How To Dice an Onion
Mastering the art of How to Dice an Onion is an essential skill for any home 👩🍳 chef. My step-by-step guide will help you achieve uniform, perfectly sized onion pieces - without the tears!
Equipment
Instructions
- Using a chef's knife, cut a little bit off of the front end of the onion leaving the back end which is the root in tact.
- Place it flat side down on a cutting board and cut it in half straight through the root.
- Take each halve and peel off the top skin. Place it flat side down and optionally start making 3-4 horizontal cuts — be very careful or skip this step if you are nervous and proceed to the next step.
- Now you can make lengthwise cuts that are closer together and make cuts as close to the root as you possibly can.
- Last but not least, start dicing the onion by making horizontal cuts perpendicular to the ones you just made.
Video
Notes
- Tear-free method: Chill the onion in the refrigerator for about 15-30 minutes before cutting it. This helps to reduce the release of sulfur compounds, which can cause eye irritation and tears while chopping.
- Stay sharp: The success of this process begins and ends with a sharp chef's knife. Gravity + the weight of the blade do most of the work. Make sure it's sharp: a dull blade can slip and potentially cause an accident. A small knife, like a paring knife, isn't ideal, as you won't be able to get an even dice with such a small blade.
