You might think that onion is an onion. What is the big deal… but do you really know who many onions are out in the world?? How many of them do you know by name?? Well, there are between 600 to 920 different members of Allium family of vegetables (that is include garlic, scallions, leeks, and onions)!! Whoa! Yes, u was surprised too!! So, tell me, why you using the same type of onions for everything in your kitchen?? When you are roasting, frying, sauteing, or stuffing. There are others which have a higher sugar content can be eaten raw and there is even an onion that does not make you cry… there are better and worse examples of the onions family to do the perfect job. So, let us end this madness, here and now. Let us look through the list of 15 most popular onions, that you can easily buy in your grocery store/farm market/supermarket.
For sure you know few onions: red onion, Spanish onion, sweet onion and maybe shallot or pearl ones, but how many more have you missed??
Onion is a member of a great family, that is include many of the examples, so popularly used in the kitchen. You can say, that’s versatility provides a spine to millions of dishes all over the world. Almost in every corners of the world, onions are used. On the other hand, as popular, and necessary the onions are in most of the recipes, they are still highly unappreciated, due to their sharp taste or smell. How many people do you know, who’s favorite vegetable is an onion?! Well, I love onions, in most of my recipes, mostly cooked, while red onions are always one of my favorite in my salads and burgers.
So, without a further ado, below its my list of 15 most popular types of onions, including they look, taste and best use.
White onions
You might think that’s white onion, would be less harsh, since is lighter in color compare to the yellow ones. Its quite the opposite. Its harsh flavor, and pungent smell, will probably make you shed a tear or two. The flesh is little bit softer. They are perfect for cooking, as well as using raw, in salads and chutneys, or salsas.
Yellow onions
You might say, it is a al purpose onion, used almost for everything in the kitchen. It has sharp flavor, and most definitely will make you cry while cutting it, but it is getting sweeter, the longer you are cooking it. It can be large, with nice shinny skin.
Bermuda Onions
They come from bright white through light yellow to dark red in color, with thin papery looking skin. sometimes is mistaken for red onion. The Bermudas is quite juicy inside, with soft flesh, but mild in flavor, without that’s harsh oniony smell or taste. They are great for eating raw (in salads, hamburgers, or sandwiches), as well cooked in any way. Their size makes them perfect vessel for being stuffed and baked.
Chives
Everyone forgets chives, but they are a perfect seasoning for numerous dishes. They provide a sharp kick to any recipe and they are particularly great for spicing up soups and salads. Stop underestimating the chive.
Scallions (green onions)
Everybody knows how the scallion looks like. Small bulbs, and long green tubes, with nice mild oniony flavor. They are beloved in Asian cuisine. I grow up, always having them in my scramble eggs. They can be eaten raw, or cooked (added to a dish, as you will do with garlic or onions)
Red onion
This dark red to purple in color onion is mostly eaten raw, thanks to the pretty look, which you want to preserve. The layers are little less meaty than in the yellow one, but the taste is so much milder. Perfect for salads, sandwiches, and burgers, not only thank to its color, but the taste as well. It, of course, can be cooked with, you must remember, that is it will lose that bright color while being exposed to the heat.
Leeks
Very versatile vegetable, that is has a reputation of an old-fashioned thing, not popularly used today. It is a shame because leeks are perfect in so many ways. The mild vegetable can be used in so many recipes, in so many ways: soup, roast, creamy casserole, salads, and many more. They pair perfectly with bacon, and what can be better, right? one thing you must remember, to wash it good. It tends to hide sand grains, between multiple layers, and that is the one thing you do not want in your dish. some fresh soil.
Ramps
What are ramps, you ask? Well, it is a basically a cross between leeks, scallion, and a shallot. They have a stronger onion flavor than leeks, and more garlicy flavor than scallion, where the bulb is smaller than in shallot. They look close to scallions, but they only have two flat leaves, so go figure! They are fully seasonal vegetable, that is appear only on the early spring. You can use them anywhere where normally you will put scallions or spring onions.
Shallots
Fancy little onions. You can see them in many classic French recipes, in combination with white vine. Small, light purplish bulbs. They have strong, pungent smell, and a sweet taste, just with the touch of sharpness. You can use them anywhere you will use onions, just must double the quantity, due to their size.
Vidalia Onion
Vidalia onions are the sweet one. They are lacking almost completely, that’s sharp and pungent oniony flavor. They are perfect for eating raw (yes, you have heard me!) thinly slices in the salads. Nevertheless, you can use them in every recipe, where onions are required. They have much thinner outer skin and look a little bit squashed (flatter on top and bottom, compare to the other, round types).
Spanish Onion
Often confused with yellow onions. Many people think that they are one and the same. Spanish Onions, even thou they are yellow in color, are completely different. They are sweet and have a lower water content. And that is makes them perfect for frying (e.g., Onion rings), because they will not release so much water. Of course, they can be eaten raw (in salads or sandwiches or burgers), or they can be cooked with, basically any recipe your heart desire, or your stomach in this case.
Cipollini onions
The name, in fact means “little onions” in Italian. They are in a size of a golf ball, kind of flatten on top and bottom, looking more like onion disk. The color can go from almost white, to dark brown (just like Spanish onion), with a papery skin. They are sweet (not as much as shallots through), so they are perfect for all oven roast dishes, because that allow their sweetness to shine. Their flatten shape, gives them advantage, when it comes to the surface available for caramelization.
Cocktail onions
Generally, it will be a pearl onion, that is pickled with vinegar with some sugar and spices. They are wildly used in many drinks’ recipes (as a garnish or ingredient), in antipasto platters, or as an ingredient in many sophisticated looking appetizer bites.
Pearl Onions (Button or Baby Onions)
Big flavor in a small package. Small, sweet, and mild in taste, without that’s characteristic onion harshness. They are pretty to look at in many dishes. Snowy white. Perfect for roasting with meats (do not need to even cut them, use the whole pearls), or popular for pickling in vinegar.
Welsh onion
Against the popular opinion, the Welsh onion, does not comes from Wales, but in fact is native to China. It is known under few local names: bunching onion, Japanese leek, stone leek, long green onion, Japanese bunching onion. It is believed to be one of the kinds of scallion. Its grow in big bunches, with flowery top, resembling decorative bush. It is wildly use, anywhere where scallion or chives is called for in the recipe. Its has very mild oniony flavor, resembling chives
