What's the difference between onions?

Question

I mean red, white, yellow, sweet....is there a different use for each one?

Answer 1

There are some subtle flavor differences, but it wouldn't be the end of the world if you used a different kind of onion for anything.

Yellow onions are the most common, and are usually labeled as "all purpose" in the supermarket. You can buy them fresh, frozen and chopped, or dried and either flaked or powdered.

Red onions have a much sharper and stronger flavor to them. It can almost be described as a more "biting" flavor. You can cook with them, but keep the color in mind. I see them a lot in fresh salads, and occasionally on a burger.

White onions are sweeter than the yellow ones. Not as much of a tang or bite to them. Large ones are sliced and used in salads or on burgers, and small ones are usually cooked up in a cream sauce. Large white onions can also be cooked, but the flavor won't be as strong as the yellow onions. This is good if you don't want the onion flavor to overpower your other seasonings.

Vidalia, or "sweet" onions have a very mild, pleasant taste to them. They are only available at certain times of the year, as they don't store well. You can cook with them, but it would be a shame to waste such a delicate flavor. They are best used raw, in salads or sandwiches. They are yellow too, but you can tell the difference because all-purpose yellow onions are almost completely round, but Vidalias are somewhat flattened and squashed-looking.

If you are making something, and don't have the right kind of onion on hand, you could probably substitute another without completely ruining the dish, and a lot of people might not be able to tell the difference, but if you are trying to impress someone important, it's best to make sure you have the right kind on hand.

Answer 2

Red onions, normally raw in salads. Yellow onions for baking in casseroles, stir fry, stuff like that. White onions are good for boiling recipes, like stews. However, all of them can be interchanged with the others.