How to Cut an Onion (VIDEO)
Everything you ever wanted to know about how to cut an onion, from finely chopping onion for Ceviche, to slicing for French Onion Soup and cutting into Onion Rings. Watch the video tutorial and learn how to chop an onion the easy way.
It’s true, I have an onion complex. Onions are never in short supply at our house. I think they make everything taste better; except dessert, I haven’t found a way to put those together… YET.
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I recently discovered that onions are considered a superfood. Oh yeah! That’s especially exciting because onion is a staple in my cooking and especially in Ukrainian cuisine; baked, stewed, broiled, boiled, tossed into salads, sautéed, seared, marinated, and even raw with a bit of salo (not that I eat salo, but it is customary in Ukraine).
Salo probably cancels out the superfood onion though, so forget that last part. This means I probably won’t be making a salo tutorial. Please stop crying.
Watch How To Cut an Onion:
I hope you found the onion cutting video tutorial helpful. Thanks for stopping by my blog to watch the videos, cook the recipes, and for leaving your thoughtful comments and suggestions. I’m so happy I started blogging or I may never have met you. You are wonderful.
Before you start…
Use a sharp knife – For safety and to minimize tears, it is critical to use a very sharp knife. A dull knife is more likely to slip while cutting. Check out our tutorial on How to Sharpen Your Knife and learn basic knife skills to protect your fingers while slicing and dicing.
How to finely chop an onion
Here’s a quick photo reference from the video tutorial above.
- Cut the onion in half from root to stem.
- Set the onion on the flat side and cut off the stem end, leaving the root intact.
- Slice the onion parallel with the lines of the onion, going as close to the root as you can without cutting all the way through.
- Pull the onion together and cut halfway into the center of it with your knife at an angle.
- Chop the onions crosswise into fine dice or to your desired thickness.
How to thinly slice an onion
Sliced onions are wonderful for French Onion Soup and Stir Fry.
- Cut the onion in half from root to stem/
- Set the onion on the flat side and cut off both ends.
- Thinly slice the onion, cutting parallel with the lines of the onion (root to tip)
How to cut an onion into rings
For recipes like Onion Rings or Burgers, sometimes you’ll need onions sliced into rings. Here’s how to cut onions into rings:
- Cut the stem off (leave the root intact).
- Use a pairing knife to pull back and remove the peel.
- Optional – remove a small slit from one end to give the onion a more stable surface.
- Cut the onion into rings to your desired thickness, parallel to the root.
How much chopped onion does an onion yield?
Some recipes call for measurements in chopped onion, i.e 1 cup onions, finely chopped. Here’s a helpful guide for choosing the correct size of onion based on its yield when chopped.
- Small Onion = 4 oz (1/4 lb or lemon-sized) = 1/2 cup chopped
- Medium Onion = 8 oz (1/2 lb or apple-sized) = 1 cup chopped
- Large Onion = 12 oz (3/4 lb or orange-sized) = 1 1/2 cups chopped
- Jumbo Onion = 16 oz (1 lb, or grapefruit-sized) = 2 cups chopped
I’ll do my best to stay on track with this chart throughout my recipes to minimize confusion (my mom grows plenty of onions for the whole family and those can come in cute extra small and extra small, baby sizes also.
How to store chopped onions
Once onions are sliced, transfer to an airtight storage container (to contain the strong onion aroma) and refrigerate for up to a week. Refrigerated onions tend to get more potent in flavor the longer they sit. If you want to enjoy them raw (in Homemade Salsa, Guacamole, etc), they should be used within 2 days of refrigerating. Onions stored for longer should only be used for cooking.
How to cut an onion without crying
I have read countless tips over the years for how to not cry cutting an onion. The only tip that works every time is to use onion goggles, and although it always gives someone a good laugh, it’s definitely not practical. Here are my best tips to reduce tears:
- Do not cut off the root or it will cause the onion to juice and make you cry.
- Use a sharp knife to make clean strokes through the onion (do not saw through the onion)
- A kitchen range hood vent can help reduce some of the fumes that are released from the onion. Slice the onion near the vent.
If you have any tricks up your sleeve to prevent onion tears, let me know in the comments.
How to Cut an Onion
Instructions
- Cut the onion in half lengthwise from the root to the stem.
- Set the onion on the flat side and cut off the stem end, leaving the root end intact.
- Slice the onion parallel with the lines of the onion. Get close to the root but don't cut all the way through.
- Pull the onion together with your fingers and cut halfway into the center of the onion with your knife at a slight angle.
- Chop the onions crosswise into fine dice or to your desired thickness.
Video
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Thanks for the instructions. I’ll be using this everyday. I also use onions almost everyday. I just had no idea it was a super food.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Jane!
Through 65 years of cutting or chopping onions we have the cutting board within a couple of feet of the kitchen water faucet. We turn on the cold water and look toward it while cutting the onion. We never have tears period, whether it’s a sweet or strong onion.
Great idea! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
I love trying you resipe and I love your stile of cooking. Who you are comes out I your cooking Bless you and your family
Thank you and I hope you’ll love the recipes that you will try!
I love watching your videos I learn more from you than any other cooking shows out there you make cooking fun
Thank you, Beverly. I am so very happy to hear that.
I find that starting with a refrigerated onion helps cut down on the tears.
Your tip of leaving the root attached for dicing is brilliant!
Thank you for sharing that with us, Margie!
Chopped onions can be frozen. I have kept them chopped in Freezer ziploc bags for as long as 6 months. They were great for adding into eggs or omelettes, adding to meatloaf, or adding to the tops of frozen pizzas. The same thing for bell peppers. Now you can actually purchase them that way, and I have been doing this for Decades.
Thanks for sharing that with us, Diana!
Thank you for sending me this extremely informative link to surviving the eye agony from chopping onions! So many great tips, however, I’m sure I’d enjoy wearing those goggles just for a laugh😂
You’re very welcome, Jonne! haha! I’m glad you had a good laugh with me!
I always cut the onions across the middle so this was so helpful. Can’t wait to try it. Thank you
I hope this is helpeful!
My age causes my eyes to water profusely and the only time they don’t is when I’m chopping onions! Maybe I’m just strange.
I SING. I sing when I chop onions and I don’t cry. Ok well my family cries when I sing so they leave.
I think singing makes you breath through your mouth not your nose. Give it a try sometime.
Sure, that sounds good!
I was very sceptical but tried cutting an onion right beside a wet paper towel and it worked!
Thanks for sharing, Tanya. We appreciate it!
To keep an onion fresh, wrap it in aluminum foil, keep in fridge in crisper, it wont get stronger & will keep for a couple weeks, when my mom told me this, I thought she was crazy. It works!!
Thanks for the video; I just cut it as you said and it was just what I wanted. I love your all of your videos !
God bless Ukraine
I’m so glad this came timely! Thank you for your thoughtful comment!
You are JUST. SO. CUTE!! And what a great idea not to cut the root end so it holds together! I’m always learning new ideas, tips, and tricks from you!
Usually what works for me to avoid tears while chopping onions is to light a candle and sit it on the counter just on the other side of my cutting board.
Aw, thank you, Cheryl! Appreciate you sharing.
I used the how to cut an onion today. Wow! It was so easy and I’ll be using your method from now on! Thank you,
Terri
You’re welcome! I’m so happy this was helpful!
G’day from Smithfield,
South Australia 🦘
Australia. 🦘
I love watching your videos the are very informative, interesting and you do them with a wonderful sense of humour. You make cooking just yummy but good fun too!
God bless you and your family and please stay safe, healthy and happy sweetheart ❤ 🌹🙏⭐🦘
You’re so nice! Thank you for your kind and thoughtful compliment, Vicki!
Thank you so much for this post, I just shared with my son too. So helpful!
I’m so glad it was helpful, Gina! Thank you for your lovely review!
Put the onion in the fridge until it’s cold.(over night) No more tears!! 🙂
Great idea! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
I still want to know if you have family still in Ukraine. If so, are they safe?
Hi there, yes they are safe and we really hope and pray that it stays that way. Thank you for asking.
Wearing my contact lenses prevents me from tearing.
Thanks for all of your great tips and videos!
Thank you for sharing that with us, Deb! I’m glad those contact lenses help with this!
I never cry when cutting onions. My trick? I breathe only thru my mouth!
Great idea! Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Jeannie!
Now, if I can just learn to like onions! 🙂 I know they add so much flavor!! Love the tips!
Two ways to reduce tears while cutting onions:
1. Light a candle and place near the onion as the flame should “capture” the gas from the onion.(Martha Stewart’s tip)
2. Fold paper towels, dampen them and place near the onion.
I’ve tried both and each helped some.
I truly admire your positive attitude and smiles as you are making your videos. Cannot imagine the misery you are going through. Daily prayers continue for you and your family. God bless Ukraine
Thank you for sharing those tips, Laura! You made my day with your compliment, so thoughtful! I appreciate you stopping by, watching my videos, and sending prayers & through for the citizens of Ukraine! Blessings to you!
Great tips for how to cut an onion. And I agree, onions are great in most savory dishes!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Erin!
Hi Natasha! I nearly never weep when slicing onions. I heard some old gals at a church telling what worked and this is it! Slice the root end off first, then the stem end. Then slice however you wish. No TEARS! YAY! I love your tutorials, by the way.
🙂 AND praying for our world in it’s turmoil. May God’s will be done. Amen
Thank you for sharing, Alice.
Hi Natasha! First of all, I’m kind of obsessed with your blog. Since we Ukrainians use onions in everything, avoiding the tears is almost inevitable! I watched a Ukrainian cooking show a while ago, and they took some water in the mouth and didn’t swallow until done chopping. I usually have my boyfriend handle the onions and he said the trick worked for him 😆
Lesya, thank you for the strange but cool tip. I would just hope that I won’t start laughing in the middle of the process 😂.
When I chop an onion I always run the kitchen faucet at the same time. I learned to do this when I was a child and it always seems to work. Might just be mind over matter but give it a try. You never know.
Hmmm interesting. 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
This is going to be probably the weirdest method but it works for me lol. Ive tried it more than once and it worked every time! but when I just have 1 onion to chop, I just cry through the process. Today I had to chop about 10 onions, so I tried the method my hubby found useful and we laughed about it. I was cutting onions on my KNEES, and did not shed a tear lol.. Considering I am 29 weeks pregnant and feeling congested, I wasn’t gonna risk crying through all those 10 onions lol.
Wow that is unusual and a pretty funny mental picture. lol. Thanks for sharing! Blessings to you in your pregnancy and delivery. You’re almost there! 🙂
I slice my onions by the lit gas stove, works great!
If only I had a gas stove… 😉 Thanks for the tip!
Try candles, a bunch of them 🙂
Sooooo…what is salo? I’m taking a wild guess & thinking it is a type of lard?
It’s like the fat portion of bacon – it’s served cold and is salt cured.
Just read that chewing gum while cutting stops the tears will be trying tomorrow when I attempt your creamy shrimp pasta!
I’ll have to try that! Thanks Jules 🙂
can you post a video on how to make beet soup?
That’s a great idea Dina :). I have a video of a bread recipe coming out next week or so. After that I might do a video of the beet soup.
If you chew gum and chop onion you wont cry(:
If you cut the onion in half and soak it in cold water for about 10 minutes before chopping, it reduces or even prevents tearing.
You can avoid tears if you put the onion in to water after cutting it half. Keep it there for 5 minutes and you will see the water color changing into milky white. Take out the onion now and chop it now, you wont feel tears anymore. The substance that brings tears in your eyes is washed out in water.
Does it change the flavor much when you do that? It sounds like a great idea! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
Putting a piece of bread in your mouth when chopping helps…
Hi, I know that biting on a piece of bread like put it halfway into your mouth and let the other half dangle from your mouth it doesn’t have to be a big piece but it prevents you from crying when chopping onions. 🙂 Hope this helps!
I could see myself trying that. Funny picture! Thanks Veronica! lol
Chewing bubblegum is extremely helpful 🙂 never cried when I chew bubblegum
I’m not sure if someone mentioned this, but I have learned that running the peeled onion, the knife and you can wet the cutting board if you want under cold water, helps from tearing up. Always works for me.
Thank you for the tip Lesya :).
i heard that having a burning candle net to you while choppping the onion prevents the tears
It looks like there will be less tears in winter, since that is when I get my candles burning. Thanks for the tip!
Hi Natasha,
Great recipes and videos!
Just leave a bowl of water next to the onions you’re chopping. The onion will react with the water and less than with the moisture from your eyes.
I’m making your Plov recipe with lamb today. It’s going to be tasty.
Thanks,
Wash
Thank you for the tip, Plov sounds sooo good right now :).
I always had a hard time cutting onions..but once i started doing it your way its so much easier cause the onion doesnt fall apart.Thanks for sharing!
🙂 I agree. Since I figured out this method, cutting onions is now a strange kind of fun 😉
I took some culinary courses many years back and the one method that never failed me is freezing the onion for 10 min, and dipping the edge of your knive’s blade in olive oil! I’m sure any oil would work tho. This technique has never proved me wrong 🙂
Thank you for sharing Oksana :), great tip.
HI Natasha,
I cut the end of the onion off and wash the onion under cold water. I never get teary eyes. Try it and see if it works.
Thank you for the suggestion Anna :).
I used to work at Subway and since I wear contacts I was deemed the role of the onion slicer.
Great tutorial! I learned something new about the onion sizing.
I read about the cutting method in ‘Cooking for Dummies’ a while back and have been using it ever since. <3
I wash the onion in cold water and the knife too and go outside and cut it, and I never cry, hope that helps
cutting onions make me so emotional, i just let it out lol jk have you ever considered getting cutco knifes… u can only buy them through a sales person or a local seller. they are seriously the best thing ever invented. i have had mine for about 6years and they are always sharp. i have never had to sharpen my knifes and they just glide through everything i cut. they are pretty expensive but they have a forever warranty meaning u dont need proof purchase u just send them in if they need to be sharpened or else… i havent needed to yet but i would totally reccomend them it has changed my life lol no kidding
I’ll look into it. Do you know someone who sells them?
I dont know if anyone mentioned this but everytime I cut onions I pour lemon juice over the onion and it helps me get through the slicing without crying. I thought that the lemon juice will alter some of my recipes but i havent noticed a difference. That was my technique so far..
Very good idea – not to cut the root end. I usually cut both ends and cut the same way as you do. But it will be much easier if I leave one end intact. Thank you for the great advice. As for the tears, I cut my onions standing next to the stove, with the vent hood turned on. Helps big time.
Oh now that is a good idea!! Thank you Irina!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1FfZiiK-I4
Cut onion without crying
Nice video! I’ve learned not a long time ago, when you put the peeled onion into the cold water for some time (I’m not sure for how long), it will reduce crying.
I guess, this good to do especially if you are cooking for a big party where a lot of onions have to be chopped.
Oh cold water is a great idea! Lots of people said the fridge or freezer but cold water would cool it down the fastest. Thank you!
You know it’s kinda funny I’v always read all your blogs, posts, and recipes etc. and am totally obsessed with your site but I’ve never left a message… Well this onion thing got me because one thing that works really great for me is having a lit candle right next to where I am chopping my onion 🙂 and it works wonders for me!!! 🙂
*Thanks for the awsome recipes!!!
Oh I’ve never considered a candle! Thanks for that great tip! I’m so glad you enjoy the site and it’s awesome to hear from you. Very nice to meet you! 🙂
Wait, your email sounds very familiar. Have we connected on instagram?
Yep I’ve got you on my instagram… Love the awsome piks:)
My mom used to work at a diner when she was young, so they had to chop and she said that having a lit candle or a gas burner on, as well as rinsing the onion with cold water works and I have been doing this for as long as I can remember. It’s not 100% effective bug it helps.
I have an electric stove 🙁 But I think a candle would suffice 🙂 Thanks for the tips!
I second the gas burners. I put the board on the front burner, light all 3 around me and I never shed a tear anymore. I am extremely sensitive, i used to leave the kitchen multiple times in the middle of chopping.
you know I have worn goggles once or twice when chopping those onions 🙂 not convenient when you’re wearing eye makeup though 🙂 didn’t realize they actually made onion eyewear! some of the tricks I do is to breathe with your mouth not your nose and that helps a lot because as soon as you get that onion whif (this might not be an actual word) up your nose, that is the end of our perfect composure! and leaving the onion cutting area for a few seconds helps too as your trying not to cry by making weird faces 🙂
No worries, I make up words all the time! lol. yeah I’ve heard that about breathing through your mouth, but I always forget and end up crying despite my best intentions to mouth breath. ha ha. I totally make weird faces as I walk away too!
Natasha,
Putting the onion into the freezer for a few hours works for me.. Hope it works for you 🙂
Angelina
A much needed tutorial. Thanks so much, I make my grandma do it all the time hehe 🙂
That’s sweet that you chop onions with your grandma 🙂
hi Natasha . my mom thought me to wash my knife with cold water wgen u feel lije ur about to start crying and I alwas do that and it works 🙂
You aren’t the first to mention it. I’ll definitely use your technique!
My mom swears by turning the faucet on cold and letting the water run while you chop and i also heard that putting cold water in your mouth and holding it there helps too. I’ve tried both methods and they kinda work but not 100% effective as i still tear up a little.
It’s still better than sobbing over an onion 😉
I also rinse my onion and knife in cold water after cutting the onion in half. This usually works for me.
Thanks for sharing Irina! 🙂
This trick helps a little bit. Run very cold water over your onion and over your chopping knife before you begin to cut. Or you can put the onion in the freezer for five minutes. This helps the onion not to release its “crying enzymes” as much. (The onion will not be soft and smushy if you leave the outer skin on.)
The freezer option sounds nice if you’re in a hurry versus trying to cool the onion in the fridge. Thanks!
I was told to rinse BOTH the onion AND the knife in COLD water before chopping, and also in between chopping the onions, wich does help but not completely, or at least for me, I still cry sometimes 🙁
That’s what I do all the time. Especially with yellow onions. It really helps. Sometimes, I rinse a knife in cold water couple of time during the chopping proccess. Depends how big and strong is the onion 😉
The knife under cold water is definitely a common theme 🙂
Hi Natasha! I read somewhere that if you put an UNLIT match in your mouth so that the match head is sticking out a little past your lips, it will absorb the onion gasses (yes, its a gas) before they get to your eyes and you won’t cry. I actually do this all the time, but with at least 3 matches (I don’t like taking chances) and it works! I don’t know if its just in my head or if it actually does the trick, but it works for me. You should try it. And put a pic on here with matches in your mouth 🙂
Thanks for all your recipes!
Haha. That would be a funny picture. Very interesting strategy! Lol
I too wear contacts and I don’t cry from onions, but there is also another trick that works for me, I wash my knife in cold water and start chopping onions. This don’t make me cry I I wear glasses:)
Hmmm the knife in water trick; I’ll have to try that!
I forgot to mention that the knife is suppose to be wet, just hold it for a fev seconds under cold running water.
Are u from Kelso by any chance?
Nope 🙂
Wear goggles like Chef Fabio shows 🙂
Chef Fabio huh? What a cool name! Goggles are an option, but I’m pretty sure if get made fun of. Lol
ooops! Sorry, I thought I added the link to his video with my comment. wonder where it went… anyway, here is what I meant!
How to cut a onion without crying.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=relmfu&v=R1FfZiiK-I4t
Nice video 🙂 Iwill try chopping like that. One way to help with having less tears is to rinse the knife in water, it stops crying automaticlly. After you’ve cut to the point where you can no longer see cause of tears,rinse off in water then contuinue with choping, its kinda annoying to stop and start but at least there are no tears in your eyes to slow you down. It really does work.
Natasha! What an awesome video!! My amazing husband bought me the onion goggles from Bed Bath and Beyond for $20. They work a-m-a-z-i-n-g. Worth every dime – I don’t cry anymore 🙂
I seen those before but never heard any feedback if they are really effective, not I know :).
Oh, boy! Chopping onions! I used to hate it. Then I learned Alton Brown’s onion chopping technique, and I actually enjoy it now. I know, I’m a little weird:).
Sometimes, when I’m chopping A LOT of onions, I turn on the fan and it really helps. I’ve tried freezing it for a little while too, but I don’t usually think ahead like that and I’m not patient enough to wait for it to chill.
My best tactic is to practice up those chopping skills and get through the chopping as fast as possible. The quicker you chop, the less likely to cry.
Isn’t it annoying when your mascara starts to run? Or is that just me?
It’s funny that you mention using a fan. As soon as my son sees one of us about to start dicing an onion, he turns on the fan in the kitchen, it actually helps a lot. I totally agree with you regarding practicing onion dicing skills to get through it faster :).
Hi Natasha,
I think it’s the gas the onions give off that makes us cry. By turning on the kitchen fan some of them can be sucked up and help prevent tears. But the eye contact trick works for me:)
Whenever we cut onions, my son quickly runs to turn the fan on without us even asking him to do it. He knows!! 🙂
I were contact lenses so I never cry while chopping an onion. But I heard if you were googles it will prevent you from crying. 🙂
Seems like contact lenses do much more than just improve your vision :D.
Hey Natasha! I almost never get teary when chopping onions….you might ask – why not? Well I wear contact lenses, so they shield my eyes and I don’t get teary. But every time when I have my glasses on I cry like a baby!!! At least one good thing from wearing contacts, oh and the part that they help me see clearly 🙂
Oh yes, seeing clearly is important too. Lol. You’re the second person to say that contacts prevent tears!
Hi darling 🙂 this works for me – hopefully it’ll work for u too. I freeze my onion for about 25-30 min prior to cutting it, that doesn’t make me
Cry hehe an also chewing gum, I haven’t tried this one, but alot of people say it helps them lol. Thanks for all ur recipes and awesome videos 🙂
I’ll try your freezing method since I’m not much if a gum chewer 😉 does it make the onion squishy or does it stay crisp?
I wear eye contacts and can chop onions all day and never shed a tear! 🙂
Thats a nice perk! I’m dreaming of getting those onion goggles one day 😉
Natasha and all –
Some time ago, while teaching cullinary classes, we taught our students to breath through the mouth rather than the nose while chopping onions. In most cases it stopped/prevented tearing up – trick is to breath through your mouth BEFORE starting to chop. Give it a shot – it sure is a lot less expensive than some of the cures…..