Techniques
Prep
Tip
Beginner
1 min

How (and why) to leave the onion root end on while slicing or dicing

Keep the root end intact during slicing/dicing to hold the onion together, then remove the root at the end.

When prepping an onion half, avoid cutting off the root immediately. The root acts like a handle that keeps layers together while you slice or dice; cut it off after you finish the cuts.

The short version

  • Root-on helps keep the onion held together
  • Remove the root after slicing/dicing

What goes wrong

Cutting both ends off first and losing structure while cutting

Leave the root on until the end, especially for dicing

Why it works

The intact root reduces pieces sliding apart mid-cut, making the process easier and more controlled.

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