Yet one of the most important tips for cutting onions gets far less attention (at least outside culinary schools, where aspiring chefs learn it early on). The technique prevents the slippery onion layers from sliding around as you slice. It’s an easy adjustment, and your meal prep will be faster and safer as a result.
Don’t Trim Off the Onion Root
That simple trick? Don’t cut the root from the onion.
It’s something many of us do automatically: Cut the onion in half, trim off the stem and root, pull away the papery skins, and then slice or chop it. The problem with this approach is that the root is what’s holding the onion together. Once you start cutting into the allium, the pressure from your knife blade will cause its juicy, aromatic layers to slide around.
That means your onion won’t be cut uniformly (goodbye, even cooking), and you’ll need to spend more effort gathering the loose pieces and holding them in place while you slice. It also increases your chances of accidentally cutting yourself as the pieces slide around under your fingers. Using a thin, very sharp knife helps because you won’t need to apply as much force to slice. (It’s also one of the don’t-cry hacks that really works.)
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Cutting Onions Like a Pro
If you want to cut onions like a professional chef, follow these steps. First, cut off the pointy stem end to create a flat, stable surface. Stand the onion on that freshly sliced side and cut straight down through the root to make two halves. Peel back the skin, either removing it entirely or leaving it in place to act as a “handle.” Then, put one half cut-side down on the cutting board.
From there, slice lengthwise for slivers or crosswise for half-rings, cutting almost — but not quite — down to the root. Dicing is more complicated to explain; for a visual, check out this YouTube video from chef Jens Bach.
