Ingredient: Onion

In a nutshell, onions are the cheap, handy, and kitchen staple vegetable that everyone needs. Also known as common or bulb onions, onions are vegetables that, like garlic, chives, and leeks, are part of the ‘Allium’ plants family. As such, onions are well known for their distinct pungent flavor, although different types of onions differ in taste. Onions can be grown just about anywhere, and, depending on where and when they’re grown, some onions tend to be sweet and juicy while others are sharp, spicy, and extremely pungent. Onions also vary in color, shape, and size, with red, yellow, and white onions being the most widely known and used. Generally, however, yellow onions are your best option when a recipe calls for onions since they add the best pungent flavor. Yellow onions are the best to incorporate in soups, pizzas, meat dishes, stews, and casseroles. In culinary arts, onions might be the most versatile vegetable that exists. You can roast, grill, pickle, caramelize, or even batter onions. The vegetable can be deep-fried to make onion rings as well. Onions can also be eaten raw when chopped or thinly sliced and mixed with other greens in a salad. Raw or cooked onions can also spice up your sandwiches or garnish your tacos and burgers. Onions are often used for dips as well. Without onions, dishes definitely won’t taste as good. Aside from being a useful ingredient in the kitchen, onions are one of the most nutrient-dense foods as are rich in vitamins, high in antioxidants and minerals while also being low in calories (only 64 calories per one cup of chopped onion).