9 Onion Recipes: How to Cook Onions

Onions are species belonging to the Allium genus, along with garlic, shallots, and leeks. Onion recipes either use raw onions or call for you to cook them. Sautéing, roasting, or grilling onions releases their distinct flavor elements and pungent aroma. The most popular types of onions to cook with include white onions, red onions, pearl onions, sweet onions (or Vidalia onions), green onions (or scallions), and spring onions.

A versatile ingredient, onions add a distinctly sharp aroma and savory flavor to entrées, sauces, and side dishes. Here are nine onion recipes to try making at home:

1. 1. Caramelized onions: Simple to prepare, caramelized onions are sweet, salty, and jammy. Use caramelized onions in onion dip, meatballs, or mashed potatoes, or on a grilled cheese.
   
2. 2. Fried shallots: Smaller than onions but sharing a similar flavor, shallots are a good substitute for onions in many recipes. In place of fried onions, try making crispy fried shallots to serve on top of sliders or casseroles. You can also use them as a garnish for creamy onion dip.
3. 3. French onion soup: A classic French comfort food, French onion soup contains beef broth, bay leaves, and sautéed onions with crusty bready and a topping of melted cheese, such as Gruyère. Broil the cheese until it’s golden and bubbly, then serve the soup hot as an appetizer or main course. Try this French onion soup recipe.
4. 4. Grilled and poached leeks: Sweet with a slight bite, leeks are a good side dish to accompany steak or a roast chicken. Leeks look like large scallions but are more fibrous. Learn how to make Gordon Ramsay’s grilled baby leeks recipe.
5. 5. Onion galette: Consisting of caramelized onions, an onion galette is essentially a freeform onion pie or onion tart with a buttery crust that you fold over the onions. Top the dish with Parmesan cheese and serve it with eggs for a brunch dish, or simply drizzle the galette with balsamic vinegar and serve it with an herbed cream cheese spread. Try this onion galette recipe.
6. 6. Pickled red onions: Usable as toppings for tacos, pizza, or sandwiches, pickled red onions are a sweet and salty condiment. Learn how to make Thomas Keller’s pickled red onions recipe.
7. 7. Roasted onions: Almost any type of onion works for roasted onions. Sweeter onions, such as red onions and Vidalia onions, caramelize more readily than onions with a lower sugar content. White onions or yellow onions, on the other hand, retain more of their bite. Serve roasted onions with breadcrumbs as a side dish, or chop them up with braised fennel for a flavorful salad containing fennel and onion.
8. 8. Scallion pancakes: Also known as pajeon in Korean, scallion pancakes start with an egg batter. Serve the savory pancakes as an appetizer with a sweet and salty dipping sauce, or serve them as a side dish to other Korean dishes. Try making this Korean scallion pancake recipe.
9. 9. Sweet onion tarte tatin: In a savory onion tarte tatin, onions caramelize on the stovetop, then cook in the oven beneath a layer of buttery puff pastry. Serve the dish with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and fresh cracked black pepper. Learn how to make a sweet onion tarte tatin.

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