What are the Best Onions for Burgers?

Determining the best onions for burgers is not an easy feat. From accounting for personal preference and the overall burger flavor to the type of onion and how the onion is prepared, picking the best onion for a burger may vary from one meal to the next. When you are trying to decide what onion is best for your burger either at home or a restaurant near you, you may be curious about the following:

● The types of onions that make the best onions for burgers

● The best ways to prepare onions for a burger

● How to choose the best onion for a burger

For upcoming barbecues, dinner tonight and more, keep reading to learn about the best onions for burgers, as well as the onion and burger pairings you may find on the menu at Freddy’s!

A Guide to the Best Onions for Burgers

Think about your last pass through the produce section of your grocery store or local farmers market. A vision of onions in myriad colors that fill multiple bins or displays in this area may quickly come to mind. In addition to a choice of colors (often aligned with general onion types), many different varieties of onion are typically available within a single type. For example, Vidalia and Walla Walla are two popular kinds of sweet onions. To help you determine the best onion for your burgers, learn more about the common onion types used on burgers and why they may be the right choice for your future burger.

Yellow onions

The most common onion (and one that you may already have on hand) is the yellow onion. Not only is this type of onion typically the most readily available, but it is also incredibly versatile. Therefore, they can be served as a burger topping in both raw or cooked preparations. Yellow onions do have a relatively sharp flavor when raw, but they often become sweeter when cooked. If you are looking for the best onion for a burger that will give it a kick, then you might consider some fresh slices of yellow onion.

White onions

White onions are a little more mild than yellow onions but still have some bite to them. In terms of choosing between a white or yellow onion for burgers, yellow onions may hold up a little better in cooked preparations like caramelized onions, while the less robust flavor of a white onion might be better for raw slices. For tips on how to shop for, store and use different types of onions including white onions, check out this guide from Serious Eats.

Red onions

If you are searching for the best onion for burgers that offers a pop of color, provides vibrant flavor and can be both grilled or pickled, red onions are a great choice, as further discussed at Bon Appétit. In their raw form, these onions can be even more powerful in presence than other onion types.

Sweet onions

For an onion with a more mild flavor that works well in raw preparations, a sweet onion might be the best onion for a burger. Providing sweetness in any of their many common preparation methods, popular sweet onion varieties include Vidalia Sweets, Maui Onions and Walla Walla Sweets, as explained at The Spruce Eats.

Tasty Ways to Serve Onions on Burgers

In picking the best onion for a burger, you’ll also have to determine how to serve the onions for that burger. That decision may be guided by the onion that you have on hand or by the flavor or texture that a particular preparation offers. Below, find out more about some tasty ways to prepare onions for use on your burgers.

1. Raw Onions

One of the quintessential burger toppings is raw onion, both for the flavor and for the fresh crunch it adds to a burger. Your choice of onion for this preparation may be determined by how strong a flavor you are after or the color it can bring to the dish. In terms of how to cut your raw onion, one option is to cut a single very thin slice of onion with all of its rings and place it on top of similarly sized burger. Another choice is to scatter a few individual rings or smaller onion slices on top of the burger. If you prefer smaller pieces or otherwise have diced onions on hand, you can certainly use them, but they may be more likely to fall off of your burger. If you want to soften the flavor of your onion slices a little bit but still want that fresh crunch, consider soaking your onions before using them, as discussed at Simply Recipes.

2. Pickled Onions

Pickled onions may not be the best onions for hamburgers if you are short on time, though you can pick them up from a local grocery store. However, when homemade burgers are on the menu, you might plan to make pickled onions in advance. While you can pickle many different types of onions, red onions are a popular choice. If you like the idea of a colorful onion component that’s a little more tender than raw onion and offers a flavor that is more on the tangy side than being more assertive, you may be interested in a recipe like this one from Cookie and Kate.

3. Grilled Onions

Grilling onions helps bring out their sweeter side and provides some smoky flavor. With regard to texture, this onion preparation primarily softens the exterior onion pieces. Therefore, grilling makes them a little more tender but does not achieve the almost melty quality of caramelized onions. One benefit of this preparation is that it works well for any type of onion – red, white, yellow, sweet or even green onions! Plus, if you are already making your burgers on the grill, then the best onions for these burgers might be the ones you can prepare using the same equipment!

4. Caramelized Onions

As revealed in a survey conducted by Tasting Table, participants preferred caramelized onions over raw onions, grilled onions or pickled onions on their burger. If you haven’t tried them on a burger before, then these findings might provide the encouragement to do so! Caramelizing your onions makes them sweeter and can turn them into an almost jam-like topping. They also become darker in color. Happily, the onions that you likely already have on hand – yellow onions – are a great choice for this purpose. This process also requires very few ingredients and can be done in a few different ways. This guide to caramelizing onions from The Kitchn tests several different methods and shares the details, results, timing and rating for each approach.

5. Crispy Onions

Raw onions provide one type of crunchy component, but this texture can also be achieved through including crispy onions on a burger. Whether you opt for crispy onion pieces or seasoned onion rings, you’ll not only get a burst of flavor but a unique texture for your burger.

How to Choose the Best Onion for a Burger

The flavor offered by the onion itself or created through how it's prepared is clearly one of the most important factors in choosing the best onion for a burger. However, there are others that may influence your onion choice for any upcoming burgers. Take a look at a few more considerations that you may want to keep in mind:

● Think about the type of burger and the other toppings you plan to include in relation to the flavor and texture of your onion selection or preparation. For example, a subtler, sweeter onion preparation may be a welcome contrast to a spiced burger patty or particularly sharp cheese.

● Assess how much time you have to prepare your burgers, including any toppings. If you want to include onion but have limited time, raw onion may be your best choice.

● In addition to time, investigate the onion options that are currently available to you. You may find that you only have one type of onion in the house or need to use up the grilled or pickled onions that are leftover from another dish.

● Take your health goals or dietary considerations into account when selecting the best onion for your burger. Some preparations may not be suitable for those with gluten sensitivities or who prefer lower calorie options.

Popular Onion and Burger Pairings at Freddy’s

Many different factors may impact your choice of the best onions for burgers. Experimenting with texture and flavor is part of the fun of cooking at home. Experiencing different burger combinations often contributes to the excitement of restaurant meals. Below, find five onion and burger pairings you may choose to enjoy at a Freddy’s near you!

1. Raw Onion Rings

For many of our long-standing and most popular steakburgers such as the Freddy’s Original Double, slices of raw onion (typically white onion) are included in the standard preparation of the dish. In the Freddy’s Original Double, the onion offers a welcome crunch and refreshing crispness in contrast to the warm patty, melted cheese and softer toppings like pickles and mustard.

2. Grilled Onions

In the Freddy’s Original Patty Melt, grilled onions provide some sweetness to balance the savory steakburger patties, slight nuttiness of Swiss cheese, and tangy nuances of rye bread. One reason that grilled onions make the best onions for burgers like the Prime Rib Steakburger is that they complement the smokiness of the sliced prime rib and earthy sauteed portobello mushrooms. In this burger, the zesty garlic aioli cuts through the richness of the overall dish, just as the raw onion does for other steakburgers.

3. Crispy Onions and French Onion Sauce

In thinking about the best onions for burgers, limited-time offers like the French Onion Steakburger illustrate the benefits of using more than one onion component for a burger. A creative combination of two incredible comfort foods, the French Onion Steakburger features three different onion preparations: grilled onions, crispy onions and a French Onion sauce. Consequently, the onions here provide richness, sweetness and smokiness as well as the appealing crispiness of battered onions. To further complete this onion and burger pairing, bacon provides another textural element and a salty note, while Swiss cheese provides a bit of creaminess, just as it does in the soup.

4. Customizable Onions for Your Burger

While our steakburgers and many other menu items feature specific toppings, Freddy’s guests also have the option to customize the onion component or any other topping selections. Whether ordering for dine-in, carry-out or delivery, our guests can choose to adhere to our onion recommendations or to enjoy the onion that they prefer for their burgers. From omitting the onion entirely to swapping one onion preparation for another or enjoying multiple onion toppings, our guests can determine what works for them in terms of the best onions for their burgers.

5. Onion Rings

The best onions for hamburgers may also be the ones that you enjoy as the side for your meal. When choosing onion rings for the side in a steakburger combo meal like the California Style Double Combo, you might choose to enjoy the fresh onions that come standard with this burger, make an onion swap, or omit the onion entirely in favor of using an onion ring or two from your side dish instead. Then, you can relish crispy onion rings with your preferred dip as well as their textural and taste benefits for your burger!

There are many options to consider in determining the best onions for burgers, whether you are making homemade burgers or ordering from a restaurant. When you order at Freddy’s, you may choose to embrace the experience of one of our recommended onion and burger pairings or customize your steakburger with the best onion choice for your burger. To save your preferences, keep track of the points you are earning as a member of Freddy’s Rewards, and more, don’t forget to download the Freddy’s app at Google Play or the App Store!