Why This Type Of Onion Is A Mistake For Your Tacos

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Whether you're filling your tacos with the perfect cut of steak, pork, or chicken, or leveling up with seafood, garnishes can make or break the handheld meal. Toppings may take the form of anything from cilantro or salsa to guacamole or cotija, but one nearly universal add-on is onions. However, if you want tacos that are going to knock your socks off, there's at least one type of onion to avoid and one that you definitely want to keep on hand, according to Jenny Martinez, cookbook author and social media personality. "Yellow onion is for cooking and white onion is for salsa and garnish," she told Food Republic. "Diced, white onion are ideal for tacos. They can be raw for a bolder flavor or sauteed for a more muted flavor."

Yellow onions aren't ideal for sprinkling over tacos because they tend to have a stronger flavor than white onions. This strength means they can overshadow the other ingredients layered into your tortilla, resulting in an unbalanced flavor profile. Instead, save your yellow onions for your next pot of French onion soup or caramelize them to top burgers, pizza, or baked potatoes.

When it comes to garnishing tacos with white onions, Jenny Martinez suggests serving them raw for the deepest flavor. "If I'm making quesabirria tacos, tacos de lengua, or carnita tacos, it's always a raw white onion as a topping along with cilantro," she said. But if you're looking to tone it down a touch, she has tips for that, too. "You can also soak it in water or lightly cook the onion to release some of the sulfur, which will take more of that bite and intensity out of the flavor." These toned-down onions would be great on a taco al pastor, because the slightly sweeter and milder onion provides a savory depth that balances the inherent sweetness and acidity of the pineapple and marinated pork.

Whether you're prepping ahead of time or right before assembling the tacos, be sure to avoid some of the most common mistakes that people make with onions. First, pop your peeled onion in the freezer briefly prior to cutting it so that you can bypass the tears when you slice into it. Then, choose a sharp knife or an onion chopper to get the best dice. Finally, while your whole onions can hang out on the counter, once they've been cut, they need to be refrigerated. All you need to do is simply package them up in an airtight container and slide it onto a fridge shelf where the onions can stay for up to a week.