Steps
How to chop an onion, you gain control, speed, to make uniform pieces every time. With a few simple steps, you’ll be chopping like a pro and adding flavour to everything from soups to stir-fries.
Ingredients
- 1
1 whole onion (brown, white, or red)
Method
- 1
Place the onion on a cutting board.
- 2
Using a sharp chef's knife, cut the onion in half lengthwise, slicing directly through the root end and the stem end.
- 3
Remove the papery outer skin from one half of the onion. You can make a small incision near the stem end to help peel it back. Remove only the dry, papery layers, leaving the main flesh intact.
- 4
Trim off the stem end (the fluffy/non-root end) of the onion half. Crucially, leave the root end intact – this holds the layers together while chopping.
- 5
Place the onion half flat-side down on the cutting board with the root end facing away from you.
- 6
Make Horizontal Cuts: Carefully make 2-3 horizontal cuts into the onion, parallel to the cutting board. Start near the bottom and cut towards the root, but do not cut all the way through the root end. Keep your guiding hand flat on top of the onion, well
- 7
Make Vertical Cuts: Make vertical cuts down through the onion, perpendicular to the horizontal cuts, again stopping just before you reach the root end. The closer the cuts, the finer the dice. Use the "claw grip" with your guiding hand – knuckles forward,
- 8
Dice: Now, slice crosswise through the onion (perpendicular to the vertical cuts). As you slice, the onion will fall away into small dice. Continue slicing until you reach near the root end. Finish: Discard the small root end piece (or save for stock).
- 9
(Optional) For a finer dice, gather the chopped onion into a pile and run your knife through it a few more times in a rocking motion, keeping the tip of the knife on the board and your guiding hand flat on top of the blade for safety.
- 10
Transfer the chopped onion to a bowl.Use a sharp knife to make clean cuts and reduce tears. Leaving the root intact while cutting keeps everything stable and reduces mess. For best results, always work on a dry, non-slip surface.
Tips
- 1
Use a sharp knife to make clean cuts and reduce tears. Leaving the root intact while cutting keeps everything stable and reduces mess. For best results, always work on a dry, non-slip surface.
What you'll need
You will need:
1 sharp chopping knife
1 chopping board
Have you completed this technique?