The Mexican Onions So Good You Can Eat Them On Their Own

Whether you love them or hate them, there's little doubt that onions are one of the most flavorful veggies in the produce aisle. These pungent alliums most often play a supporting role in recipes by getting mixed in with other ingredients or being used as a garnish. However, one Mexican onion variety is so good that it demands a starring role. 

Cambray onions (also known as Mexican spring onions or Chambray onions) are kind of like the Mexican answer to trendy Appalachian ramps or Catalan calçots. Cambray onions are known and loved for their sweet, fragrant flavor and creamy texture when cooked. They're traditionally served grilled or roasted to a light char, a dish commonly known as cebollitas asadas. The sweet, tangy, and lightly crunchy grilled onions are an indispensable part of street food stands, backyard barbecues, and taquerias across Mexico, and make an ideal, palate-cleansing accompaniment for a rich carne asada.

Cambray onions are almost always served whole, usually alongside tacos or carne asada (most eaters enjoy the sweet, soft bulbs and discard the tougher green stems). While the idea of eating a plate of straight-up grilled onions that aren't deep-fried and bloomin' might sound strange to many, cebollitas asadas are, by many accounts, capable of outshining one of humanity's best culinary innovations, tacos. In a Reddit thread on the r/OnionLovers subreddit, one user wrote, "I can destroy a whole plate of them and forget about my main dish." Another noted, "I've definitely forgotten about my tacos while going back for seconds and thirds of just the onions."

If all of this has you craving your own plate of cambray onions, you'll be glad to know that preparing cebollitas asadas couldn't be simpler. They're typically cooked on the grill, lightly charred, and finished with lime juice and a splash of Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, or Maggi, the 140-year-old condiment that still doesn't get proper recognition in the United States. Cambray onions are sadly a bit harder to source north of the border, but they can be found at Mexican grocers and specialty markets. If you can't find cambray onions, you could substitute in large scallions, but it's well worth seeking out the real deal. Whether you're an allium addict or skeptic, these addictive onions are a must-try Mexican staple dish.