Techniques
Knife Skills
Skill
Beginner
3 min

How to cut onion roundels (rings) by peeling first, then slicing sideways

Peel the onion, rinse it, then slice it sideways into adjustable-thickness roundels.

For roundels, place the onion sideways, slice off cap and root, then peel by making an incision and removing as little as possible. Rinse to wash away black coating, then hold the onion sideways with a firm grip and slice down to make roundels; separate into rings if desired.

The short version

  • Peel with minimal waste before slicing roundels
  • Slice sideways for roundels; thickness is adjustable
  • Separate into rings if needed

What you need

  • knife
  • cutting board

How to do it

  1. 1

    Place the onion sideways and slice off the cap.

    Watch this step
  2. 2

    Turn it and slice off the root.

    Watch this step
  3. 3

    Make an incision and peel, removing as little as possible to avoid waste.

    Minimal peeling helps control food cost (as stated).

    Watch this step
  4. 4

    Rinse the onion to wash away black coating.

    Watch this step
  5. 5

    Hold the onion sideways with a firm grip and slice down to create roundels; adjust thickness as needed.

    Go slowly and safely for even slices.

    Watch this step
  6. 6

    Optionally separate the roundels into rings by releasing the layers.

    Watch this step

What goes wrong

Removing too much onion while peeling for roundels

Peel only the skin and as little flesh as possible

Uneven roundels due to poor grip

Hold firmly at the base and slice slowly

Why it works

Slicing across the onion’s equator creates circular slices; peeling first keeps the rings clean and intact.

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