I totally agree--I love both, but the tastes are different. Which doesn't mean I don't still find them perfectly fine to interchange in some circumstances. Also, I find shallots handy for "portion control"--since I'm often cooking for just one or two, and sometimes the markets don't have any small-size onions. (And I *hate* keeping a cut onion in the fridge--no matter what I store it in, it stinks up the space.)

I only use shallots when I'm feelin' fancy. It strikes me as a rather uppity vegetable and if it had a nose it would be in the air. Otherwise, I like my working class onions.

Shallots are much sweeter than a typical white onion. A better substitution may be a vidalia onion. I love shallots and will pick some up when I want to make a dish where its flavor can be pretty dominant, but in soups and other dishes where other flavors need to be subtle, I use regular cheap onions.

I prefer shallots for more delicate tasting things like a quiche. But if you only have onions then mince them as fine as you need and sweat them in pan for a few minutes. They'll sweeten up just a bit, giving a slightly more shallot like flavor.

I find that often in the grocery store the shallots are not fresh & it's extremely hard to find a good one...if they have any at all.

When I first looked at the photo, I thought it was veggie art. It kind of looks like a baby on it's back...

I'm allergic to both (and scallions, leeks etc.) Sadly these little bulbs are in everything and it makes life difficult. Any idea what to swap out for onions?

Its not just the cost that turns me off to shallots. Its that they're a pain in the butt to chop/mince/whatever. An onion is a lot easier to deal with.

Really? I just cut off the ends, half it lengthwise to get the outer peel off, and then it pretty much cuts the same as an onion.

My husband is convinced he hates shallots (I don't believe him, but that's another story). So I almost always use onions instead. Red onions are an OK substitution, too.

I try to have a few shallots on hand if for nothing else but to use for salad dressings. Their flavor, when raw, is much mellower and is better suited for a vinaigrette. Yes, they are more expensive but its not like I am buying pounds of them.

Well, working-class people in other countries eat shallots too. In several countries in Europe, for example, they're just another vegetable.

But, you know, if you want to make it an issue of "snobbiness" rather than about flavor and texture variances, enjoy your Hamburger Helper.

I love shallots for use in quick olive-oil vinaigrettes and for pan sauces (shallot, butter, white whine, fresh herbs...).

For Battra92, I've heard the Indian spice asafetida is the best substitute for those allergic to give a dish a bit of that onion/garlic undertone. Be forewarned, it smells odd until cooked. Fennel and celariac can add some interesting flavor too and I believe they are in a different category for allergy sufferers.

I've had decent luck with buying sweet onions, chopping them up quite small, and soaking them in ice water for 10-15 minutes. It seems to take away most of the sharpness, and they stand in for shallots more readily that way (and, as you mentioned, shallots are sometimes impossible to find and can otherwise be very expensive, which is weird...)

I'll sub onions in a pinch, but luckily shallots are easy to get and literally only a few cents more than onions where I live in Germany, so I often have them on hand too.

But I agree about how they incorporate into things like sauces much better. If you mince them really finely, sauté them for a bit in a little butter or olive oil, they soften to the point of almost melting into the dish. And the flavor is more delicate than even mild or sweeter onions.

As for the cutting, I'm still trying to get confident with my chef's knife, but I'll just peel off the skin, chop them in half and put them in the mini food chopper a lot of the time. Since they soften so nicely it doesn't seem a really uniform cut is as important for shallots, in my experience at least.

I'm not a huge fan of onions, but I really like shallots, so if a recipe calls for onion, I usually add some shallots. I chop them the same way I would an onion, I just use a smaller knife. I love it when they have them at the farmers' market. I can buy a whole little tub instead of a few at a time at the grocery.

I find that shallots and scallions (or green onions - especially in recipes that focus on the white part) are fairly close and good substitutes for each other. I have taken to justifying the expense of shallots by noting how much waste there is with scallions, which often rot before I use them, while shallots sit nicely in my onion drawer for some time. I sometimes sub red onions, but if the onions are eaten raw, I dice them and soak them in ice water to take off a bit of the burn.

I would note this, though: if you have a local Asian market or an ethnic market that meets the needs of immigrants from outside the Americas, shallots are generally cheap and plentiful. Leeks, too. (My local Chinese market sells big 2-lb bags of shallots for a few dollars, with dozens of shallots inside.)

Try grating your onions. That will take care of any texture objections; they'll incorporate into the dish just fine.

I think the snobiness comes from the cost of shallots vs. the cost of onions. I see them for $3 a pound, versus onions that go for about half the cost.

I usually prefer to use shallots. They are less bitter and I always think they have a hint of garlic flavor.

I have taken to using shallots on pizza instead of onions for the same reason as Brooklynnina. I am the only one in my family that really likes onion flavors. Cutting a large onion and keeping it around in the fridge is kind of stinky. Shallots are the perfect size for just one person.

I was making a tongue-in-cheek comment about the cost of shallots. Apologies if a statement on imaginary class warfare among root vegetables somehow hit a nerve.

I definitely prefer shallots (because of their milder taste) but I often cook with red onions, which I find are sweeter than white onions.

My future mother-in-law happened to have a huge bag of shallots, and we got to take a good amount home with us at Christmas. I loooove shallots, and like to put them in everything in the place of onions, and it has been awesome lately to be able to! I might even try them out in pico de gallo soon!

Have you tried asafoetida powder? It's typically used in Indian and other Asian cuisines and has a sulfurous taste similar to what you might get form an onion. A little bit goes a long way, though, so start small if you decide to try experiment with this. Like onions and garlic, it mellows as it cooks, so don't be put off by the harsh smell in its raw form. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asafoetida

I didn't have a leek...the grocery store was out...when I wanted to make broccoli soup recently, but I did have shallots in the cupboard and some scallions in the fridge. I used both and the flavor of the soup was just fine. Today I want to use up a head of cauliflower in another soup...which I usually also make with leeks...it's cold here in the desert!...but now I only have yellow onion. I think it'll be fine.

On using shallots in raw dishes...I agree that their flavor is mellower than other onions, but there is a trick to mellow out white, yellow and red onions. I soak thin slices in ice water for several minutes...5-10 or more...then pat it dry, if appropriate...and chop or mince. The flavor and crunch are still there but that sulfur-y bite is gone.

I like to use shallots because I usually only use a small slice of onion at a time and the rest ends up molding away in the fridge. They cost more but they don't get tossed away like most of my onions.

rinsing or soaking onions in cold water tames their aggressiveness.

I think that yellow onions are less sharp in flavor than white unless they are sweet onions. I don't usually buy shallots since I do stock red and yellow onions, scallions and dried minced onion. To sub for shallots, I will use less or do the soak in cold water mentioned above. I use onions all the time but my kids, professed onion haters, don't notice because I make sure they are minced small and cooked until soft and translucent. They blend right into a dish this way.

Fellow Seattleite here! Did you try Trader Joe's? They always seem to have them!

Also, whole-grain breakfast class? Where do I sign?

Vidalia or sweet onions are my go to onion. They have a nice sweet onion flavor without any bitterness or bad aftertaste. They soften very nicely and incorporate well. You may want to give them a try.

For the stinky-onion-in-the-fridge syndrome--If I don't need the whole thing I go ahead & chop it anyway, & put it in a canning jar with lid & ring, & cinch the ring down tightly. I've left it next to an open pitcher of milk without a problem. The smell will stay on the lid tho', so since I store a lot of food in canning jars I've written "ONION" on a couple with a sharpy.

I second mhays on the Asian grocery suggestion- I can usually get a giant bag of them there for a few bucks, and this is in Wisconsin. In fact, they tend to have a better selection of produce and protein than almost all of the grocery stores in town and everything is crazy cheap.

If only it was equally as affordable to hire someone to chop them too. My knife skills are decent but for some reason mincing them just really annoys me.

I love shallots. I can't seem to get over my childhood dislike of onions, so I often use them in place of onions in recipes.

Emillie where in Wisconsin? I would love to stop paying $4/lb for shallots.

I'm always amused (bemused?) by the great shallot v. scallion v. onion debate. And then there's the yellow v. white v. red onion sidebar and oh, let's not forget the glorious Vidalia. Sweet. Now, gotta few questions here. Lots of wisdom in the replies already, so I'm just gonna cut to the chase.

On taste: Someone please explain to me why one would include onion in a recipe for it's flavorful contribution then turn around & attempt to deplete the onion of its flavor before adding it? I'm referring to the cold water bath here. Just seems like a total waste of both time and money to me. What's the point? Why not just omit it or reduce the amount if you're using it solely for seasoning? Same as you would with any herb or spice that packed too big of a punch for your personal taste.

On texture: As Nina D pointed out, texture is a non-issue. If you don't like it, change it. A grater is an amazing tool. Really. A final question, ok, a couple...

(1) Do people really just use the white part of a scallion when that's what is specified in a recipe? Please tell me the green part isn't donated to the compost pile. What.a.waste.
(2) What is this thing called 'spoilage' some refer to?

For the record, I love them all & use what I have on hand interchangeably. My grocer regularly offers 3# bags of yellow onions BOGO. A single 2-fer purchase generally lasts until the next offering. IN ADDITION, I buy scallions by the bunch, usually 2 or 3 at a time, depending on the weekly special. Every week. Shallots (due to their snobbishness) are generally reserved for presentation on special occasions. Or when I'm pretending I'm a master chef. [Delusions of grandeur, I know]. Red onions (my personal fave due to their exquisite pungence) run a close second in terms of snobbishness. Not so price-friendly, but...lovely color in fresh salads and the flavor is divine, I tell ya. Worth the extra cents on occasion provided they can shine.

Moving on to Vidalias....the perfect bloomin' onion when paired with a sharp dippin sauce (yum) tho I find them pretty much useless for cooking. A sandwich is another matter altogether. Did I say sweeeeet? A fave with dh who camps out at the grocer's when they hit the market each year. A single onion or two nets a BOGO BAG as we live near the source and patience pays off. Although, dh has been known to drive to Vidalia at harvest time on more than one occasion. Just sayin'...

I will add here that I consider an onion - in any shape form or fashion - a vegetable as opposed to a 'seasoning' . Guess that makes me biased but I'd still liek answers to my question....inquiring minds want to know.

@ Katekgl : Great comment, cracked me up!

@ Unflattering : Your username suits you.

*like* answers to my *questions*

(heaven forbid the grammar police get after me)

Would love to find a followup article about growing shallots from home. (hint, hint!)
Is it possible, is it easy, requirements for success, can they be grown indoors, ect?
I live in Texas and have no problem growing green onions from left over stems, but have never given any thought to growing scallions, from the ground or from a sprouting shallot.
It would be nice to know from those who have tried.
Great article also!

Shallots are the only allium whose smell actually washes off my fingers, so it's the only one I cook with anymore. There's nothing so "blarg! yech!" as leaning on your hand the day after chopping onions and getting a big old wiff of them.

I've never heard of a cold water bath to tame onions, and I'm excited to try it out and see if it works well for me. Yay for new tricks!
In reference to @discerning's question about why to bother; in my case because I don't care for raw onions, I find them too overpowering (and heartburn-y, no idea if cold water will resolve that), but my husband loves them. So for salads or dishes where raw is called for, I usually skip them or sweat them a little. If a cold soak can find us a compromise for including raw onion in our food, then "yay for us," right?
Or sometimes a recipe calls for a milder onion flavor, and what I've got are a batch of particularly pungent yellow onions. I could use less, but often I like a lot of onion just to bulk up a dish - they are cheap, and we are budget cooks at my house.

stevie- I go to Midway Asian Foods off of Park Street in Madison.

@ bethany.loves: Right. Yay for you, if it's effective. Just color me sceptical because I cannot imagine a cold water bath changing an onion's constitution. We're budget cooks here too and I've been known to experiment with suggestions I have little faith in. Rarely have I been pleasantly surprised, but it does happen. Good luck:)

battara, have you ever tried asifateda? it's used in some regions of india by devout hindus who refrain from eating onions or garlic. it's resin and completely unrelated, botanically speaking, to the alliums so should not trigger your allergies. you use only tiny amounts as it is really potent and always [as far as I've ever seen] has to be cooked. also, it needs to be kept in a very tightly closed container or your entire pantry will take on its scent. indian or south asian stores will carry it as will online sellers such as kalustyan's.

also, am I the only one who's rediscovered the uses of onion juice?? after seeing it used in many turn of the 20th century cookbooks, I started experimenting. it's really easy to create: I grate a mild, sweeter type onion and then, with clean hands -- which later need a good half a lemon's worth of juice to de-scent! -- squeeze by the handful until there's almost no moisture left. I freeze the onion juice in small increments and I use the 'pulp' in whatever I'm cooking that day that needs some onion flavor or save for stock. the juice has the flavor of onion, but milder. and, it 'melts' into the rest of the ingredients as there's virtually no pulp. in fact, if you filter the juice through a fine mesh strainer, it is so pulp-less it really looks like cloudy water. not the same flavor as a shallot, but a similar level of flavor.

Battra,

Try asafoetida. When used in cooking it gives the oniony taste, but it's not onions.