Cipollini Onions Delivery or Pickup

Once a rare treat only found in gourmet Italian restaurants and markets, cipollini onions are having their moment in the world of cooking. If you are looking to add a bit of new flavor and panache to your meal plan, make sure to add these delicate, flavorful little onions to your cart.

About the size of a golf ball, cipollini is the Italian word that appropriately means "little onion." Cipollini onions are notable for their thin skins and translucent white flesh that is sweeter and less zesty than other onion varieties. The onions are somewhat flattened in shape and can range in color from a greenish-yellow to light brown. Cipollini onions are typically harvested in the fall and available for purchase throughout the winter. 

Because of their inherent sweetness, cipollini onions are particularly wonderful when roasted or caramelized. The sugars release into the pan to soften the onions for a melt-in-your-mouth experience. The residual sugars concentrate and caramelize to produce amazing sweetness with none of the astringent flavors often associate with raw onions. 

For this reason, cipollinis are a particularly good addition to roasts or stews, where their sweet flavors help amplify the other aromas in the pan. Toss them into the pan whole instead of slicing them, as they will soften and still maintain their lovely, bite-sized form.

Add cipollini onions and other root vegetables to the pan for a wonderfully fragrant pot roast or brisket. They are also a great addition to braised chicken or short rib recipes, where the low and slow heat allows plenty of time for the gently sweet flavors to develop. Add them whole to a skewer with meat or chicken and other vegetables for a luscious and juicy kebob dinner.

Cipollini onions are also popular pickled; add them to a jar with garlic, chilies, cloves, and other seasonings to enjoy all year-round. Pickling cipollini onions also extends their life, as they can be enjoyed for about three weeks after they have pickled. Keep them in the refrigerator for about three days before sampling them so that they can fully absorb the pickling liquid to provide a zesty kick with each crunchy bite.

When selecting cipollini onions, you will want to look for firm onions without soft spots or any other signs of damage. The neck of the onion should be tight, and the skin should be papery and dry, not withered and puckered. Cipollini onions can be found sold by the pound as well as pre-packaged in a plastic container. 

Because of their high water and sugar content relative to other onions, cipollini onions have a shorter shelf life than other more common varieties. Ideally, cipollinis should be stored in a cool, dry, and dark location like a drawer or pantry. Instead of bunching them into a bag for storage, try to spread them out so that each onion receives access to air circulation.

When properly stored, cipollini onions should stay fresh for about two weeks. If you are storing leftover raw, cut onions, wrap them tightly, and then store them in the refrigerator for a few days until you are ready to use them.