L&B Onion Guide

Onions come in so many different sizes, shapes and flavors! Check out our guide below to discover the difference between all the varieties and find the perfect onion for your recipe.

Yellow onion – Round with pale brown skin and white flesh. Pungent when raw, but milder and sweeter when cooked. A good all-purpose onion for any recipe and great for caramelizing.

White onion – Milder than a yellow onion, this variety is firm, round, white and slightly tangy. Delicious chopped into salsa and guacamole or sliced onto burgers and sandwiches.

Red onion – With gorgeous purple skin and flesh, this is the most pungent of all the onions. It’s full of bright peppery spice that mellows when cooked. Terrific cut into wedges and grilled; fantastic on pizzas and green salads.

Sweet onion – Sweeter and juicier than most onions, delicious raw and wonderful for onion rings. A great choice for people who don’t enjoy strong, pungent onion flavor. Look for Vidalia onions or Walla Walla onions.

White pearl onion – These sweet, delicate mini onions look like a snack-sized version of a white onion. Delicious roasted with veggies or pickled and added to martinis and charcuterie plates.

Shallot – Purple in hue and shaped like a jumbo garlic clove. With thin, tight layers and a mild flavor, shallots are easily minced for sauces and vinaigrettes.

Scallion – Also known as a green onion, the entire length of this long, thin onion is edible. Its white bulb has a mild flavor, while its green tops have a bit more bite. With a bright flavor and crunchy texture, chopped green onion is a wonderful garnish for soups, tacos, stir fries or scrambled eggs.