Pearl Onions
Cooking: While these tiny and sweet onions can be eaten raw, they are generally used for creamy dishes and pickling.They are also good roasted with balsamic vinegar. These onions are sweeter than their larger cousins.
Peeling: Slice off the root ends and drop into boiling water for <1min. Drain and rinse with cold water, pinch the stem end of each, and a peeled onion will pop out. A “blanch and pop” action.
Best in: A very old-timey dish is pearl onions, carrots and peas in a beef stock. Used in cocktails. Great to pickle.
Storage: I keep onions in a basket under the cabinets out of reach of light. Do not store near potatoes, they both start to go bad.
Red Onions
Cooking: Red onions are sort of sweet, pungent, spicy, and strong to my taste, but others consider it mild. (Give it a try and let me know what you think.) Reds are considered the “salad onion.” When using them raw in a coleslaw, I tend to soak them in vinegar for ~10 minutes or so, to help take the bite out of them. When used raw in Greek salads I slice them very thin to mitigate their power. When cooked they turn sweeter. I have also used a red onion jam with fried eggplant – yummy (I should give you the recipe). Keep in mind they can lose their color when cooked.
Health: Overall, they are reported to contain a higher amount of antioxidant compounds and are higher in total flavonoids than their yellow or white cousins.(1)
Best in: Greek salads, salmon bagels, or in kebabs.
Storage: I keep onions in a basket under the cabinets out of reach of light.
Do not store near potatoes, they both start to go bad.
Shallots
Cooking: Often used in French and Asian cooking. They have a mild garlic onion flavor and can easily disappear in a dish, but lends its flavor to the overall whole. They are great as a crispy topping when deep fat fried and well drained.
Storage: I keep onions in a basket under the cabinets out of reach of light.
Do not store near potatoes, they both start to go bad.
Walla Walla
Cooking: I lived in Washington state for a while, where Walla Walla onions come from and they are just amazing. Sweet onion you can eat like an apple! Great on burgers and other dishes where you want raw sweet onions. This makes a great onion-based relish.
White Onions
Cooking: These are generally stronger than yellow onions. They turn sweet and caramelized when cooked. They can be eaten raw, so are great on burgers and sausages. White onions are used in many Latin American cuisine. I cook with this onion when I want the onion to melt into a dish, they do not hold up as well as yellow when cooked.
Best in: Great in potato salad, guacamole, and pico de gallo recipes
Storage: I keep onions in a basket under the cabinets out of reach of light.
Do not store near potatoes, they both start to go bad. If this onion starts to have a strong onion smell, it is past its prime.
Yellow Onions
Cooking : This is the most commonly used onion in the USA. It has the highest sulfur content of the onions so smells strong and makes eyes water, but also turns sweet when cooked. It is a great all around onion. They caramelize well and hold up under cooking. Unless stated otherwise, this is the onion to use.
Best in: Great for stews, pot roast, and all sorts of foods.
Storage: I keep onions in a basket under the cabinets out of reach of light.
Do not store near potatoes, they both start to go bad.
