Other Onion Varieties

• You can use any variety of onion as a substitute for yellow onions; however, subtle differences in the flavor of each variety may impact the flavor of your recipes. Red onions, commonly added as a garnish on salads or a condiment on sandwiches, can be cooked, but look more appealing when served raw. Since they cook easily, white and sweet onions, such as Vidalia onions, make easy substitutes for recipes that need cooked yellow onions. Sweet onions are sweeter than yellow onions, but yellow onions are sweeter than white onions. Keep in mind the overall sweetness of your recipe when choosing a substitute.

Scallions

• Scallions, also known as green onion, are immature onions with long, bright green tops and small white bulbs. The bulb can be minced finely and used in place yellow onion of your dishes, though you may need to taste periodically while cooking and adjust the amount to avoid overpowering the food with onion flavor. The green tops may be unsuitable for recipes that required intensive cooking, like roast meats or casseroles; but you can use them as garnishes to add a light onion flavor to soups, stews and salads.

Shallots and Leeks

• Shallots look like small onions from the outside, but inside they have clove-like segments that have a mild onion flavor and texture. They should be peeled and cut in the same fashion as onions, but should be monitored closely while cooking since they burn easily.

  Leeks look like an over-grown scallion from the outside, but long, white cylindrical bulb actually is made of many layers. Prepare leeks like you would an onion. Cut of the root and the green top and remove the outer-most layer. Slice, chop, dice or mince the leek for use in your recipes.

Herbs & Prepared Products

• Chives, a grassy herb, can be used to flavor your recipes, particularly soups and casseroles. The flavor of the chive will not be as intense as an actually onion, but it is a great substitute for recipes that only need a hint of onion flavor.

  Grocery stores carry many varieties of processed onion products, including salts, powder and dried minced onion. Use these products to create onion flavor in your recipes, though you should reduce the proportion when substituting for raw onion to avoid over-seasoning your food. The drawback of using these prepared products is the texture and nutritional value of the actual vegetable is lost.