Do you love the taste of onions but hate the tears? You're not alone! Learn how to cut an onion with this step-by-step tutorial for slicing, dicing, chopping, and mincing onions like a pro - without shedding a single tear.
Prep onion: Peel off and discard any loose outer papery layers of the onion.
Remove stem: Place the onion on a clean cutting board and use a sharp Chef's knife to cut off and discard the stem end (top) of the onion.
Cut the onion in half: Next, cut the onion in half vertically, through the middle of the root – so a portion of the root is intact on both halves of the onion. (Tip: Do not stand the onion up on the flat side and cut down into the onion through the root. Doing this pushes all the dirt from the root INTO the onion.)
Peel onion: Use your fingers or a paring knife to peel off and discard the outer layer of the onion. (Tip: When peeling onions, you want to remove as few layers as possible.)
To Julienne Onion: Working with one half of the onion at a time, arrange the onion so that the flat side is down, flush with the board. Use your knife to cut off and discard the stem (top) and the root (bottom) of the onion. Next, look at the onion half and locate the lines running through it. The lines will look like lines of longitude on a globe – running from the root towards the tip of the onion. Now that you’ve located the lines, arrange your onion so that the lines are running perpendicular to, or towards you, and one of the cut sides is closest to your body. Following the lines of longitude, make 1/8-inch-wide cuts all the way through the onion. When you get to the top of the onion or the 90-degree mark, rotate the onion over so that the cut side is flush with the board again. Then, continue making 1/8-inch-wide julienne cuts all the way around the onion. Repeat the process with the other half of the onion until completely sliced.
To Slice Onion into Half Moons: Working with one half of the onion at a time, arrange the onion so that the flat side is down, flush with the board. Next, look at the onion half and locate the lines running through it. The lines will look like lines of longitude on a globe – running from the root towards the tip of the onion. Now that you’ve located the lines, arrange your onion so that the lines are running parallel to you and the root is closest to your non-dominant hand – making the cut off tip of the onion closest to the knife. (Tip: if you are right-handed, the root should be on your left and vice versa for lefties.) Use your knife to cut through the onion – against the grain or lines – slicing as thick or thin as you prefer. Repeat the process with the other half of the onion until completely sliced.
To Dice or Chop an Onion: Working with one half of the onion at a time, arrange the onion so that the flat side is down, flush with the board. Then arrange the onion so that the root is farthest away from you and the tip of your knife points towards the root. Now look at the half of onion and look for the lines running through the onion. The lines will look like lines of longitude on a globe, running north to south – from the root of the onion to the tip. Now that you’ve located the lines in the onion, make sure the lines are running perpendicular to, or towards you. Then, use your sharp knife to make vertical slices through the onion - up to the root but not through it - following the lines of longitude and the curve of the onion. Once you’ve made the series of vertical cuts, rotate the onion 90-degrees so that the lines of longitude and your cuts are now parallel to you (the lines should run left to right). Use your hand to gently hold the layers of the onion together and then use your knife to make horizontal cuts through the layers of onion – crosswise to, or through, the first cuts you make. Once all the cuts are made, cut off and discard the root. Repeat the process with the other half of the onion until completely diced. (Note: Try to dice the onion as evenly as possible. The width of your cuts will depend upon the dice you’re after. Small dice = ¼-inch. Medium dice = ½-inch. Large dice = ¾-inch. Chop = roughly 1 inch)
To Mince Onion: Follow the steps above for small dicing an onion. Once you’ve diced all the onion and discarded the root, arrange the chef’s knife so it’s fits comfortably in your hand. Place your free hand on top of the knife and then rock the knife back and forth repeatedly over the pile of onions to mince them until unrecognizable. Occasionally, use the heel of the knife to gather the onions back into a pile for easy mincing. Repeat the process with the other half of the onion until completely minced.(Note: Mincing is to make something virtually unrecognizable, it’s a much smaller cut than a “fine dice”)
Use or Store: Use or store the cut onions in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator to use at a later date.
Notes
Onions: This onion cutting tutorial works for any size, variety, and number of onions.
Technique: When using your knife to cut, slice, dice, and chop, make sure you tuck the fingers of your non-dominant hand under to keep them protected and out of the way of your knife. This will also allow you to use your knuckles as a guide for the knife.
Dicing sizes: When cutting onions, make sure you are aiming for evenly spaced, parallel lines. When dicing, make sure you space your cuts according to the dice you are looking to achieve.
Fine Mince: 1/8-inch
Small Dice: ¼-inch
Medium Dice: ½-inch
Large Dice: ¾-inch
Chop: rough 1-inch dice (no need to be approximate)
Storage: Place any sliced, diced, chopped, or minced onions into an airtight storage container. Store in the fridge for up to 10 days.
Flavor Note: While you can prep onions in advance, please note that they have the most flavor when freshly diced, chopped, sliced, or minced. Onions will lose flavor during storage.
Nutrition information is an estimate based upon 1 servings. Exact information will depend upon the brands of ingredients and precise measurements used.