How to cut an onion without crying

Here’s the deal: the colder the onion, the less likely it is to make you cry. That gas we talked about? It’s released more slowly when the onion is cold. Pop your onion in the fridge for about 30 minutes before you start chopping, or stick it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes if you’re in a hurry. Don’t go overboard, though—you don’t want it to freeze solid. A slightly chilled onion is just firm enough to make your job easier and your eyes happier. Pro tip: if you’re prepping ahead, store your onions in the fridge instead of the pantry. It’ll save you from the tears later.

A dull knife crushes the onion’s cells instead of cleanly slicing through them, which releases more of that tear-inducing gas. Grab a sharp chef’s knife or a santoku—something with a little weight to it—and you’ll be golden. If you’re not sure how sharp your knife is, try this quick test: gently press the blade against a tomato. If it glides through without squishing, you’re good to go. If not, it’s time to sharpen it. A honing steel or a whetstone will do the trick, or you can take it to a professional if you’re not comfortable doing it yourself. Trust me, your eyes (and your fingers) will thank you.

If you’ve ever chopped onions near a fan or under the stove vent, you might’ve noticed you cried less. That’s because the gas gets whisked away before it can reach your eyes. Turn on your stove’s exhaust fan or place a small fan nearby to blow the fumes away from your face. No fan? No problem. Try running the onion under cold water while you cut it. The water will wash away some of the gas, though it might make the onion a little slippery. If you’re dicing, you can also fill a bowl with water and submerge the onion halfway while you chop. It’s a little messy, but it works like a charm.

This is one of those little tricks that makes a big difference. The root end of the onion has the highest concentration of those tear-triggering compounds, so if you leave it attached while you chop, you’ll release less gas. Here’s how to do it: slice off the top (the stem end) of the onion, peel off the skin, and then make cuts horizontally and vertically, keeping the root intact. Once you’re done, you can easily chop off the root and discard it. It might feel a little weird at first, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll never go back. Plus, it keeps the onion from falling apart while you’re cutting, which is a nice bonus.

Okay, hear me out—if you’re really sensitive to onions or just tired of the tears, goggles are a real shift. You don’t need anything fancy; a pair of swim goggles or even safety goggles will do the trick. They create a barrier between your eyes and the gas, so you can chop away without a care in the world. It might look a little silly, but who’s judging? If you’re in the middle of meal prep and don’t want to stop to grab goggles, even holding a slice of bread in your mouth (yes, really) can help absorb some of the gas. It’s not as effective as goggles, but it’s better than nothing. And hey, if it works, it works.

The longer you take to chop an onion, the more time that gas has to build up and reach your eyes. So, channel your inner chef and work with purpose. Start by cutting the onion in half from root to stem, then peel off the skin. Lay one half flat on the cutting board and make vertical cuts (from root to stem), then horizontal cuts (parallel to the cutting board) to dice it up. If you’re not confident with your knife skills, practice on a few onions until you get the hang of it. The faster you are, the less time the gas has to mess with your eyes. And if you do start to feel the burn, step away for a second and let the fan or vent do its thing.

If you’re chopping a big batch of onions or just really sensitive to the fumes, give the onion a quick rinse halfway through. After you’ve made your initial cuts, run the onion under cold water for a few seconds to wash away some of the gas that’s built up. Shake off the excess water and keep chopping. It’s a small step, but it can make a big difference, especially if you’re prepping a lot of onions at once. Just be careful—wet onions can be slippery, so make sure your cutting board is stable and your knife is sharp. If you’re dicing, you can also toss the onion pieces into a bowl of water as you go to keep the fumes at bay.