Onion

Allium cepa

An onion is a vegetable whose bulb is used in cooking. Cooks use it raw or as a garnish, or bake, boil, simmer, braise, grill, pickle, roast, or sauté it.

Plant-based
Gluten-free
No listed allergens

About the plain ingredient, not packaged products; general information, not medical advice. Details

Category: Vegetables
Part used: Bulb
Family: Amaryllidaceae
Cooked most in: Africa, Europe, Asia
Top country: Nigeria
Dishes: 176 in the catalogue
Energy: 40 kcal per 100 g

Photo: Ocdp · CC0 1.0 · Wikimedia Commons

In the kitchen

How to use onion

Typical ways to cook or use it

Bake
Boil simmer
Braise
Garnish
Grill
Pickle
Raw
Roast
Saute

Preparing it

To reduce eye irritation, cut onions under running water or underwater. Leave the root end intact while cutting to reduce irritation.

Cooking with it

Yellow onions become dark brown and sweet when caramelised. White onions develop a particularly sweet flavour when sautéed.

Shopping

Choosing and storing onion

Keeping it

Cool dark · whole

Nutrition

What 100 g of onion holds

Per 100 g, raw. Averages from USDA; real values vary by variety, season and growing conditions.

Protein 10%Fat 1%Carbohydrate 89%of the macronutrients by weight

Nutrition per 100 g of onion, raw
Energy	40 kcal · 166 kJ
Protein	1.1 g
Fat	0.1 g
of which saturated	0.04 g
Carbohydrate	9.3 g
of which sugars	4.2 g
Fibre	1.7 g
Sodium	4 mg
Cholesterol	0 mg

Nutrition per 100 g of onion, raw: minerals and vitamins
Potassium	146 mg
Calcium	23 mg
Iron	0.21 mg
Magnesium	10 mg
Zinc	0.17 mg
Vitamin C	7.4 mg
Folate	19 µg

Frozen

Protein 10%Fat 1%Carbohydrate 90%of the macronutrients by weight

Nutrition per 100 g of onion, frozen
Energy	28 kcal · 118 kJ
Protein	0.71 g
Fat	0.05 g
of which saturated	0.01 g
Carbohydrate	6.7 g
of which sugars	2.9 g
Fibre	1.4 g
Sodium	8 mg
Cholesterol	0 mg

Nutrition per 100 g of onion, frozen: minerals and vitamins
Potassium	101 mg
Calcium	27 mg
Iron	0.34 mg
Magnesium	8 mg
Zinc	0.09 mg
Vitamin C	5.1 mg
Folate	13 µg

Source: USDA FoodData Central (foods 170000, 170413), public domain. Minerals and vitamins are listed only where USDA measured a non-zero amount.

Around the world

Where onion is cooked

176 dishes in the catalogue use onion. Here is where they come from.

Dishes by continent

Countries whose dishes use it most

Counts are catalogued dishes from each country that list onion among their ingredients.

On the table

Dishes made with onion

48 of the 176 catalogued dishes that use it, spread across the countries they come from.

Hallaca
Venezuela
Arsik
Indonesia
Goulash
Batiburrillo
Paraguay
Thiebou Yapp
Senegal
Bauernfrühstück
Germany
Kaspressknödel
Austria
Crawfish Monica
United States
Fideuà
Spain
Olivier salad
Russia
Martino
Belgium
Ofe Oha
Nigeria
Dressed herring
Gonré
Burkina Faso
Malarrabia
Peru
Sorrel soup
Eastern Europe
Jambalaya
Lula kebab
Central Asia, Armenia, Azerbaijan
Spanakorizo
Greece
Zlyvana kasha
Ukraine
Bigos
Poland
Dambu
Niger, Nigeria
Djenkoume
Togo
Fenkata
Malta
Kashk e badamjan
Iran
Oromo
Kyrgyzstan
Poqui poqui
Philippines
Sarma
Greece
Tajine el bey
Tunisia
Wasawasa
Ghana
Amiwô
Benin
Düğün çorbası
Türkiye
Ekpang Nkwukwo
Cameroon, Nigeria
Enchilada potosina
Mexico
Fried rice
China
Frita
Algeria
Galayet bandora
Jordan
Kikomando
Uganda
Mshosh
Armenia
Shark chutney
Seychelles
Chakalaka
South Africa
Chashushuli
Georgia
Csülök pékné módra
Hungary
Harşo
Ifisashi
Zambia
Mariscal
Chile
Pissaladière
France, Italy
Tfaya
Morocco

Dish lists come from Wikidata; a dish counts when its recorded ingredients include onion.

Good to know

Diet and allergens: onion in detail

These notes describe the plain ingredient. Packaged and prepared products vary, so read the label; for allergies and medical diets ask a doctor or dietitian.

Allergens: None of the 15 listed allergens foundChecked and not found: soy, eggs, fish, milk, lupin, wheat, celery, sesame, mustard, peanuts, molluscs, sulphites, tree nuts, crustaceans, gluten cereals.
Animal origin: No animal ingredients foundChecked and not found: egg, fish, meat, dairy, honey, insect, gelatin, poultry, bone char, shellfish, other animal, animal fining, animal rennet.
Gluten: None
Alcohol: None
Caffeine: None
Pork: None

Family

Related forms

Made from it: fried onion
Kinds: red onion, shallot
Varieties: red onion, shallot