Color |
Variety or Type |
Availability |
Raw Flavor/Texture |
Best Usage |
Yellow Onion:
All-purpose and most popular, approximately 87% of the U.S. onion crop is comprised of yellow varieties. The most well-known sweet onions are yellow. The best type of onion for caramelizing is a yellow storage variety. Cooking brings out this variety's nutty, mellow, often sweet, quality when caramelized. |
Sweet |
March-September |
crisp, juicy, mild flavor with a slightly sweet ending with little to no after-taste |
raw, lightly cooked, sautéed, or grilled |
Fresh, Mild |
March - August |
crisp, juicy, mild to slightly pungent with a faint after-taste |
raw, lightly cooked, sautéed, or grilled |
Storage |
August-May |
strong onion flavor, mild after-taste |
grilled, sautéed, caramelized, baked, or roasted |
|
Red Onion:
About 8% of the U.S. onion crop is red. They have gained popularity in the past decade, especially in foodservice on salads and sandwiches because of their color. |
Sweet |
March-September |
crisp, very mild onion flavor |
raw, grilled, or roasted |
Fresh, Mild |
March-September |
bright tones, slightly less water content than yellow with a slightly pungent ending |
raw, grilled, or roasted |
Storage |
August-May |
sharp, spicy, and moderate to very pungent |
raw, grilled, or roasted |
| |
White Onion:
Approximately 5% of U.S. onion production is dedicated to white onions. They are commonly used in white sauces, potato and pasta salads, and in Mexican or Southwest cuisine. Due to the compact nature of their cell structure, white onions do not store quite as long as other varieties. |
Fresh, Mild |
March-August |
moderately pungent and clean finish, very little after-taste |
raw, grilled, sautéed, or lightly cooked |
Storage |
August-May |
modertaley pungent to very pungent and full flavored, but finishes with a cleaner and crisper flavor in comparison to yellow and red storage varieties |
raw, grilled, sautéed, or lightly cooked |
|
Preparation Tips:
1. Cut onions as close to cooking or serving time as possible. Onion flavor deteriorates and its aroma intensifies over time.
2. High heat makes onions bitter. When sautéeing onions, always use low or medium heat.
3. Chopped or sliced onions can be refrigerated for up to 7 days in sealed containers.
*Crop size is approximate. Flavor and usage info are general guidelines for each color and type. |
