Dice onions like a pro with our easy, step-by-step guide on how to dice an onion! We'll show you how to set up your workspace for dicing onions, in addition to offering you tips to stop yourself from tearing up while you cut them.
Whether you're a total beginner in the kitchen, or simply want to work on your knife skills, this guide is for you.
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What You'll Need
- Onion: You can use this method for all types of onions, from red onions to white and yellow onions. No matter which you're working with, choose onions that are firm and free from blemishes, soft spots, or mold. The outer skin of the onion should be intact and dry, without any shriveling.
- Chef's Knife: A chef's knife has a wide and sturdy blade perfect for slicing and dicing veggies like onions. Make sure to use a sturdy, sharp knife. If your knife is dull, you'll have a much harder time dicing onions, so make sure it's sharp.
- Cutting Board: Use a wood or plastic cutting board for dicing onions. They provide a stable and clean surface for cutting. Make sure the board is not warped, and is placed on a flat, even surface.
Watch the Video
Dicing Onions, Step-by-Step
Step 1: Set Up Your Space
Place a clean, sturdy cutting board on a flat surface and ensure your knife is sharp, clean, and ready for dicing. We recommend sharpening your knife if it's a little dull.
Step 2: Trim and Halve the Onion
Place the onion on the cutting board and carefully trim off the stem end. Leave the root end intact, as it helps hold the onion together while you cut into it.
Slice the onion in half from the root end of the onion to the stem end. Remember, your knife must be sharp to prevent crushing or tearing the onion layers.
Step 3: Peel the Onion
Peel the papery skin off of both onion halves, and discard it.
Place both onion halves flat-side down on the cutting board. This creates a stable surface for dicing the onion, preventing it from rolling around.
Step 4: Make Horizontal Cuts
Start with one half of the onion. Ensuring it is flat-side down, make a horizontal cut parallel to the cutting board, starting from the cut end and working carefully towards the root end.
Be careful: do not cut through the root! You want it to stay together to make it easier to dice!
The thickness of your cuts will determine the size of your diced onion. For a fine dice, make the cuts closer together. For a larger dice, make one cut through the center of the onion, or, for a very large onion, make multiple cuts further apart.
Continue making horizontal cuts as necessary. Do this carefully; use a cutting glove if you have to. Don't rush it! (And, as an extra tip, remember not to wipe your eyes with your onion-hands.)
Step 5: Make Vertical Cuts
Hold the onion together tightly. If you were careful not to cut through the root end, this should be easy enough. While holding the onion, carefully make vertical cuts perpendicular (opposite) to the horizontal cuts you made. Remember that the thickness of your cuts will determine how fine the dice is.
Step 6: Dice Both Halves
Finally, dice the onion by slicing through the cuts you made as if you are slicing the onion, resulting in evenly sized diced pieces. Continue dicing until you reach the root end, then discard the root.
When you've finished dicing one half of the onion, move on to the second half. Continue dicing until you've reached the root end; finally, slice off the root and discard.
Want sliced onions instead?
If you need sliced onions, not diced, see our guide on How to Slice an Onion. We have plenty of tips for you! Sliced onions make a great addition to salads, burgers, sandwiches, peppers and onions, and more.
Storing Diced Onions
Once you've diced the onions, store or use them immediately. Store diced onions in an airtight container, such as a resealable plastic bag or tupperware, in the refrigerator. As long as you store them properly, diced onions can last for up to one week in the fridge.
Give these guides a try, too!
Ways to Use Diced Onions
- In our Potatoes and Onions recipe
- Served with Smoked Sausage
- Alongside Air Fryer Steak Tips
Safety Tips
Always cut away from yourself - never toward. Keep your knuckles parallel to the knife, and be sure you do not extend your fingers when dicing. Make sure your hands, the onion, and the surface the onion is on are dry and stable. Remember: your knife must be sharp for it to be safe and easy to use!
If you're a novice to dicing onions, a little bit clumsy (we get it), or just want to be extra safe, cutting gloves are a great addition to any kitchen!
Tips for Preventing Tears when Dicing Onions
Everyone's least favorite part of slicing onions is the infamous onion tears. Thankfully, you can reduce the sting following a few simple tips:
- Use a Sharp Knife: The best option is to use a sharp knife. A sharp knife creates cleaner cuts, which can minimize the release of the compounds that cause tears. Dull knives can crush the onion cells, releasing more irritants.
- Chill the Onion: Place the onion in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before slicing. Chilling the onion can help reduce the release of the compounds that cause tears.
- Wear Goggles or Glasses: Protective eyewear, such as goggles or glasses, can create a barrier between your eyes and the onion vapors, preventing tears. You might feel silly for wearing goggles in the kitchen, but you won't feel silly when your eyes aren't burning.
- Freeze the Onion: Some chefs suggest freezing the onion for about 10-15 minutes before slicing. Freezing can help reduce the release of tear-inducing compounds.
Why do onions make you cry? Onions absorb the minerals in the soil they're planted in, and those minerals happen to include sulfur that forms the onion's amino acids. When you slice an onion, you're slicing through its cells. This results in a combination of chemicals, creating fumes that vaporize. Your eyes naturally water as a reaction to protect themselves. See our source if you're as fascinated by that as we are!
Any questions?
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us, or reach out in the comments below the printable recipe card. We love to hear from you and are always happy to help.
How to Dice an Onion (with Video)
Equipment
- Chef's knife
- Cutting board
Ingredients
- 1 onion medium to large
Instructions
- Place a clean, sturdy cutting board on a flat surface and ensure your knife is sharp, clean, and ready for dicing. We recommend sharpening your knife if it's a little dull.
- Place the onion on the cutting board and carefully trim off the stem end. Leave the root end intact, as it helps hold the onion together while you cut into it.1 onion
- Slice the onion in half from the root end of the onion to the stem end. Remember, your knife must be sharp to prevent crushing or tearing the onion layers.
- Peel the papery skin off of both onion halves, and discard it.
- Place both onion halves flat-side down on the cutting board. This creates a stable surface for dicing the onion, preventing it from rolling around.
- Lay one half of the onion flat side down on the cutting board. Make a horizontal cut parallel to the cutting board, starting from the cut end and working towards the root end. Do not cut through the root. The thickness of the cuts will determine the size of your diced onion. For a fine dice, make more cuts closer together; for a larger dice, make one cut through the center of the onion or, for a very large onion, make multiple cuts farther apart. Be careful not to cut all the way through the root end, as this will help hold the onion together.
- Hold the onion together tightly. Make vertical cuts perpendicular to the previous horizontal cut. As with the horizontal cuts, the distance between the vertical cuts will determine the size of your diced onion.
- Finally, dice the onion by slicing through the cuts you made as if you are slicing the onion, resulting in evenly sized diced pieces. Continue dicing until you reach the root end, then discard the root.
- Repeat with remaining half of onion.
Notes
- Keep your fingertips tucked safely away from the blade, and use smooth, steady motions to dice the onion.
- The thickness of your cuts will determine the size of your diced onion. For a fine dice, make the cuts closer together. For a larger dice, make one cut through the center of the onion, or, for a very large onion, make multiple cuts further apart.
- Remember not to wipe your eyes with your onion-hands.
- If you need sliced onion, not slices, see our guide on How to Slice an Onion
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