How To Slice An Onion (With Video) - Simply Recipes

Key Takeaways

• Step-by-step guidance illustrates how to slice onions lengthwise, crosswise, or into rings.
• Simple tips like wiping your cutting board and working quickly can help prevent onion tears.  

An Onion's Stem and Root End

Before you cut an onion, know the difference between the stem end and the root end of the onion. The root end has a tight root center, which if you don't remove, can help hold the onion together as you cut it.

If the root end is clean, there's no need to cut off the roots. But if there is any residual dirt on the roots, you'll want to slice off the roots, while leaving the hard root core in place.

Slicing Onions Lengthwise Vs. Crosswise

When a recipe calls for sliced onions, you have a choice of how to slice them—lengthwise or crosswise.

If you are cooking the onions, as for caramelizing them, you'll likely want to slice them lengthwise, or from root to stem. That way they will hold their shape better during the cooking. Crosswise cut onions tend to fall apart when cooked. If that's what you want, fine.

Just know that onion pieces will hold their shape better in cooking if they are sliced stem to root, and will fall apart more when cooked if sliced crosswise.

If you are adding raw onions to a salad, slice them crosswise. They'll be easier to eat, and they look pretty too!

If you are making onion rings, you'll want to cut the onions crosswise as well.

How To Avoid Tears When Cutting an Onion

Does cutting onions give you tears?

When you cut an onion, it breaks open the onion's cell walls, which release fumes that react with the water on the surface of your eyes to form sulfuric acid. This burns your eyes, which makes you create more tears.

The best way to avoid this is to limit your exposure to the cut surfaces of the onion and to work quickly. Wipe the cutting board down with a sponge or towel as soon as you are finished.

The method shown here for the onion cut lengthwise will help limit your exposure to the onion fumes that make your eyes hurt.