Walla Walla Sweet Onions

What is it?

Walla Walla Sweet Onions are a very special kind of onion. This is because of their exceptionally sweet flavor, and because of their very specific growing region in Walla Walla, Washington. They also have a rich history. It is believed that a French soldier brought a very sweet onion seed from an island off Italy to Walla Walla in the late 1800s. The Walla Walla onion we know today developed over several generations, through which farmers would carefully hand select onions from each year's crop to ensure the most sweet, largest, and roundest onions possible.

What does it taste like?

As the name implies, these onions are very sweet. This isn’t due to a high sugar content though. They are sweet and have less of the traditional onion “bite” because of their low sulfur content, which is roughly half of an ordinary onion. Low sulfur content also means less tears when cutting into it.

What to do with it?

Because of their incredibly sweet flavor, these onions can be enjoyed raw as a topping to sandwiches, burgers, chopped into salsa, or tossed into leafy or potato salads. They can be prepared like any other onion and are even better when caramelized. These sweet onions also make a great addition to a steak and veggie kabob!

How to store it?

Because of their high moisture content, these onions keep best when stored in the refrigerator. If you have a bulk amount of Walla Walla Sweet Onions that can’t all fit in the fridge, they can be kept in a dark place that has good air circulation like a walk-in pantry or garage. When storing this way, make sure to keep the onions in a mesh bag, or tie onto strings. This ensures the onions will keep dry and less bruising should occur.