How To Cut Onion Petals {5 Easy Steps}

Updated December 11, 2020.

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Onion petals are perfect for a fried side with burgers or hot dogs, or as an appetizer. Looking for how to fry these? Check out my Fried Onion Petals recipe.

Equipment Needed

• Chef’s knife or santoku knife. You should use a sharp knife that has been properly maintained. A sharper knife results in a cleaner cut, which means no tears when you’re cutting an onion. If you don’t have a chef’s knife or santoku, a knife with longer blade, such as a utility knife, would work.
• Cutting board. Almost any cutting board will do, but please don’t use glass or stone. If you love your kitchen knives, you won’t use a glass or stone board. I love Boos boards and the Epicurean cutting boards.

Step 1: Peel the onion

Peel the onion first so you don’t have to deal with pesky skin while you’re cutting it. Save the skins and any scraps and freeze them to make stock later on. I keep a gallon bag in my freezer all the time for saving up veggie scraps.

Step 2: Cut off non-hairy end of the onion

Slicing off the end makes a flat surface so it isn’t rolling around while you’re trying to cut it.

Step 3: Cut off 4 sides around the hairy end

You’ll essentially have a core in the middle, which you won’t be using. (But remember that tip from earlier – save it to make stock later!)

Step 4: Slice segments into thinner pieces

The pieces should be sized as evenly as possible so that they will all take about the same amount of time to cook.

Step 5: Pull apart the layers