Onions are constantly flavoring food behind the scenes. They have a reputation for being a humble ingredient — never in the spotlight and doing all that behind-the-scenes work without much credit. But we chatted with Chef Jacob Locke of Braised Kitchen (a farm-to-table restaurant that has grown from a food truck to a successful, well-loved local eatery) to really understand how to level up onions in recipes. He offered some innovative tips and tricks on how to make the most of onions.

Bring those humble onions forward and consider making them the star of your next show-stopping dish! We’ve got tips and recipes to help you make it happen.

Understanding the Texture and Flavor of Onions

There’s a reason onions are used in basically every culture in the world. They’re versatile, flavorful, and a key ingredient of the base of almost any stock, sauce, or soup.

“Onions can be crispy, soft, sweet, salty — and they absorb the flavor you add with them,” said Chef Jacob. “We use literally the whole onion. How you prepare an onion can add an entirely different element of flavor and texture to any dish.”

Even though onions are so widely used, Chef Jacob discussed some common mistakes people make when using them routinely.

“I think people just kind of rush cooking onions when it comes to sauteing,” he said. “You need to take your time when cooking them to really break down the sugars and get those natural sweeteners, but avoid overcooking. Always stop before they get mushy.”

Best Recipes to Fully Feature Onions

While onions work wonderfully well as a building block of recipes, they don’t always need to be in the background. We talked with Chef Jacob about making onions the star of the show and the best ways to feature them in stand-out recipes.

“Obviously, we often first think of onion rings when we want to feature onions,” he said. “They’re fried, they’re straightforward, people like them. I really recommend a fresh beer batter for onion rings if you want the best final product.”

He said an easier way to tackle onion rings at home is to use a thicker batter for the breading. This way, you can premake the onion rings, freeze them before frying, and then have a better experience keeping everything together when you add them to hot oil.

But don’t be afraid to think beyond onion rings! Some of his other favorite recipes or ideas to really feature onions include:

  • French onion soup
  • Pickled onions
  • Caramelized onions as toppings
  • Crisped onions as a garnish

At his restaurant, they like to add caramelized onions to pizzas or crisped-up onions over green beans. Pickled onions garnish their wedge salads, and whole onions start all their stocks. They keep a steady supply of whole, peeled onions on hand to make the magic happen at Braised Kitchen.

If you want to try something out of the ordinary at home, check out these stuffed onions or roasted ones with paprika. Think outside the produce box!

Highest Quality Onions Make the Difference in Recipes

If you really want to achieve a memorable and high-quality dish, you’ll want to start with high-quality onions. Their texture and flavor will bring a bold difference to any recipe that just can’t quite be achieved with a subpar onion.

“A lot of onions, even if you do everything right, are just not going to hold up in the pan,” said Chef Jacob. “They’re not going to caramelize the right way. They’re going to fall apart. You have to start with a good onion.”

He said finding a low-moisture, high-quality onion like Gills Onions helps achieve that full flavor and stand-out texture for memorable dishes.

Ready to level up your recipes with the highest quality onions? Onions that are grown “The Gills Way” will set you up for success. Contact our sales department to learn more today.