What onions do you use and when?

[Troutman]

Vidalias are sometimes tough to get here. We do have a Texas sweet onion but very seasonal in the spring and early summer. Great onions, low sulfur content make them sweet as eating an apple.

[mgaretz]

I prefer to get sweet onions but also will use yellows (sometimes it depends on what's on sale). Green onions but only for certain dishes. For some reason I can't abide red onion or most any raw onion. Lots of times these days I will use granulated onion.

[Draznnl]

Generally, I'll go with whatever is on sale at the grocery store. If a recipe calls for a specific type of onion, then i use that type in the dish.

[Skip]

Sweet Onions are my first preference. Red for a little more kick or to add some color. Occasionally a leek for soups and stews.

[Bkhuna]

My mothers people are from Glenville, GA, right down the road from Vidalia. They were growing sweet onions in that area way generations before the variety was registered as the Vidalia onion. My mom would put a thin slice inside a grilled cheese sandwich before grilling it and it is still a great way to eat them
I also like red onions for eating raw and making salsas.

[Dadof3Illinois]

To me it depends on how strong of an onion flavor i'm looking for. I'll use white onions raw in guacamole or something i want a bold onion flavor but for the most part we use any of the sweet yellow onions. Red onions are best for salads, green onions i love when finishing dishes and chives are great for that slight oniony finish.
I've been using leeks a lot lately. Made a stir fry with leeks, napa cabbage and shaved brussel sprouts with just a touch of Korean BBQ sauce.....super good.

[klflowers]

I usually use some kind of sweet onion in everything, Vidalia's in season. And red onions in salads and for pickling. I really like onions, but I don't pay that much attention to white or yellow. I like scallions with collards, I don't cut them up, just eat them whole.

[Purc]

Sweet Vidalia onions in almost everything.

[jfmorris]

Vidalias are unique because the region of Georgia they grow in has unusually low sulfer content in the soil, leading to the mildness of the onions. The same onion grown elsewhere won't be as sweet.

[Caffeine88]

I think our pal ComfortablyNumb might disagree, but maybe not...
I know that the Walla Walla Sweets from the NW and Vidalia Sweets from here in GA are mighty, mighty similar - extremely delicious! IIRC, he told me the onion starts are essentially the same thing, just grown in different regions and very protectively marketed. I'd be curious about similarities between soils of the two places.

Either way, I was really glad to get pretty much the same onion in GA that I had growing up in the NW

[glitchy]

I pretty much just use white or yellow in everything. I will buy a red/purple onion when making pickled onions or am planning on using a lot of raw. Occasionally, I'll grab green onions and/or chives when making Mexican for garnish, but the girls eat around them anyway, so I usually only buy when entertaining...so pretty rarely last couple years.

If I see Vidalia I do sometimes grab those, but they are not always available at our local store.

[Michael_in_TX]

Adam Ragusea has an excellent video on Vidalia Onions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2GIXU_WFC0

[SheilaAnn]

Sweaty Paul Onions….. from the Bouchon cookbook from Thomas Keller. I am a TK fanboy. I have been to all 3 Bouchon locations and ad hoc. Never been to the laundry or per se (can’t afford it). All you need is Bouchon. But I digress. Let me also say that my former biz partner was exec sous at Bouchon Beverly Hills. Note the ribbon as my bookmark. It came from a pastry box with cookies. But that’s another story.
Sweaty Paul

[JeffJ]

Vidailia is my go to. Use it for cooking most of the time. I use red onion in Asian dishes. White onion on coney dogs. I love cooking with onions but can’t stand them raw.