Yes, There’s a Proper Way to Cut an Onion & You’re Probably Not Doing It

Whether you’re grilling them, sauteeing them, frying them, pickling them or just eating them raw, there’s no denying onions are one of the tastiest items you can pick up in the produce department. The only downside? The crying, obviously. But a few tears won’t stop us from eating these delicious veggies and if you cut an onion properly (yes, there is a right way to cut them!), you can avoid a lot of those tears. Here’s how to do it.

1. Grab a sharp chef’s knife. (Carefully!)
2. Cut about 1/2-inch off the top of the onion.
3. Turn the onion around cut about 1/8-inch off the root end.
4. Don’t cut through the roots. Keeping the roots intact helps hold the onion together as you continue to cut.
5. Cut the onion in half lengthwise.
6. Peel back the onion skin.
7. Make lengthwise angled cuts from root to stem while making sure not to cut through the root end. Keep your blade aimed towards the center of the onion.
8. Make cross-wise cuts across the onion and work your way to the root end to create perfect chopped pieces.

And that’s it! If you want a truly tear-free onion cutting experience, we suggest putting on some sunglasses or goggles to protect your eyes. Amazon even sells a whole bunch of goggles specifically made for chopping onions but these are our favorite.

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Cheers to tear-free onion chopping!