I absolutely love cooking with onions. They add depth, flavor and aroma to almost every savory dish I make. Whether I’m caramelizing them for a rich French onion dip, sautéing them for a hearty soup or simply tossing them into a stir-fry, onions are a staple in my kitchen. But as much as I adore their flavor, there are two things I don’t love about them: the way they make my eyes burn and water, and the lingering onion smell on my hands and cutting board.
That’s why this tip from content creator Kelsey Nixon (@kelseynixon), is changing my life. She recently shared a simple trick that eliminates the eye-watering sting and reduces the strong odor of cut onions. Could it really be that simple?
Related: This No-Tears Method Is How You Should Actually Cut an Onion, According to Chefs
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Kelsey said the trick is to soak the onions in ice water for about 10 minutes after chopping them, and yes, this does significantly reduce their pungency. But why does this happen?
Onions contain sulfur compounds, which are released into the air when you cut them. These compounds mix with the moisture in your eyes to create a mild form of sulfuric acid, which leads to a burning, stinging sensation. When you soak onions in ice water, the cold temperature helps slow down the reaction that releases these irritating compounds. Additionally, the water dilutes some of the sulfur compounds, reducing the intensity of the onion’s bite.
Soaked onions tend to be crisper and milder, which can be great for raw applications, like sandwiches, salads and salsas. And the best part is that this trick also reduces any lingering after-taste and odor on your breath! You can enjoy onions with your lunch and not worry about being off-putting the rest of the day.
Related: How to Make Vegetable Soup 10x Better, According to My Chef-Husband
Other Smart Onion Tips
This cool trick got us thinking about slicing onions and combating those inevitable tears before the sliced veggies go into their ice water soak. Over the years, we've found that chilling the onion for about 30 minutes before cutting it slows down the sulfur enzymes, which makes it less likely for the onion to make you cry.
Other effective tips? Use your sharpest knife (or consider sharpening one, if all of your knives are dull). A dull knife crushes onion cells rather than slicing them cleanly, releasing more irritants into the air. A sharp knife minimizes damage and reduces the eye-watering effect.
And if you really want to go for it, you can try wearing goggles when you slice onions. You might look a little goofy, but the goggles will protect your peepers from the onion’s sulfenic acid.
Related: The Classic Italian Recipe That Goldie Hawn Calls A 'Naughty Joyful Dish'
Delicious Ways to Use Onions
In case you need a little bit of inspiration about what to do with your onions, we have a few ideas.
• The Simple But Fancy French Onion Chicken Recipe That Has Fans Saying, ‘Oh My!’• 11 of the Best French Onion Recipes That Aren't Soup• How to Caramelize Onions Like a Chef• How to Make the Best Onion Dip of Your Life, According to Ina Garten
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