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Here is a demonstration of how to cut shallots in three different ways. You can mince them finely like onions for mirepoix, slice them into wedges (perfect for sheet-pan dinners) or slice them into the most adorable, salad-ready rings. Follow along.
what are shallots
Shallots look like eggish-shaped oversized brown garlic cloves but taste more like onions. In general, shallots are used like onions where a milder taste is desired. They show up in all sorts of recipes particularly those that lean French. Like garlic and onions, they are alliums.
How to cut shallots three ways
minced/diced shallots
- Peel off the papery coating and separate the shallot into cloves – if it has more than one. Remove any funky outer layers. Leave the root-end intact. This helps keep the layers from completely separating while mincing. Now cut the shallot in half lengthwise.
- Then, lay each half on its cut side and make vertical cuts across the shallot, up to the root.
- Rotate the bulb and cross cut at up to the root end. Discard or compost the root end.
julienned shallots
- Peel and separate as above. Then, remove the root end of the bulb.
- Now, cut in half lengthwise
- Lay each half on its cut side, make vertical cuts across the shallot.
sliced shallots / rings
- Peel and separate as above. Lay the shallot on its flattest side. Holding the shallot firmly, make slices across the width of the clove.
- Keep going slicing up to the root end.
- Separate the slices into separate rings.
Tips for cutting shallots
- Use a sharp knife. It really helps with the precision in cutting such a small vegetable so that your cuts are stable and accurate.
- Keep the root end whenever possible. It helps the many tiny layers from sliding all over as you dice, helping you get the job done quicker.
- Get out the goggles. If onions make you cry, these could as well.
- Go slow. Maybe it’s their tiny size or many slippery layers, but these little cloves can be surprisingly hard to cut efficiently – the layers tend to slide. So use a sharp knife as previously mentioned and don’t frustrated.
recipes with shallots
- Zucchini Salad
- Pomegranate Roasted Chicken Thighs
- Savory Oatmeal
- Potato Tuna Cakes
- Green Bean Salad
- Strawberry Arugula Salad
- Roasted Beet Salad
- Quinoa Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Frequently asked questions
Tightly wrapped, cut shallots can last about a week in the refrigerator.
Like onions, uncut shallots are happiest in a dark, dry, low-humidity shelf, where they should last for up to a month.
Shallots are closest in taste to yellow onions but they are not as hot, with a mellower far less assertive taste. Keeping that in mind, they can be subbed for onions. Make sure to use the same amount in volume.
Shallots taste great in a quick pickle, diced into a vinaigrette, and are a favorite fried as rings and used to top everything from sandwiches to pasta. Now you know how to cut shallots, however you may want to use them
More cutting tutorials:
- How to Cup Tomatoes
- How to Cut an Oranges
- How to Cut an Onion
- How to Cut Garlic
- How to Cut an Avocado
- How to Cut Cabbage
- How to Cut Romaine Lettuce
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How to Cut Shallots
Ingredients
- 1 shallot peeled
Instructions
Mince/dice
- Leaving the root end intact, cut the Shallot in half lengthwise.
- Lay each half on its cut side, make vertical cuts across the shallot, up to the root, about ¼ inch wide
- Rotate the shallot and cross cut at ¼ inch widths up to the root end.
Julienned
- Remove the root end of the shallot, cut in half lengthwise.
- Lay each half on its cut side, make vertical cuts across the shallot, about ⅛ inch wide.
Slice/rings
- Lay the shallot on its flattest side. Holding the shallot firmly, make ⅛ inch slices across the width of the shallot.
- Slice to the root end, separate the slices to get rings.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Photo Credit: Erin Jensen
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