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Dicing an onion

Dicing an onion presents a special problem for cutting because its form is in layers, not a solid piece.

Dicing an onion - peeling and cutting onions

Peel most vegetables as thinly as possible. Many nutrients lie just under the skin.
Cut vegetables into uniform pieces for even cooking.
Peel and cut vegetables as close to cooking time as possible to prevent drying and loss of vitamins through oxidation.
For machine paring, sort vegetables for evenness of size to minimize waste.
Treat vegetables that brown easily (potatoes, eggplant, artichokes, sweet potatoes) with an acid, such as lemon juice, or an antioxidant solution, or hold under water until ready to use (some vitamins and minerals will be lost).
Save edible trim for soups, stocks, and vegetable purées.

Best way to chop onion

Step 1

Cut the peeled onion in half lengthwise, through the root end. Place one half on the cutting board, cut side down.

Step 2

With the root end away from you, make a series of vertical lengthwise cuts. Do not cut through the root end. The closer together you make the cuts, the smaller the dice will be.