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slicing an onion on a cutting board
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How to Cut, Slice & Dice an Onion

Cutting, slicing and dicing an onion into equal-sized pieces can be tricky, but it's easier than you think with a few quick tips! In this step-by-step tutorial, you'll learn how to peel, cut, slice and dice an onion for cooking, topping salads and burgers, and more.
Course How to
Keyword how to cut an onion, how to dice an onion, how to slice an onion
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Author Monique Volz of AmbitiousKitchen.com

Ingredients

  • 1 onion

Instructions

  • Lay the onion on its side and use a sharp knife to chop off the stem of that does not have the root on it. This side will typically be the “pointier” side of the onion.
  • FOR RINGS
    Peel the onion and flip it on its side. Carefully slice the whole onion into equal-sized rings.
    Separate the rings and add them to burgers or put them on the grill!
  • FOR SLICES
    After cutting the stem off of the onion, flip your onion over onto the freshly chopped side so that it’s flat and doesn’t roll around.
    Cut your onion straight down the middle, through the root.
    Peel off the skin on both sides.
    Lie your onion halves flat and carefully cut each half into slices starting at the stem end that you previously removed.
  • FOR CHUNKS AND DICED PIECES
    Follow steps 1-3 for slicing an onion.
    Lay your onion halves flat, and make small cuts with your knife towards the root side about 3/4 of the way to the root. Make these marks about 1/4 inch apart. *Note: you can make these cuts smaller and closer together if you want a finer dice, or larger if you want larger chunks.
    Flip your knife so that it’s parallel to the cutting board, hold onto the top of your onion with your other hand, and carefully slice your onion through the middle of the onion by gently gliding it. Slice it about halfway through towards the root.
    Finally, dice your onion by slicing it from top to bottom. You can dice it finely or into larger chunks depending on how close together you slice.
    With the last 1/4 of your onion feel free to just chop it regularly – discarding the root.
    Repeat with your second half!

Notes

To store: store your freshly chopped or sliced onion in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7-10 days.
Monique Volz of AmbitiousKitchen.com