Onions are a staple ingredient in kitchens around the world, revered for their ability to transform simple dishes with their depth of flavor. With so many varieties available, it’s useful to know which type of onion best suits your culinary needs. Here are the 10 most common types of onions and the best ways to use each:

1. Yellow Onions: These are your all-purpose onions, perfect for cooking and caramelizing. Their full-bodied taste makes them an excellent base for soups, stews, and sauces.

2. White Onions: With a slightly sharper and more pungent flavor than yellow onions, white onions are ideal for Mexican cuisine. They are perfect for salsas, chutneys, and raw applications.

3. Red Onions: Known for their deep purple skin and mild to sweet flavor, red onions are great for salads, pickling, or grilling. They add a pop of color and crunch to any dish.

4. Sweet Onions: Varieties like Vidalia or Walla Walla fall into this category. They have a higher sugar content which makes them perfect for caramelizing or using in dishes where you want a gentle onion presence without overpowering other flavors.

5. Green Onions (Scallions): These have a mild flavor that combines the taste of white onions with the freshness of green herbs. Use them as a finishing touch to soups, salads, or stir-fries.

6. Shallots: With their subtle garlic-like taste, shallots are excellent in dressings, sauces or sautéed alongside other vegetables.

7. Pearl Onions: Small and mild in flavor, they are often pickled or used whole in braises and stews due to their adorable size and shape that holds up well during cooking

8. Leeks: Leeks have a milder and sweeter flavor than most other onions. They’re perfect in potato leek soup or sliced thinly as an addition to quiches and pies.

10. Cipollini Onions: These small, flat Italian onions offer a rich onion flavor with a slightly sweet finish. Roasting Cipollini in the oven brings out their natural sweetness making them an ideal addition to roasted vegetable medleys.

11. Egyptian (or Walking) Onions: The top-set bulbs of these onions can be used like shallots or green onions; they have a strong flavor that’s excellent when cooked into soups or fried as garnishes.

When choosing the right onion for your dish, consider both the intensity of onion flavor you desire as well as how the onion’s texture will contribute to the finished meal. Cooking tends to mellow raw onion flavors whereas raw applications highlight their zesty nature. Thus experiment with these versatile vegetables to find your favorite prep methods!