How to Cut an Onion

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Whether you want to slice, dice, or cut your onion into rings, cutting an onion is easy! Once you know the basics, you’ll find yourself feeling more confident about trying all sorts of recipes!

Method 1
Method 1 of 4:

Slicing an Onion

  1. Stand an onion on its root end. Use a sharp knife to cut it from the top, stem end down towards the root. You will be left with two halves, each containing half of a root and half of a stem.[1]
    • Use this technique if your recipe calls for any of the following: "French-cut," "julienned," "thinly-sliced," or "thin-cut."[2]
  2. Do not cut away the root end. It will give you something to grip onto and help hold the onion together as you cut it.[3]
  3. Some onions have several layers of this thin, papery skin. Keep peeling until you reach the thicker, moist, tender skin.
  4. Take one of the onion halves, and set it down on the cutting board, like a dome. Begin cutting at one end and finish cutting at the other. You can cut the onion widthwise or lengthwise. How thick or thin you cut the slices is up to you, but something between ⅛ and ¼-inch (0.32 and 0.64-centimeter) thick would be idea.
    • Cutting an onion widthwise, or against the grain, will give it a sharper taste.[4]
    • Cutting an onion lengthwise, or with the grain, will give it a milder flavor.[5]
  5. If you cut your onion lengthwise or with the grain, the pieces may still be attached to the root end. In this case, hold the onion by the sides, then slice off the root end.[6] Use your fingers to pull apart the pieces. Find the root ends, then discard them.
Method 2
Method 2 of 4:

Chopping, Dicing, or Mincing an Onion

  1. Stand an onion down on its root end. Pick up a sharp knife, and slice it down the middle, from top to bottom. Pull apart the two halves. Each half should have a root at one end, and a stem at the other.
    • Chopping, dicing, and mincing all requires the same technique; the differences is only in how small you cut the pieces.
  2. Place one of the onion halves down so that it looks like a dome. Slice off the stem end and discard it. Leave the root end intact. Repeat this step for the other onion half.
  3. Some onions have several layers of thin, papery skin. Keep peeling until you reach the thicker, moister skin underneath.
  4. Push the tip of the knife into the root end and slice downwards towards the stem end. Work your way from one side of the onion to the other. Hold the onion by the root end, and avoid cutting through it.[7] Here is how thick you should cut the pieces based on different cooking terms:[8]
    • "Minced": cut it into ⅛-inch (0.32-centimeter) thick slices.
    • "Finely-chopped or diced": cut it into ¼-inch (0.64-centimeter) thick slices.
    • "Medium-cut": cut it into ½-inch (1.27-centimeter) thick slices.
    • "Coarsely-chopped": cut it into ¾-inch (1.91-centimeter) thick slices.
  5. Cut straight across the cuts you made in the previous step. Start at the cut, stem end, and work your way towards the root end. The closer together you make the slices, the smaller the pieces will be.[9]
    • Cut your widthwise slices the same thickness as you did your lengthwise slices.
  6. Cut the onion from the top down, just like you did for the lengthwise cuts. This will cause the pieces to detach from the root, so start at the edge and work your way towards the root. When you’re done, you’ll have a thinly cut onion!
  7. Chop, mince, or dice up the other onion half. When you're done, use your fingers to pull apart and separate the pieces. You should end up with lots of tiny chunks of onion. Find the root pieces, and discard them.
Method 3
Method 3 of 4:

Cutting Onion Rings

  1. Set the onion down on its side, with the root and tapered ends sticking out to the sides. Use a sharp knife to slice off one of the curved sides by ¼-inch (0.64-centimeter).[10]
    • Do not cut off the root or tapered end just yet.
  2. Use your fingers of a knife to pry the dry, papery outer layer from the onion. Grab it from the side you just cut, and pull it away. You may have to peel away several layers.
  3. This will help keep the onion steady and prevent it from rolling around as you cut. The root and tapered ends should still be sticking out to the sides.[11]
  4. Leave the stubby, root-end exposed. You will be cutting from this end first.
  5. Begin slicing the onion at the root end, and finish slicing at the tapered end.[12] Make sure that the knife is very sharp. You can slice the onion as thick or as thin as you want to. Something between ⅛ and ¼ inch (0.32 and 0.64 centimeters) would be ideal.
    • Thicker slices are great for frying, while medium ones are ideal for burgers.
    • Slice the onion as thin as possible if you are making a salad.
  6. Once you have finished slicing the onion, discard the root and tapered ends. Use your fingers to gently pop the rings out of each other.
Method 4
Method 4 of 4:

Cutting an Onion into Quarters

  1. In most cases, you will want to leave the root end on the onion. When you are cutting an onion into chunks, however, you want to cut off both the root end and the stem end.[13]
    • This method is ideal for roasting and grilling onions.[14]
  2. Stand the onion up on one of its cut ends. Use a very sharp knife to slice it in half, from top to bottom.
  3. Most onions will have 1 to 2 layers of thin, papery skin; some may have more. Use your fingers to peel this skin away. You are ready for the next step once you reach the moist, tender skin underneath.
  4. Take one of the onion halves and set it down so that it looks like a dome. Cut it in half from one cut end to the other.
    • Cut the onion further into wedges, if required. Continue cutting the onion lengthwise, but this time at an angle.[15]
  5. Hold the onion by the curved side edges. Rotate it so that the cut root/stem ends are pointing up and down. Cut the onion in half horizontally.[16]
  6. How much you separate the layers is up to you. If you are roasting the onion, you might want to separate all of the layers into individual flakes. If you are making kabobs, you might want to keep the pieces about two layers thick instead.
    • You can also leave the onion quarters/wedges as they are, and roast them.


Community Q&A

  • Question
    Why would I ever use a fork to dice an onion? Am I trying to cut everything but the vegetable?
    Community Answer
    You are not using the fork to do the slicing; you are using the fork to stabilize the onion instead of using your fingers.
  • Question
    How do I cut an onion without crying?
    Community Answer
    Try freezing the onion for about 20 minutes before cutting it. You can also put on a pair of goggles to protect your eyes against the fumes. If your kitchen has a fan or vent, switch it on, and work right beneath it.
  • Question
    How do I slice an onion for sandwiches?
    Community Answer
    Generally it is sliced in thin slivers to fit on the sandwich.
See more answers

Video

Tips

  • Hold the knife properly. Grip the heel of the blade with your thumb and index finger.[17]
  • Work with a sharp knife. This will help make your cuts clean and precise.[18]
  • Curl your fingers inwards while holding the onion, like a "bear claw." This will keep you from accidentally nicking your fingers.[19]

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References

  1. ↑ http://www.thankyourbody.com/how-to-cut-an-onion/
  2. ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-thinly-slice-an-onion-109536
  3. ↑ http://www.thankyourbody.com/how-to-cut-an-onion/
  4. ↑ https://www.cooksillustrated.com/how_tos/5597-taming-raw-onion-flavor
  5. ↑ https://www.cooksillustrated.com/how_tos/5597-taming-raw-onion-flavor
  6. ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-thinly-slice-an-onion-109536
  7. ↑ http://www.thankyourbody.com/how-to-cut-an-onion/
  8. ↑ https://www.cooksillustrated.com/articles/229-how-to-cut-an-onion
  9. ↑ http://www.thankyourbody.com/how-to-cut-an-onion/
More References (16)

About This Article

Co-authored by:
wikiHow Staff
wikiHow Staff Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff. Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. This article has been viewed 584,965 times.
Co-authors: 39
Updated: September 3, 2023
Views: 584,965
Article Rating: 85% - 39 votes
Categories: Featured Articles | Food Cutting Techniques
Article SummaryX

To cut an onion, start by cutting off the stem. Then, cut it in half from top to bottom, through the root and peel the skin off. If you want to dice or mince your onion, place it on a cutting board so that the root is facing away from you, and carefully slice into it lengthwise, from the cut end to the root. However, don't cut all the way to the root, since you want your onion to remain intact. Then, turn your knife so it's parallel to the cutting board and slice into the onion. Just like the first cuts, stop before you hit the root so the onion is still held together. To finish, chop the onion into small pieces by cutting from the stem side to the root. If you’d prefer to cut your onion into slices, place one of the halves cut-side down on a cutting board. Starting at one end of the onion, cut it into thin slices. Then, repeat with the other half and separate all of the slices. As always, be sure to exercise caution when handling a knife to avoid injury. For more tips, including what the difference between dicing and mincing is, read on!

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    May 27, 2018

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