The Turkish pantry

Onion (red)

A crisp bulb with purple-red outer layers, used raw or cooked in the linked recipes.

Last updated: 17 October 2026

This guide concerns raw red bulb onion, before peeling or cooking. It is distinct from spring onion, pickled onion and an unspecified onion entry. The skin color does not establish a named cultivar, growing region or guaranteed sweetness.

Two whole red onions with papery purple-red skins and dry roots on a round wooden board.

Types & forms

Whole red bulb

Dry papery skin encloses the edible layered bulb. Remove the dry skin before cooking.

Sliced or diced raw onion

Different cuts affect texture and cooking speed; follow the recipe.

Pickled or cooked onion · comparison

Added ingredients and processing change flavor, texture and nutrition.

What to look for when buying

Choose firm bulbs with dry skins and necks, without wet patches, mold or soft areas.
Select a size that suits the recipe’s measured amount. A counted onion is not a fixed weight, and red color alone does not promise a mild taste.

Prepare & cook

Rinse before cutting, then remove the dry skin and trim the ends with clean equipment. Cut on a stable board.
Slice thinly for a recipe that calls for a crisp raw onion garnish; dice when smaller pieces need to distribute through the dish. Keep the recipe’s specified cut.
When a recipe includes rinsing, salting or acid, follow its order and quantities. These treatments are not a substitute for cooking or safe storage.

Store it well

Keep sound whole dry bulbs in a cool, dry, ventilated place. Remove spoiled onions promptly rather than leaving them against sound bulbs.
Keep cut onion covered in the refrigerator. Whole-bulb storage guidance does not apply to a cut onion or an onion salad.

Substitutions depend on the dish

Yellow or white bulb onion

Can change pungency and color. Use only where the recipe allows another bulb onion.

Spring onion

Its green leaves and smaller bulb create a different texture and flavor; it is not an exact identity match.

Nutrition

Onions, red, raw ^[1]

Per 100 g edible portion
Nutrient	Amount
Energy	44 kcal
Protein	0.94 g
Total fat	0.1 g
Saturated fat	Not reported
Carbohydrate	9.93 g
Dietary fiber	2.2 g
Total sugars	5.76 g
Sodium	1 mg
Cholesterol	Not reported
Calcium	17 mg
Iron	0.24 mg
Potassium	197 mg
Vitamin D	Not reported

USDA Foundation reference for raw red onion, per 100 g edible portion. Dry skin and trimming waste are not part of the serving. This record is not a cooked or pickled onion, and measured samples do not describe every cultivar. Values are rounded for readability; “not reported” does not mean zero. A “<” value is below the source’s measurement limit.

Nutrition values come from the reference source named above. They are published reference values, not our own measurements. Actual products and cooking methods may change the values.

At the Turkish table

Use the linked recipes to see how this collection prepares red onion. They are examples of use, not evidence that this onion color has an exclusive regional origin.