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How to Dice an Onion
By Snejana Andreeva
on Mar 23, 2022, Updated Sep 18, 2025
Mastering the art of how to cut an onion (without crying!) is an essential skill for any home 👩🍳 chef. And if you found my tutorials on How to Shred Lettuce or How to Dice Bell Peppers useful, then you’re going to love adding this one to your repertoire. My step-by-step guide will help you achieve uniform, perfectly sized onion pieces with ease, minimizing 💦 tears and maximizing flavor . With a few simple techniques, you’ll be dicing onions like a pro in no time.
- Why You’ll Love How to Dice an Onion
- What You’ll Need
- Nonna’s Tip 🧅
- How to Cut an Onion without Crying
- Similar Recipes
- Best Served With
- Common Questions
- How To Dice an Onion Recipe
Why You’ll Love How to Dice an Onion
You’ll love my take on How to Dice an Onion because it makes the task so quick and easy. This method will become your go-to for adding perfectly diced 🧅 onions to your meals, making cooking more enjoyable and hassle-free. Whether you’re preparing a fresh Roasted Tomato Salsa 🍅, adding flavor to your favorite soups and stews , or creating a savory base for stir-fries and casseroles, knowing how to properly dice an onion can improve the look, taste, and texture your dishes. Use these clear steps to help you get perfect, uniform pieces every time 💃🏻.
What You’ll Need
🔪 Chef’s Knife: 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.
🧅 Onion: I tend to reach for medium-sized onions when stocking my pantry. However, this method works with medium to large onions, and even small shallots!
Nonna’s Tip 🧅
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.
How to Cut an Onion without Crying
Onions don’t have to feel like a tear-jerker scene from your latest streaming obsession 😭. The sting comes from sulfur compounds released when you slice into them, but a few little tricks – plus a few urban legends – can keep the waterworks at bay. Here’s how to cut an onion without crying:
- Chill out: Pop your onion in the fridge for about 30 minutes (or freezer for 10 minutes) before cutting. Cold onions release fewer tear-inducing compounds.
- Stay sharp: A dull blade crushes the onion and makes it leak more. A clean cut = fewer tears.
- Choose wisely: Certain onions release more fumes than others. Red, yellow, and white onions tend to be the most irritating. Opt for tear-free sweet or green onions instead.
- Fan club: Turn on your range vent or open a window so the onion fumes don’t linger around your face.
- Light up: Some urban legends say lighting a candle nearby can help burn off some of the vapors. Others hold an unlit matchstick between their teeth while slicing. Yes, really 😉!
Similar Recipes
How to Shred Lettuce
10 mins
How to Poach Eggs
6 mins
How to Dice Bell Peppers
5 mins
How to Cut a Pineapple
7 mins
Best Served With
- As an aromatic in Lentil Soup or Healthier Chili .
- As a component in my Simple Green Salad .
- You’ll want fine diced onions in Shrimp Ceviche 🦐.
- In egg dishes such as in my Zucchini Egg Bake or Copycat Starbucks Egg-Bites .
Common Questions
Be sure to use a steady cutting board when you are learning How to Dice an Onion; make sure the board doesn’t move on the counter. You can do this by using a damp paper towel under the board or a non-slip mat or a cutting board that has grips on the bottom. The paper towel method is my favorite.
Have a sturdy hold on the knife and never put your pointer finger on top of the knife. Wrap your entire hand around the handle closer to the bottom. Your hand shouldn’t be near the top of the handle where you have no control.
When learning How to Dice Onion or cut anything, always make a ‘claw’ with your non-cutting hand and place your knuckles down on the vegetable you are cutting. Your knuckles will protect you from cutting yourself and guide you. Then, always move the guiding hand back as you cut and pay attention. Go as slow as you need to! Have patience and enjoy the process. This should be relaxing and therapeutic.
Diced, chopped, or sliced onions can be stored in an airtight container or ziplock bag for up to 5 days in the fridge.
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Video
Equipment
- ▢ Nakiri Knife
- ▢ Cutting Board
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.
Nonna’s 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.
My Notes
How To Dice an Onion
Equipment
- Nakiri Knife
- Cutting Board
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.
How To Dice an Onion https://themodernnonna.com/how-to-dice-an-onion/ March 23, 2022
