16 Mild Onion Options That May Cause Fewer Tears

Cutting onions releases a tear-producing compound called propanethial-S-oxide, which can irritate the eyes.

Onions vary in pungency. Sweet or mild onions may cause less irritation, but ordinary sweet varieties are not guaranteed to be tearless.

16 Mild Onion Options to Try

Pungency varies among onion cultivars and growing conditions. Yellow or white skin alone does not tell you how irritating an onion will be to cut.

A sharp knife limits cell damage while cutting, but no ordinary cutting technique guarantees tear-free eyes.

Choosing a milder onion may help. Nebraska Extension notes that sweet onions may be less likely to cause tears.

Sweet onions may be less irritating, but sweetness alone does not guarantee that your eyes will not water.

Here are mild onion options and ways to use them.

1. Vidalia Onions

Vidalia onions are one of the sweetest onion varieties in the world.

These onions are named after the town of Vidalia in Georgia and are the official state vegetable of Georgia.

According to Federal guidelines, onions that grow only in selected counties of the state of Georgia can be called Vidalia onions.

Vidalia onions are a variety of yellow Granex onions.

They’re unusually sweet because of the low sulfur content of the soil in the places where they grow.

Their perceived sweetness is influenced by low pungency as well as sugar; one fixed sugar percentage does not describe every Vidalia onion.

Vidalia onions have a mild flavor and a flat shape. You can eat them raw.

They also caramelize beautifully because of their high sugar content.

2. Supasweet Onions

Supasweet onions are sold as mild onions. Pungency can vary with the crop and growing conditions.

This onion was one of the first mild and sweet onions available to UK farmers.

They’re widely farmed in Lincolnshire of England and harvested between July and October.

Supasweet onions have brown papery skin. Their insides are fleshy and juicy.

They’re ideally suited for use in summer salads.

Storage life varies with the crop and storage conditions.

Keep them dry and ventilated, and use any damaged onions promptly if they are still sound; discard spoiled bulbs.

3. Walla Walla Onions

Walla Walla sweet onions grow in the federally protected growing areas of the Walla Walla valley and North-eastern Oregon.

Walla Walla onions are known for mildness, although pungency can vary.

They grow in regions with very low sulfur content and end up being sweeter than pungent.

They resemble yellow onions with similar thick skin and a golden-brown color. They’re very crunchy and sweet.

These onions taste great in burgers, salads, and sandwiches.

You can also use them for cooking. They caramelize and produce a beautiful brown color.

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4. Walla Walla Sweet Red Onions

The Walla Walla sweet red onion is a newer variety of Walla Walla onion.

It was developed by Michael J Locati, a fourth-generation Walla Walla onion farmer.

This variety tastes like the original yellow Walla Walla onions.

It’s mild and sweet, with a good crunch. However, it has deep red skin and rosy layers of flesh.

The red selection shares the Walla Walla sweet-onion background, but color selection does not make it genetically identical to every yellow plant.

The crop is selected for red or rosy bulb color, not for rose-colored seeds.

5. Maui Onions

Maui onions are named after the Hawaiian island of Maui, where this variety grows in abundance.

They have light brown papery skin and translucent white flesh.

Like other sweet onions, Maui onions are sweet because of their low sulfur content.

The rich and fertile volcanic soil of Maui and the warm temperate conditions of their environment also makes them very flavorful onions.

Maui onions are sweet and very juicy.

You can slice them very thinly and use them in salads, burgers, and sandwiches.

They can release moisture during cooking, like other onions.

Hence, you can use them as the base for various dishes.

Cooking makes them sweeter, and they taste great with grilled food, in stuffing, and sauces.

6. Sweet Spanish Onions

Yellow Spanish onions aren’t technically sweet onions.

They can have a mild flavor, but cutting them can still cause tears.

These onions have a round shape and yellow or white skin. They can grow to a large size.

You can eat them raw because they’re sweet and lack the pungency of other onion varieties.

Due to their delicate flavor, they’re not suited for long cooking.

7. Sunions

Sunions are a branded onion marketed as tearless and sweet. The grower’s product sheet describes that specific claim; it should not be extended to all sweet onion varieties.

They can be used raw in salads or sandwiches, or cooked in dishes where a mild onion works well.

8. Red Bermuda Onions

As the name suggests, red Bermuda onions come from the island of Bermuda.

They’re a type of sweet onions and less pungent.

You can easily identify these onions by their flattened shape and red color.

Red Bermuda onions can taste mild and sweet, but they are not guaranteed to be tearless.

Due to their mild flavor, these onions do well in grilled dishes and salads.

9. Burgundy Onions

Burgundy onions are an heirloom onion variety with smooth, purple-red skin.

You can identify them by their large and flat globular shape.

These onions are white and pink on the inside and can have a mild flavor. Use a sharp knife and a stable cutting board.

Burgundy onions are crunchy and juicy with mild sweetness.

Choose planting dates suited to the particular cultivar and your local climate.

They hold up well in storage and are good for cooking.

10. Red Italian Onions

Red Italian onions are popular all over the world because they’re very versatile and can be used in any way imaginable.

They’re originally from Italy, hence the name.

These onions have a unique flat shape and are easy to slice. Their flavor is mild and sweet.

They add a beautiful pop of purple color to dishes and are widely used in pizza toppings, gratins, and salads.

11. Cipolla di Tropea Onions

Cipolla di Tropea onions are unique red onions from Italy.

They have a characteristic deep purple color and sweet flesh.

These delicate onions have lovely complex flavors.

Tropea onions are used fresh and in cooked dishes.

Their mild flavor suits raw salads, but they can still cause eye irritation when cut.

The high sugar content of this variety of onions allows them to caramelize well, and they’re made into marmalades as well as used in various recipes.

12. Pearl Onions

Pearl onions are small white onions, just as big as marbles. They have a mild flavor, and you can eat them raw.

These onions are not as pungent as other varieties and are less likely to make you cry.

You may find it difficult to peel these onions because of their size. Hence, they’re usually used whole.

These onions are commonly used for pickling. They can also be roasted and glazed in stews, soups, and gratins.

13. Scallions

Although you will find scallions with herbs in grocery stores and supermarkets, they’re a variety of young onions.

They have a white base and long green stalks. Both the white and green parts of the scallion are edible. 

These baby onions are milder than other varieties and are easy to chop. They have a savory bite and are crunchy.

14. Texas Super Sweet Onions

Texas super sweet onions were developed from yellow Bermuda onion seeds.

They were considered exotic onions because of their mild and sweet flavors.

These onions have low sulfur content. Hence, they’re not extremely pungent, and you can eat them raw.

These onions can be used in salads, sandwiches, and burgers.

They’re off-white or yellow and have juicy, soft flesh.

15. Sweet Imperial Onions

Sweet Imperial onions come from California’s Imperial Valley.

They’re widely favored for their sweet flavors and tender texture.

These onions are sweet because the soil they grow in is low in sulfur.

The temperate weather of the region also results in lesser pungency.

Sweet Imperial onions are medium to large, with a flat, rounded shape.

The skin is brown and papery, while the flesh is yellow to white and very juicy and crisp.

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16. NuMex Sweet Onions

NuMex names identify onion cultivars released through New Mexico State University’s breeding program.

They’re yellow onions with mild flavors.

Various sub-varieties of the NuMex variety, like the NuMex Sweetpak and NuMex Arthur, have also been developed.

Pungency and harvest dates vary among NuMex cultivars and growing locations.