Onions are a common ingredient in any home cook’s kitchen. Whether they’re blended into a pepper or caramelised and incorporated to elevate any restaurant dish, different types of onions can add a lot of flavour to any dish.
Choosing the right one for whatever you’re cooking will help you achieve the best results. Here’s a simple guide to understanding what each type of onion has to offer.
Red Onions
Red onions are popular for their bright colour, mild flavour, and pleasing crunch. They have a somewhat sweet and tangy flavour, making them an excellent choice for adding colour and flavour to salads, sandwiches, and pickled meals. Their lovely purple colour makes them an appealing garnish as well. Red onions are recommended for grilling, roasting and pickling
The following dishes can be made with red onions:
- Abacha (African salad)
- Fried pepper sauce (ata didin in Yoruba)
- Pepper-tomato stew
- Suya
Yellow Onions
Yellow onions are the most commonly used type of onion in the world of food. When used for cooking, they have a strong, pungent flavour with a hint of sweetness. Their high sulphur concentration imparts a robust flavour, making them ideal for glazing or adding depth to soups, stews, and sauces. Yellow onions are also excellent for grilling or roasting, as they soften and sweeten when cooked. When in doubt, use yellow onions for your dish.
Yellow onions cannot be eaten raw because of their spicy flavour Instead, use them as a base ingredient for stir-fries, sauces such as ofada sauce, stocks (especially meat stock), and meals with long cooking times like beans.
White Onions
When most people think of onions, they imagine white ones. It has the typical white outer layer and white flesh. White onions taste similar to yellow onions but with less aftertaste and more sweetness. They have a crisp texture and are commonly used in Mexican and Latin American cuisine, where their flavour pairs well with spicy foods or salsa. White onions are also widely used in raw recipes.
Nigerian food that can be cooked with this type of onion- Salad, Jollof rice, Fried rice, Sandwiches
White onions, red onions, and yellow onions are regular onion colours you’d see while shopping in local markets or online grocery stores like Vendease
FAQs about types of onions
What are the health benefits of onions?
It may benefit your heart- Onions contain antioxidants and compounds that may reduce your risk of heart disease by fighting inflammation and lowering your cholesterol levels. They also contain a large amount of quercetin, a flavonoid antioxidant and anti-inflammatory that may help lower high blood pressure.
Help regulate your blood sugar- Eating onions may help regulate blood sugar levels, which is significant for people with diabetes.
It helps boost digestive health- Onions are a rich source of fibre and prebiotics, which are necessary for optimal gut health.
How to store Onions
Follow these tips for the best way to store your onions;
Onions are best stored in a cool, dry and well-ventilated space.
- Remove from grocery bags and separate from other farm produce that emit moisture such as potatoes
- Keep away from direct sunlight and store in a well-ventilated area.
- An onion that has been cut is best stored in the refrigerator in a sealed plastic bag or airtight container.
