I hate raw onions. There I said it. I make sure to pick them off salads and burgers and ask for my tacos without them. The harsh flavor makes my mouth dry, my breath ugly, and leaves me thirsty for hours after a single onion slice sneaks into my sandwich. But after years in professional kitchens, I learned one simple trick that takes the bite out of raw onions without sacrificing their crunch.
Why do onions bite back?
Organic sulfur compounds that are released when cut cause the sharp aroma and taste associated with raw onions. The same molecules that make you cry when chopping are responsible for that strong, lingering, and—to me—unpleasant flavor. Heat destroys many of these compounds, allowing raw onion haters to enjoy cooked onions without any issue.
For folks like me who can't stand the bite of raw onions, but love the mild, sweet, and crunchy flavor onions add to salads and other dishes, there is a solution.
Give them a bath
I always soak sliced or diced onions in cold water for ten minutes before adding them to salads, sandwiches, and salsas.
Short on time? Even a quick rinse in a strainer will help reduce the sharpness. Sweeter onion varieties, like Vidalias, Walla Wallas and Mauis, make a difference, but still benefit from a quick rinse or soak.
Do a quick cure or pickle instead
For extra flavor, ditch the soak and add a large pinch of salt and a good squeeze of lime juice to your onions instead. Let the mixture sit for ten minutes while you prep the other ingredients.
The acid and salt in this quick pickling treatment makes red, white, or yellow onions stay crunchy while taming their pungent flavor. Your salads, salsas, guac, and more will retain that sweet, delicious onion tang without the harsh bite.
