Onion: Vegan Cooking Guide
The onion is the starting point of almost every savoury recipe. When cooked slowly, onions transform from sharp and pungent to sweet, silky and deeply flavourful - a process that makes the foundation of countless vegan dishes. Brown onions are most common; red onions are milder and better raw or pickled; white onions are sharper.
How to Use Onion
Dice finely for sauces and curries, where they soften and disappear. Slice for caramelising (allow at least 30 minutes on low heat with a pinch of salt). Use raw in salads and salsas where their bite is an asset.
Nutrition
Low in calories; contain quercetin (an anti-inflammatory antioxidant) and prebiotic fibres that feed gut bacteria.
Chef's Tips
- Chill the onion before cutting to reduce the tear-inducing compounds that evaporate at room temperature.
- A pinch of bicarbonate of soda while frying dramatically speeds up caramelisation by raising the pH.
- Cooked-down onions freeze brilliantly - make a big batch, freeze in tablespoon portions, and add directly from frozen.
→ Find the best substitutes for onion
Vegan Recipes Using Onion
Learn to cook with onion on video
Our Cook Like A Pro course covers vegan cooking techniques including how to get the most from plant-based proteins, flavour bases and dairy alternatives. Watch step-by-step with chefs Rupert Worden and Lisa Hinze.
Explore the course Browse all US ingredients