How do you make onions less strong for salad?

Submerge Them in Cold Water Submerging them in cold water takes away that intense, sharp bite from the raw onion. The cold water helps the enzyme that causes onions to have their pungent flavor to leach out. Similarly, storing onions in the refrigerator will help mellow them out when you go to use them.

How to sweeten red onion for salad?

Question: Red onions served in a salad in restaurants taste sweet, but the ones I buy in the supermarket taste strong. What can I do to make store-bought onions sweeter? You can get rid of the strong taste by soaking sliced onions in ice water for 20 to 30 minutes or by sprinkling them with an acid such as vinegar .

How do you make onions less bitter for salad?

Just peel and slice the red onion as called for in your recipe, then submerge them in a bowl of cold or ice water . Let them sit for at least ten minutes, stirring once or twice, before draining and using them in your recipe. For added flavor, you can also soak the onions in lime juice, lemon juice, or vinegar.

Can raw red onion cause stomach pain?

Raw onions can be hard to digest, for some. Onions can cause a good deal more than just leaving you with that pungent onion-breath. Some people pass gas and feel digestive discomfort after eating onions in their raw form , while others burp and bloat.

What does adding sugar to onions do?

Onions are naturally sweet; and as caramel comes from the simple cooking of sugar when you slowly cook onions over an extended period of time, the natural sugars in the onions caramelize, making the result intensely and wonderfully flavorful .

Can you put raw red onion in a salad?

They also have really good and distinctive and pleasing purple and white colour to give your salad appeal. This makes raw red onions ideal for salads as they look washed out when cooked.

Why do you soak red onions in water?

Onions - soaking in cold water to soften the flavor When preparing raw onions, soak in cold water before hand to remove some of the pungency and soften the flavor.

What to do when onions are too strong?

" Water, a quick pickle of cut onion in vinegar for a few minutes , or any kind of acid will also dissolve the enzymes and take the bite out of the onion," says Patel.

How do you tone down a strong onion taste?

Adding a touch of acidity, such as lemon juice or a splash of vinegar , can help cut through the richness of the onions. Additionally, adding sweeter ingredients like carrots, bell peppers, or even a pinch of sugar can help counterbalance the strong taste.

How do you make onions less strong when cutting?

Some say that microwaving an onion can draw out and weaken the tear-inducing compounds, so you can try heating it up for about 30 to 45 seconds before cutting . Just keep in mind that you'll end up with a lukewarm onion.

Turkish Sumac Onions Recipe (10 minutes!) (2024)

Published: May 6, 2022 by Shadi HasanzadeNemati · This post may contain affiliate links .

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Turkish sumac onions are ready in 10 minutes and make an ideal companion to a wide variety of dishes. Crispy red onions are marinated with lemon juice, sumac and herbs - all you need to add a lot of bright flavors to any dish!

Turkish Sumac Onions Recipe (10 minutes!) (1)

If you love Turkish recipes, today's take on red onion salad is for you! You can enjoy these crispy marinated onions in sandwiches, on salads or with grilled meat. Just like ezme, gavurdagi (Turkish tomato salad with walnuts) and piyaz (Turkish white bean salad), this marinated onion recipe is easy yet packed with tons of flavor.

Table Of Contents:

Why you'll love this recipe
Ingredients and substitutions
Do this if the onions are too strong
How to make sumac onions
Variations
Serving suggestions
Frequently Asked Questions
More Turkish recipes
Step-by-Step Recipe

Why you'll love this recipe

The recipe calls for just a handful of ingredients that you probably already have.
It's ready in only 5 minutes, there is no cooking involved.
It keeps well in the fridge for a few days, so you can make it ahead of time.
Just like our quick pickled red onions, sumac onions are incredibly flavorful and make a delicious condiment for kebabs and other dishes.

Ingredients and substitutions

Turkish Sumac Onions Recipe (10 minutes!) (2)

Red onion: Raw red onions have better flavor compared to the white ones. However, you can also white or yellow onions.
Sumac: This is the main ingredient in this salad. Sumac has a tart, lemon-like flavor and it's usually dark red in color.
Parsley: Freshly chopped parsley add great flavor to this dish.
Lemon: For bright flavor and freshness.
Olive oil: Extra virgin olive oil works best in this recipe.
Seasoning: You need salt, black pepper and Aleppo pepper or Urfa pepper.

Do this if the onions are too strong

If you find the red onions to be too strong for your taste, soak them in cold water for 10 to 20 minutes after slicing. Then rinse and place them in a bowl and proceed with the recipe to make this red onion salad with sumac and parsley.

How to make sumac onions

Peel the onions and slice them thinly crosswise or lengthwise. Place them in a bowl and make sure the onion slices are not stuck to each other.
Add the chopped parsley, sumac, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and Aleppo pepper to the onion. Stir well to combine.
You can serve it immediately or cover it and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving it as a condiment or topping alongside kebabs, chicken or sandwiches.

Turkish Sumac Onions Recipe (10 minutes!) (3)

Variations

You can add other ingredients such as pomegranate molasses or chopped fresh mint for more flavor.

Serving suggestions

There are so many ways to use up sumac onions. From topping lahmacun, doner kebab and kofta kebab to stuffing it into sandwiches such as lamb burger, beef shawarma, falafel, chicken shawarma or gyro, however you use these marinated onions, it's going to be delicious.

I personally love serving them alongside grilling recipes such as spatchco*ck chicken, shish kebab and grilled zaatar chicken. It adds just that bright and fun zing that any summer day grilled meat needs!

Turkish Sumac Onions Recipe (10 minutes!) (4)

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do sumac onions keep in the fridge?

You can keep these in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Can I make this red onion salad ahead of time?

Yes, you can make this recipe a few hours in advance and serve when the main dish is ready.

What can I use instead of sumac?

Sumac has a special and unique sour flavor and color and cannot be substituted by any other spice.

Can I use white onion for this recipe?

Yes, you can use white or yellow onion for this recipe as well.

More Turkish recipes

Turkish Simit Recipe (Step-by-Step tutorial)
Turkish Bulgur Pilaf Recipe
Turkish Red Lentil Soup (Mercimek Corbasi)
Turkish Vegan Lentil Balls (Mercimek Köftesi)

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Step-by-Step Recipe