Yellow Storage Onion

This is the everyday onion sold in mesh bags at every grocery store. Storage varieties are bred with thick skins and high sulfur content, which gives them a strong bite raw but lets them sit in a cool pantry for months without spoiling.

Where they really shine is in long cooking. That sulfur heat mellows out completely, and their natural sugars brown beautifully, making them the best all-around choice for caramelized onions, French onion soup, pot roast, chili and almost any savory base.

Spanish Yellow (Sweet Spanish)

Spanish onions are the big, round yellow onions you'll often see sold loose. They're larger, juicier and noticeably milder than standard storage onions, sitting comfortably between a sharp yellow and a true sweet onion.

That size and mildness make them a great choice for thick onion rings, grilled slices on a burger, or anywhere you want one onion to go a long way. They don't store quite as long as smaller storage onions, so use them within a few weeks.

Cipollini

Pronounced "chip-oh-LEE-nee," these small, flattened onions come from Italy and are prized for roasting. They have thin, golden skin, a slightly higher sugar content than most onions, and dense flesh that holds together when cooked whole.

Roast them in balsamic vinegar, braise them alongside short ribs, or skewer them for the grill. They're fiddly to peel — a quick 30-second dip in boiling water loosens the skins.

White Onion

The standard white onion is sharper than a yellow onion raw but cooks up softer and slightly less sweet. Its crisp texture and clean finish make it the classic choice for salsa, pico de gallo, guacamole and taco toppings, where you want onion flavor that cuts through rich, spicy food.

White onions also work beautifully in stir-fries and quick sautés, and they're the traditional pick for Southern-style hush puppies and chow-chow.

Mexican White (Cebolla Blanca)

Sometimes sold as "knob onions" with their green tops still attached, Mexican white onions are smaller, juicier and a bit milder than standard white onions. Grilled whole until charred — cebollitas asadas — they're a staple alongside carne asada. Use the green tops just like scallions.

Red Onion

Red onions bring color and a gentle bite to salads, burgers, grain bowls and Greek dishes. If they're a little too strong for you raw, soak the slices in ice water for 10 minutes — it rinses away much of the harshness and makes them extra crisp.

They're also the best onion for quick pickling: in vinegar they turn a brilliant hot pink. When cooked for a long time, red onions can fade to a dull gray-purple, so they're better grilled or roasted quickly than stewed.

Tropea Red (Red Torpedo)

This elongated Italian red is famous for its sweetness — mild enough to eat raw like an apple, as some Calabrians do. True Cipolla Rossa di Tropea carries a protected origin label in Europe, but "torpedo" red onions grown elsewhere are similar. Sliced thin, they're superb on tomato salads and pizza.

Red Creole

An old Southern variety with a strong, spicy bite and excellent keeping quality. Red Creoles are smaller and more pungent than standard reds, which makes them better for cooking than eating raw. They're a natural fit for gumbo, jambalaya and étouffée.

Vidalia

The most famous sweet onion in America. Vidalias were first noticed in the 1930s when a Toombs County farmer found his onions were surprisingly mild, thanks to the region's sandy, low-sulfur soil. Today, Georgia law limits the Vidalia name to onions grown in a defined 20-county area of southeast Georgia, and it's protected by a federal marketing order as well.

Vidalias are flat on top and bottom, pale gold, and so mild many people eat them raw like an apple. They're legendary for onion rings, Vidalia onion pie, sweet onion casserole and simple slices on a tomato sandwich.

Texas 1015 (Texas Sweet)

Developed by Texas A&M researchers and released in the early 1980s, the 1015 gets its name from its recommended planting date: October 15. It's typically larger and rounder than a Vidalia, with a crisp, juicy texture and a reputation for not making you cry.

Because the Texas season starts in early spring, the 1015 is often the first domestic sweet onion of the year. Its size makes it a favorite for blooming onions and big onion rings.

Walla Walla Sweet

Walla Wallas trace back to onion seed brought from the island of Corsica by a French immigrant around 1900. Local farmers saved seed from the sweetest, most uniform onions for generations until they had the jumbo, round onion grown there today. The name is protected by a federal marketing order.

They're very juicy, very mild and often the sweet onion of summer once Georgia's crop winds down. They're best raw or lightly cooked — think burgers, salads and quick grilling.

Maui Sweet

Grown in volcanic soil on the upcountry slopes of Maui, these are among the mildest and juiciest onions anywhere, with a crisp, almost fruity sweetness. Production is small and most stay in Hawaii, so they're a rare treat on the mainland. Use them raw where their delicate flavor won't get lost.

Imperial Sweet

California's desert-grown sweet onion. Imperial Sweets are mild and juicy with a clean finish, and they help fill the gap in spring between Texas and Georgia sweets and the summer Northwest crop. Use them anywhere you'd use a Vidalia.

Peruvian Sweet

When North American sweet onions are out of season, Peru's harvest takes over. Grown in arid, low-sulfur desert soil, Peruvian sweets are mild and juicy and keep sweet onions on the table through fall and winter. They're often sold under brand names by importers.

OSO Sweet (Chile)

A brand of sweet onion grown in Chile's Central Valley and shipped north in late winter, bridging the gap until Texas sweets arrive. Flat, pale and mild, it's a good stand-in for Vidalias in the off-season.

Bermuda Onion

The original American sweet onion. Bermuda-type onions were a major crop in South Texas in the early 1900s and were the ancestors of many modern sweet varieties, including the Granex types grown for Vidalia. Today "Bermuda" is used loosely for any large, flat, mild onion.

Shallots — French Grey, Pink & Banana

French grey shallots (griselle) have rough, grayish skin and the most intense, complex flavor — the true chef's shallot. Pink or Jersey shallots are the common grocery-store type, round with coppery-pink skin and a milder taste. Banana shallots (echalion) are long and large, a cross between an onion and a shallot, and much easier to peel and chop.

Mince them raw into vinaigrettes and mignonette for oysters, melt them into butter for pan sauces and beurre blanc, or fry them crisp as a topping. In a pinch, substitute about one small shallot for every 1/4 cup of chopped onion.

Pearl Onions

Tiny onions about the size of a marble. They're a classic in beef bourguignon and coq au vin, glazed in butter and sugar as a holiday side, creamed for Thanksgiving, or pickled as the garnish in a Gibson cocktail. Frozen, pre-peeled pearl onions save a lot of work and are perfectly good for cooking.

Boiling Onions

A step up in size from pearl onions, boilers are small storage onions harvested young. They're the classic choice for roasting around a chicken or pot roast and for old-fashioned creamed onions, and they hold their shape well in long-simmered stews.

Scallions (Green Onions)

Scallions and green onions are the same thing: young onions with a straight, slender white base and no real bulb. The white part is a little stronger and good for cooking; the green tops are mild and best raw. Slice them over chili, baked potatoes, fried rice, soups and deviled eggs. Stand them in a glass of water and they'll even regrow.

Spring Onions

Spring onions look like oversized scallions with a small round bulb at the bottom. They're regular onions — sweet, red or white — pulled early before the bulb fully develops. They're sweeter and more tender than mature onions and are fantastic grilled whole, halved lengthwise, with olive oil and salt.

Leeks

Leeks look like giant scallions, with a thick white shaft and flat, fanned dark-green leaves. Their flavor is soft, sweet and buttery when cooked. Use the white and pale-green parts in potato-leek soup, quiches, gratins and braises. Grit hides between the layers, so slice first, then rinse well in a bowl of water.

Ramps (Wild Leeks)

Wild ramps are foraged from eastern forests for just a few weeks each spring. They have broad, flat leaves, a slender reddish stem and a powerful garlic-onion punch. Sauté them with eggs, fold them into pesto or pickle the bulbs. Many areas encourage harvesting only a leaf per plant to protect wild populations.

Chives

The most delicate member of the family. Chives are thin, hollow green stems used as an herb rather than a vegetable. Snip them over baked potatoes, scrambled eggs, soups and cream cheese at the very end — heat quickly dulls their flavor.