. That are pristinely folded. We were both going on about how there is no way we could be handkerchief people; one blow and that thing is a GONER. We are not the delicate ladies of the Regency Era, quietly passing back a man’s handkerchief after we wipe away a tear. I single handedly keep the Kleenex company in business I think.)
What I’m trying to say is, my sinuses are not cut out for onion cuttin’. But I still get it done at least 3-4 times a week, because just like every best baking project starts with butter, almost every decent dinner (across cultures) starts with an onion. So it’s best to learn the tips and tricks that work for you, because going without is just not an option!
If you’re already totally satisfied with your onion cutting abilities, send this post to someone you’ve been judging for cutting onions poorly. (That person might be me, my email is karen at thefoodcharlatan.com)
Onion chopping, maybe the wrong way
I have a secret and it’s coming out: I don’t cut onions like The Bear, I don’t cut them like Gordon Ramsey, and I don’t cut them like any other video or tutorial I have found. Kind of like how I learned to type on AOL instant messenger back in 2001 instead of in a proper keyboard class. My hunt-and-peck is still the fastest smoking gun in the west. No regrets.
I’m showing you two methods of cutting today, my AOL version, and the chef-sies version, so you can figure out what works best for you.
But first: a word about THE TEARS.
It’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to
The reason that onions hurt your eyes so much is actually an onion self-defense mechanism. (Can anyone else hear the Toby Spiderman saying this? Ahh 2002, good times.) When the cell walls of an onion are bitten by a hungry little creature, amino acids meet up with enzymes and create sulfuric acid. This is great news for the onion, because hungry little creatures don’t like acid, and bad news for you, because now you have ACID wafting into your eyes!! Gah! What to do??
The answer: GOGGLES.
It’s onion time.
Do they look ridiculous? Yes. Do they leave raccoon marks on your face for hours after? Yes. Are they a better alternative to crying so hard that you cut your fingers off? YES.
They sell special “onion goggles” for $16 that are 100% ineffective. They have foam around the edges, which is porous, meaning that the acid we mentioned earlier goes right through. Swim goggles are better because they seal to your face, meaning the acid literally can’t get through to your eyes.
Other ways to reduce the tears:
- If you don’t have goggles, and the fumes are hitting your eyes, run your wrists under cold water at the sink for a few moments. My mom taught me this trick and it works EVERY time, do not knock it! It doesn’t solve the problem, but treats the symptom nicely.
- Wear contacts. They block your eyes perfectly from the acid fumes. (this is not helpful for me since I don’t wear contacts, but if you do, just know your poor vision has a culinary perk!!)
- Put the onions in the fridge for a couple hours, cold onions emit fewer fumes. It’s better not to make the fridge their permanent home, because the humid environment can turn them mushy (a cool, dark, dry place is preferable). I would literally never remember to do this 😂
- Turn on a fan or open your window, because the movement of the air blows away the irritating acid.
- Soak a cut-in-half onion in a bowl of ice water so the acid flows into the water.
But honestly, these are all paltry seconds. For me it’s onion goggles forever.
One more recommendation: use fresh onions. Not only do older onions create stronger acidic compounds (more eye pain!) but they’re also more difficult to cut. If you’re at the store, look for firm onions with dry, papery skin that looks smooth. Definitely don’t buy onions that are sprouting. If you have these at home you can still cut and use them, no problem, just be aware that they may be harder to cut (and more painful for your poor eyes).
(I tried to get Eric to take a newer picture of me with onion goggles on, but we couldn’t stop laughing because I look so stupid 😂 the first photo up there is from years and years ago, I’ve been goggling forever!)
You need a SHARP knife
Using a sharp chef’s knife will save you tears and reduce the risk of hurting yourself. If you don’t already own an electric knife sharpener, I am telling you, ask for one for Christmas. Warning, once you get spoiled by sharp knives, you’re going to hate using knives at your friends’ houses. It’s not just more efficient. Using a knife with a sharp blade is actually much safer, because you can slice more gently and not be vigorously hacking your way through the onion.
How to cut an onion: 2002 AOL method
Here’s how I do. This method applies to any kind of onion you’ve got.
First chop off both ends.
Cut the onion in half this way. Then peel each half.
Sometimes the papery layer of the onion will stick to the onion we want. You can decide whether or not its texture is worthy of being saved. When an outside layer is papery, I throw it out. It’s harder to chop and doesn’t taste as good. That said, if i have even 3 seconds where I’m trying to get my fingernail under the paper-y part and it’s not coming, I go full Hulk and rip off the next layer of perfectly good onion, tossing it out, because ain’t nobody got time for that.
And start slicing! Use your fingers to keep the onion in it’s shape, don’t let the slices start falling all over the place. Once I start getting close to my thumb, I flip it around so the knife is further away from my thumb.
Then we start to dice:
Once I get close to my fingers, I tilt the remaining onion down so that the longer edge is flat on the cutting board.
This is the only part of the dice that gets a little dicey. You have to be careful holding the onions together. I’m used to it and can go pretty fast. If this looks annoying or dangerous to you, see the next method below!
Voila! Easy peasy!
How to cut an onion: Chef-sies method
My girl Katie is my kitchen assistant. She helps me out on photo shoot days! Katie is super talented, and she used to do kitchen prep for Giada. Yes, really, like, THE Giada! Katie went through culinary school, and showed me how the Real Chefs cut their onions. Here’s how it’s done!
First, chop your onion through the root.
Then, chop off the paper-y end. (not the end with root stringies.)
Peel the onion. You will have to yank the peel off of the intact root end.
Start making vertical cuts, don’t cut through the root end! You kind of have to angle your knife on the edge slices.
Then you turn the onion around and starting dicing. EASY!
When I saw Katie do this, not gonna lie, I was impressed. Maybe I will change my ways??
How to slice an onion
There’s a little trick to slicing an onion into perfect rounds, that makes it safer. First, chop off both ends:
Then make a little baby slice on the side like this. This is to create a flat edge. Put this edge right on your cutting board. This gives you a more stable onion for making slices.
And here you go! Ready for your burger, or caramelizing onions, or whatever!
Storing onions
If you’re not going to use them right away, put the sliced or chopped onions in a ziplock or an airtight container. I’ve found that the smell seeps through sandwich or snack-size baggies. Either double bag, or be sure to use freezer ziplocks, which are more heavy duty. Keep them in the refrigerator for 3-5 days or, even better, freeze them! Then they’re ready for tossing into soups, omelets, or other cooked dishes. I don’t recommend freezing them if you want to use them for fresh pico de gallo or other recipes; they won’t be crisp.
FAQs about how to cut an onion
If you don’t like eating onion skin, then yes, yes you do. It’s easiest if you first cut off both ends, root and stem, right through the skin. The skin should peel away easily from the cut ends. If it’s still being stubborn, you can slice through the skin of the onion on one side (don’t worry if you also cut into some of the onion itself) and peel the skin from that point.
Some people like to avoid cutting off the root end of the onion right away (the one with little wispy tendrils, not onion skin; that one’s the stem). It helps hold the onion together while you’re cutting it, so there is less risk of cutting yourself.
Follow the second method as described above, the Fancy Chef version. (Cut the onion in half through the root, make vertical cuts (leaving the root intact), then cut into the onion horizontally.
Chuck Norris chopped an onion.
The onion cried.
Recipes starring onions!
Onions are in soooo many dishes, and for good reason. Now that you’ve polished your chopping skills, put ’em to good use! Here are some of my favorite recipes where onions really shine. And, of course, you can always just peruse my Dinner Recipes collection since most of them have onion too!
French Onion Soup >> I can hardly come up with anything more classically “onion” than French Onion Soup. This stuff is the absolute BEST!
Caramelized French Onion Dip >> only a thousand times more amazing than the store bought stuff
Mac and Cheese with Caramelized Onions >> kids don’t like onions? more mac and cheese for you!
The Chicken Fajitas Recipe That Changed My Mind >> fajitas are the best, and the sweet onions totally make the dish, in my opinion
Bacon and Goat Cheese Aioli Burger with Crispy Onion Strings >> how to make a burger even better
How to Make Pico de Gallo >> can’t have fresh salsa without the onions!
French Onion Soup from Marion’s Kitchen
Beer Battered Onion Rings from Don’t Go Bacon My Heart
Easy Blooming Onion from Small Town Woman
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How to Cut an Onion
Equipment
- swim goggles (optional)
Ingredients
- onions
Instructions
- Karen's version: (The photo tutorial above is really useful for the visuals here) Put on your goggles, you're no fool. Cut off both the root end and the paper-y end. With the flat end on bottom, slice the onion in half. Take off the peels from each half.
- Set an onion half down, flat side on the cutting board. Start making vertical slices, so you end up with little half-moon shape onion slices. Use your fingers to keep the slices in place, don't let them flop down. Turn the whole cutting board around to slice from the other end when you get close to your fingers.
- Once the onion is sliced all the way across, turn your cutting board 90 degrees and start dicing. Once you get close to your fingers, lay the long end of the onion down on the board and keep chopping. See photos!
- Chef method: Slice the onion in half through the root end. Cut off the paper-y end. Peel the paper peel off, you will have to yank it off the root.
- Make vertical slices, angling your knife across the round of the onion as necessary. Do not cut all the way through at the top; leave the root intact.
- Turn the onion 90 degrees and start dicing. The onion pieces will start to fall off the end. Chop all the way to the root, then turn the onion to get any edges leftover near the root. That's it!
- How to slice an onion into rings: start by cutting a little slice off one rounded side of the onion. Then place the onion on this more stable side (this keeps it from rolling so much.) Now slice through the onion at your desired thickness. You'll want thinner slices for sandwiches and burgers, thicker ones for onion rings.
- If you're cutting an onion into slices for caramelizing or for putting on salads, cut off both the root end and the paper-y end. With a flat end on bottom, slice the onion in half. Take off the peels from each half. Set the flat, cut part of the onion down on the cutting board. Slice the onion into half moon shapes.
- If you want to mince an onion, you're going to follow the same process that you did to chop it, but make cuts that are closer together.
- When you're all finished, use your knife to slide the chopped or minced onion off your cutting board and into your soup, stew, or salsa.
- Storage: If you want to save your chopped onion for later, store it in an airtight container or ziplock bag and refrigerate or freeze!
I wish I could remember who taught me to hold my wrist under cold water if I teared-up when cutting an onion- it almost must have been my mother in law. My mom never used real onions – dried minced or onion salt – so I didn’t either til after I got married! Good tips 😂
65 years ago my mother-in-law taught me how to cut onions without crying. Cut the top of the onion off and peel the skin down to the roots. At this point, I usually cut it in half and do whatever I want with it. This works for cucumbers all so. Cut the top of the cucumber and peel the skin to the base. You will never have a bitter cucumber.