The onion is one of the most important types of vegetables in German cuisine. It is available in countless varieties. The differences lie in the colour, shape, shelf life and above all in the aroma and spiciness. In the meantime, new onion varieties have been added to the well-established onion varieties. To help you choose the right variety for you, a list serves as a guide.
onion varieties
onions
The most common and well-known onion is the table onion, which is also known as the kitchen and household onion. It is cultivated the most in Germany. All varieties are generally slightly to moderately hotter than, for example, red onions. This is due to the essential oil "Allicin", which is found in abundance in onions. This is also responsible for watery eyes when peeling and/or cutting. Onions can be recognized by their skin, which varies between yellow and brownish. It usually attains a small to medium size. Various varieties are available.
onions
Borettana
- flat, rounded shape
- sweet taste
- mild in taste
- ideal for salads and for grilling
Dorata DiBologna
- plump
- durable
- relatively new variety
- subtle sharpness
Tamara F 1
- new variety
- lush size
- very aromatic
- mild sharpness
Texas Early
- big in growth
- late-ripening variety
- a lot of aroma
- slight sharpness
- little sweetness
Onion sets in the vegetable patch
Schodeleer
- Austrian variety
- very flavorful with a medium degree of heat
Sturon
- round and solid
- smaller variety
- long lasting, noticeable sharpness
Stuttgart giants
- large-growing onion variety
- excellent shelf life
- medium sharpness
Zittau
- round shape
- from small to large scale
- very good durability
- good flavor
- sharp in taste
vegetable onion
Vegetable onions can be extremely heavy. They are mainly imported from Spain. Some English vegetable onions impress with a weight of up to 1.5 kilograms. The different types of onions can be recognized by the light brown to copper-colored skin and the white, juicy flesh. Compared to a table onion, they show up with more mild flavor and sweetness. It offers the following varieties.
vegetable onion
Ailsa Craig
- can weigh up to 700 grams
- mild aroma
- no sharpness
Exhibition
- intense flavor
- very large
- very mild in sharpness
globe
- Hungarian variety
- Sweet
- low sharpness
- mild aroma
The Kelsae Allium Cepa L.
- extremely lush growth
- suitable for storage
- very mild aroma
- particularly sharp
Red onions
Red onion varieties are indispensable, especially in salads. They impress with a subtle sharpness and a slightly sweet taste. Most of them come from Italy to the German market. But some tasty types of onions are also grown here. The red onion varieties include the following in particular.
Red onions
Brunswick dark blood red
- most famous variety
- medium-sized
- solid consistency
- flat-round shape
- very mild sharpness
Di Genova
- early variety
- flat-round
- delicate consistency
- soft aroma and mild sharpness
- low durability
carmen
- quality onion
- flat round shape
- strong aroma
- slight sharpness
- short shelf life
Redspark F1
- hybrid breeding
- round shape
- strong aroma
- slight sharpness
Rossa Lunga di Firenze
- elongated shape
- Hotness depending on maturity: young - mild hotness, medium - moderate hotness, mature - hot
Rossa di Tuscany
- most famous Italian variety
- intense taste
- good durability
- discreetly sharp
- slightly sweet
Red onion and green onion
Tropea Rossa Lunga
- oval, oblong shape
- delicate textu
- mild taste
- gentle sharpness
wenta
- Eastern European variety
- red-violet shell
- medium hot
- slightly sweet
Spring onions (Allium cepa var.proliferum)
The tiered or aerial onion is comparatively unknown. Exactly where it came from is unclear. She made her way to Germany via France. It is relatively small and has a reddish color. Unlike most other onion varieties, they grow on the shoots. They are mainly found in gourmet cuisine due to their gentle aroma and spicy spiciness.
set onions
White onion varieties
White onion varieties are mainly used in southern Europe. In Germany it is rare to find. The different varieties have a fine, mild taste. The mild sharpness is more subtle than with yellow onions. Some examples can be found in the following varieties.
Yellow, White and Red Onions
Albion F1
- special breeding
- round shape
- solid structure
- tastefully
- delicate sharpness
- good storage ability
snow ball
- early variety
- Mildly spicy and very sweet in taste
- slight sharpness
Sweet Spanish Jumbo or White Utah Jumbo
- stronger sweet taste
- no appreciable sharpness
Sliced white onion
Tonda Musona
- silver white
- spherical-round
- slightly sweet with a subtle spiciness
Shallots (Allium cepa var. aggregatum)
Shallots are also called noble onions. They are an integral part of high-end cuisine. They are characterized by their mild aroma. The very small shallots usually have less heat than the larger ones. They are mainly used as a spice.
shallots
biztro
- reddish brown
- very aromatic
- less heat than the Elista variety
Elista
- intense aroma
- slightly sweet taste
- mediocre sharpness
Longor
- french variety
- very mild in aroma
- pleasant sharpness
Zebrune
- delicate taste
- intense onion aroma
- slight sharpness
- light sweetness
spring onions
Although the spring or spring onion is reminiscent of leeks in appearance, it is related to the onion. Due to their delicate aroma and almost imperceptible sharpness, they are often used raw. Various types of spring onions are common in Germany, which hardly differ from each other in terms of aroma and the degree of sharpness and sweetness, such as those listed below.
spring onions
- Allium fistulosum (winter onion)
- Blanca de Lisboa
- De Vaugirard (hardy)
- freddy (Winter onion (Allium fistulosum))
- Negaro (classic spring onion)
- Red toga (very flavorful)
silver onions
Silver onions are mostly known from canned cucumbers, where they are inserted in a round shape, especially as a flavor spice. They can be recognized by their white, sometimes shimmering silver color. They are mainly imported fresh from Holland and Israel. There are some options for growing them yourself, but due to the lack of a protective layer, this proves to be much more difficult than growing conventional onions. The following silver onion types are used most frequently.
silver onions
Da Barletta
- early variety
- spicy taste
- ideal for insertion
- mild sharpness
- moderate sweetness
Pompeii
- small variety
- very mild aroma
- resembles the spring onion in sharpness
La Reine "White Queen"
- very tastefull
- mild spicy aroma
- little sharpness
pearl onions
Pearl onions are similar to silver onions in appearance and are also used in almost the same way. In contrast to these, they are more closely related to leeks than to onions. Pearl onions are becoming increasingly rare as they are rarely cultivated anymore. For this reason, these onion varieties are increasingly being replaced by pearl onions.
pearl onions