Chopping onions is a pain, and it’s not just because of the tears. Chopping onions can be time-consuming and messy. You have to find a cutting board, peel the onion, chop it up into small pieces, then clean up all that mess. It’s a great idea to chop onion in food processor.
The best way to cut onion is in a food processor! Just peel off the skin from your onion and place it on top of the blade in your food processor. Turn on your machine for 15 seconds or until you’ve chopped up your entire onion without any crying involved! This method also makes cleanup easy since there are no pesky little bits left over when you’re done.
Reasons To Chop Onion In Food Processor
Food processors are good for chopping onions because they usually come with a shredder blade attachment that can be used specifically for this purpose. The blades on the food processor rotate at very high speeds, which means you will get your onion chopped or shredded much faster than if you were to do it by hand.
Chopping an onion using a food processor is also easier because all you need to do is peel off the outer layers of skin and place your onion in the food processor’s bowl. Lastly, the food processor makes less of a mess than chopping an onion by hand because it comes with a large opening that fits most onions perfectly and keeps them tightly inside while it chops the vegetable into small pieces.
However, if your food processor does not have a shredder blade attachment you can always use the regular chopping blade that comes with it. This will work just as well as the shredder blade and will also keep your onion from going everywhere while you chop away.
Using a food processor to chop an onion is much faster than doing it by hand. It will save you time because all you need to do is take the outermost layers off of your onion and put them into the food processor’s bowl before pressing the start button. If using a shredder blade, your onion will be completely chopped in a few seconds.
If you use a food processor to chop your onion, the one-time task of chopping an onion will turn into a recurring task that can be done daily or weekly to help make mealtime prep much easier. Whether you are cooking for yourself or for others, using a food processor instead of manual chopping will save you time, energy, and produce less mess.
Using a food processor to chop an onion will keep your kitchen countertops from being covered with pieces of onion that are usually left behind if you do not properly mince the vegetable. This is because most food processors come with a large opening that fits an onion perfectly, ensuring that all of the onion is chopped up and stays inside the bowl while it works.
Guide To Chop Onion In Food Processor
Select An Onion
Choose an onion with firm, dry skin, and no bruises. They should be as big as your hand and larger (not too large – you cannot use the food processor).
Peel the onion by taking off the first layer of skin. Slice enough off the top to reveal the flesh before cutting in half from root to tip. Cut flat edges on opposite sides and place cut side down on a chopping board.
Slice The Onion
Using a food processor, slice the onion vertically along its length, carefully moving it around in a circular motion to get all the rings onto your knife. You can also use a normal knife to do this but it will take longer because you will need to turn the onion around.
Slice The Onion Again
Slice the rings into vertical strips (again turning the onion around if using a knife). Then turn your knife 90 degrees and slice across, making fine half-rings. You should end up with lots of half rings, making what looks like long pieces of onion.
Chop The Onion
Use your food processor to ‘chop’ the onion. This is so much easier than using a knife! Just see how quickly you have chopped up your onions without any sticky residue or tears – it’s great! Make sure you put the lid on straight away so none of the onion escapes.
Get Stuck In!
Now use your onion-like you would normally, adding it to curries or stocks for flavor without the hassle. If you don’t have a food processor, chop up all the rings with a knife and combine together before using them. Food processors are not necessarily expensive (I found one in Aldi for £7!) and if you use them enough, they will save you a lot of time in the long run.
Clean Up
The food processor is easy to clean (with your usual washing-up liquid and sponge) and all the parts can go in the dishwasher. It’s always best to do this straight away after use to avoid rotting onion smells.
Store Your Cut Onion
If you don’t intend to use your cut onion immediately, store it in the fridge. This will keep it fresher for longer and prevent any decay. It also helps stop onions from smelling too strong when they are stored in a closed container. Note: make sure the lid is on tight or else air will get into the container and cause rotting.
Enjoy!
You can make your cooking life so much easier with a food processor – I recommend everyone gets one! Chop the onion in half, cut off all the skin, chop vertically along its length, and slice across into fine strips before turning 90 degrees and chopping again to create small pieces of onion.
Put the lid on your food processor and ‘chop’ the onion using the pulse function to make quick work of it! Doing this step by step helps you keep track of what you’re doing.
Once chopped, simply put all the chopped onion into a container and keep it in the fridge. You can use it for anything you would usually add onions to – just make sure you put ingredients with strong flavors on top so they don’t mix together!
Tips For Using Food Processor To Chop Onion
It’s unwise to use the same chopping blade every time. The food processor will chop things better if you alternate between different blades.
It’s also important to make sure the onion has been peeled before you start chopping. Peeling the onion before you put it in the food processor can make for a more even chop.
Don’t process too many onions at once. The food processor will cause the temperature to rise, which can lead to the spoilage of your vegetables.
To get the evenest texture while you are chopping your onion, slice it into rings. The food processor can handle slicing up onion rings easily.
After you have finished chopping, make sure to clean out the food processor thoroughly before storing it away. The same residue that keeps things from sticking in a regular cooking pan should be washed off of the blades and other parts.
If an onion is going to be the main ingredient in a dish, consider paying extra for a sweet type of onion. Onions that are more common in restaurants will give you better results if they are the dominant part of your meal.
Start by chopping off the top and bottom ends of the onion. This should leave you with a stable core to work with. Cut off the skin, and place the onion flat on your chopping board.
Place the tip of your knife next to where you cut off either end of the onion. You will be cutting horizontally across the onion at that point.
Slice all of the ways through the onion, making sure that every layer is cut into.
Make a horizontal cut going from the inside of the onion all of the ways to the outside. Try not to cut through any layers that you have already sliced on this attempt.
Go back and do it again, following the same pattern as before. You will probably miss one or two slices from your first pass at things.
Keep cutting your onion into horizontal slices, but now cut each slice diagonally. This will create the finer chop that you are looking for in your onions.
If you want to make things even finer, repeat “the airplane” pattern until you reach your desired level of fineness. The airplane method is an alternating diagonal-horizontal-diagonal pattern.
When you are using your food processor to chop onions, make sure that you’re not trying to do too much at once. If this is an issue for you, consider chopping up the onion in two batches before combining them together.
Be patient when it comes to cleaning out your food processor after use. Make sure that you have disassembled the machine to clean out any particles from what you just-chopped.
The finer that your food processor can chop up onions, the more control that you will have over what goes into the final dish. Make sure that you take a little extra time to get your onion as finely cut as possible before moving on to anything else.
When you are chopping your onion, make sure to spread the pieces out as evenly as possible. For a more uniform look in your dish, keep the onion aligned horizontally.
If you have a food processor with an adjustable blade, find the lowest setting for it and cut at that setting until you’re satisfied with the chop of your onions. Allowing the blade to stop and start because of changes in speed can lead to uneven cuts, which will change the way that your food will cook.
Most professional chefs won’t cut through an onion all at once. Instead, they slice off rings around the outside until eventually, they reach the middle. This ensures a more even chop for everything you are working on.
If you are cutting a sweet onion, try to use it as the main ingredient in your dish. These types of onions will be especially helpful when you are trying to cut down on sugar levels or other forms of sweetness.
Before using your food processor again, make sure that you thoroughly clean off all parts and residues from what was recently chopped.
When chopping an onion, the first cuts should be made horizontally across the first two rings of the onion. Then make a single cut vertically down through all layers for a finer chop.
Chop onions using “the airplane” method by alternating diagonal and horizontal cuts, then rinse under cold water to remove oils from the skin before cooking or storing.
Things To Keep In Mind When Chopping Onion In A Food Processor
Finding The Right Size
You can use a food processor to chop the onion in ways that would normally require a chef knife to do the same task. The only difference is that you should cut the onion first, before putting it in the food processor, so that you can get more uniform pieces of onion.
Chopping Onion Without Tears
– Cut off both ends of an unpeeled onion and remove its skin before feeding it into a food processor.
– Be sure to keep your face away from the machine while it’s running.
– Even if you’re wearing contact lenses, take them out before chopping onion in a food processor.
Slicing an Onion Into Rings For Thickness
Chopped raw onion rings or chopped raw onion for garnish can be made with the help of a food processor. To make it, cut off both ends of the unpeeled onion and remove its skin; then, split it in half lengthwise.
Working With One Half Of Onion At A Time
– Hold one half of an onion flat side down on your cutting board.
– Holding the flat side down makes it easier to get a good grip because the onion is slippery.
– Make several horizontal cuts into one half of the onion, just through the root end and not deeper than halfway into the onion.
– Next, turn the onion 90 degrees to make parallel cuts lengthwise.
– Do this until you have coarsely chopped onion, but not so fine.
– Holding the flat side down also makes it easier to get a good grip because the onion is slippery.
– Without lifting your hand off of the food processor’s power button, use the S blade to quickly pulse until you’ve reached the desired size. Then, turn it into rings or cubes.
– For rings, stack onion rings cut side up, and repeat the procedure to chop it finely.
– If you want only cubed onion, finish pulsing until all of the onion is chopped into cubes.
When chopping an onion in a food processor, keep in mind these things:
– Make sure you peel off the outer layer of the onions before slicing into thin rounds.
– Slice into thin rounds and then cut a slit towards the root end. This will open up the round so the blade can enter.
– Insert a sharp chef’s knife through the slit and cut away from your body by rotating counterclockwise while keeping your hand turned outwards.
– Once you’ve cut all the way through, pull apart gently to get rid of any slices still clinging to each other, and discard them.
– Place onion slices on a clean surface and slice thinly yet again if necessary for uniformity.
– Flatten the slices before giving them a rough chop.
– If you’re looking to get rid of excess liquid, shake the sliced bits in a colander and let sit for about 10 minutes or until you can handle it without getting tears in your eyes.
– Once they’ve dried out sufficiently, chop away.
– If you want to give the food processor a rest, don’t toss everything in all at once.
Instead, pulse the food processor about three or four times to give the onion bits a chance to release excess liquid before chopping them into finer bits.
– Alternatively, you can substitute an equal amount of dried minced onion for fresh.
– If you’re really having trouble with tears after cutting up all your onions, chill them first in cold water or a refrigerator.
– Keep a bottle of vinegar on hand, and after cutting your onions, wipe your eyes with a cotton ball soaked in the solution.
– The acidity from the vinegar helps break up the sulfuric gases responsible for generating tears.
FAQs
How to clean up the food processor after chopping onions?
The food processor is typically made of metal and will rust if not cared for. Cleaning the machine after using it can be done with a bowl of water and dish soap. A brush may be necessary to scrub the blades.
Why might chopping onions be difficult?
Chopping an onion can be challenging if the blades are not sharp. The onion may need to sit for a while to soften before it is cut. The food processor could also need to have its blade replaced.
What are the safety concerns when using a food processor?
The main safety concerns when using a food processor are related to electricity. The machine must be unplugged before changing its blade, before cleaning it, and after use.
Why is it difficult to cut onions with a knife?
Chopping an onion with a knife can be difficult because it is hard to get all the parts of the onion separated and cut. The pieces of onion might fall out anyway, but the food processor makes it easier to chop them up and get them mixed in with other vegetables. It can be too difficult to chop an onion in half with a knife because they are slippery when wet. Also, the onion’s sharp edges can be dangerous to handle.
How do you mince onions?
Perhaps, it’s common for us peered eyes to watch the chef with envy on the screen. All confidence and vigor, deftly dicing that onion, or ready garlic on its nail then throwing things into the pot. As if they were his personal Tonka truck!
Is it safe to store an onion in a fridge?
If you want to store an onion in your fridge, you need to cut it first. When chopped onions are mixed with cold water they produce a sulfuric gas that creates an unpleasant taste. To stop the gas from seeping out of the onion, you just have to seal them tightly in an airtight container or plastic bag.
How many calories in half an onion chopped?
The calories in half an onion that has been chopped can be anywhere from 16 – 20. This depends on the portion size. An average half onion can contain anywhere from 96 – 128 calories.
What is the best way to cut onion?
The best way to cut onion is by first dicing it, then cutting it down vertically into thin strips. The last step would be to dice them horizontally creating small squares that are perfect for any type of recipe.
Will chopping onions make me cry?
Yes, chopping onions can make you cry. This is because when you cut onion, the chemical that it produces called lachrymatory factor reacts with your eyes and causes them to water. This is one of the reasons why people wear goggles while cutting onions. The gas gets into your eyes and makes them watery which can cause tear production.
Can you chop garlic and onion together in a food processer bowl at the same time or will they get mixed up?
You can chop garlic and onion together in a food processor bowl at the same time. You just have to make sure that the pieces are small enough not to create an issue with mixing them up.
Conclusion
The best way to chop an onion in a food processor is by using the pulse function. It will give you more control over how finely chopped your onions are and make sure that they don’t get jammed inside of the blade. Sometimes, when chopping with a knife, we find it difficult to keep our fingers out of harms way- which can be dangerous and sometimes painful! We hope you will easily chop onion in food processor after reading our detailed reviews and a completed guide in 2021.
