A food scientist teaches us the difference between the two onions.

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I must admit that as a child, I wasnt the biggest onion fan.

Now ,theyre part of my day-to-day culinary life.

A top view of a layer of yellow onions

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I spoke with a food scientist who illuminated the unique characteristics of sweet onions versus yellow ones.

What Is the Difference Between a Sweet Onion and a Yellow Onion?

More important for your cooking is the flavor difference.

Hands cutting fresh onion on wooden board at white marble table

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Sweet onions tend to be grown in low-sulfur soil.

Sweet onions also have a high water content, yielding a juicier, milder product compared to yellow onions.

What are the Best Uses for Sweet Onion vs. Yellow Onion?

This makes them the perfect raw onion for salads, sandwiches, salsas, and crudos.

Go ahead and let them get dark and soft.

Yellow onions hold their shape better and develop rich, deep flavors when caramelized, notes Thiel.

Avoid onions that have noticeable spots or bruises, or ones that show signs of sprouting.

While they arent dangerous to eat, they will taste much more pungent, she explains.

They also wont last as long once you get them home.

However, both varieties can stay fresh in appropriate storage for two to three months.