This Hack Guarantees The Thinnest Sliced Onions With Hardly Any Effort

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Slicing onions is one of the less desirable kitchen chores for many home cooks. Partly because they make you cry while chopping them, but they can also be time-consuming and challenging to get those razor thin slices if your knife skills are somewhat lacking. However, according to Constantino Delnero, the chief blade officer at Seido Knives (which specializes in selling high-quality Japanese knives, the kind many chefs prefer), there is another kitchen tool that can get you shaved pieces of onion in a hurry if knifework isn't your strong suit.

"A vegetable peeler can definitely be used to quickly shave slices of onion in a pinch," Delnero said. The hardest part about using a veggie peeler is keeping the bulb from sliding around, but Delnero suggested using this common kitchen utensil to combat this problem. "To do this, first you should remove the outer layers of the onion. Then, you need to stabilize the onion. This is best done by stabbing a fork into it so you can hold it," he said. "Then, take your vegetable peeler and run it from top to bottom, creating the shavings."

Whether you are working with red, yellow, or white onions, this hack makes slicing them a breeze. However, depending on the size of the tool you're using, you may need to approach the task from two angles. "If you have a large vegetable peeler, then you'll probably be able to shave the entire width of the onion in one swipe, but if you have a smaller one, make sure to take turns shaving off either side of the onion," Delnero said.

The process of using a vegetable peeler to slice consistently thin onions is similar to using a mandoline –- you're just moving the tool instead of the onion itself. Between the two kitchen tools, Delnero revealed that a peeler is less efficient. "While a peeler may be a more common household item, a mandoline will be better for this job," he said. "A mandoline is faster, more consistent, and you can choose the exact thickness you want."

This highlights one of the more significant drawbacks to using a veggie peeler: it's challenging to keep all the slices consistent. It might not matter much for some dishes, but it can impact the outcome of others. "The shavings of a vegetable peeler will likely vary widely (especially from a newer chef), which may make it difficult to cook evenly if necessary," Delnero said. "However, if you just want some onion shavings as a casual topping, the vegetable peeler definitely works."

A mandoline food slicer may outperform a veggie peeler, but Delnero recommends using the most common kitchen tool for consistent pieces. "For thin, even onion slices nothing beats using a sharp knife," Delnero said. Then again, he's a pro. Folks who still need some work on their knife skills might have some difficulty keeping all the pieces thin. However, there is no better medium than a cheap onion if you want to practice and develop a proficiency in knifework.