Onion substitutes
Out of onion? Here are the best substitutes — what to reach for, why it works, and how much to use. Shallot is the top pick.
- 01Shallotbest pick
Same allium backbone, milder and a little sweeter — the most reliable swap.
1 medium onion = 3-4 shallots
- 02Leek
Sweeter and gentler; use the white and light-green parts as a sauté base.
1:1 chopped
- 03Scallion
Whites cook down like onion, greens finish raw. Good when you want less bite.
1:1
- 04Fennel bulb
Similar body and sweetness once softened, with a light anise note.
1:1
- 05Onion powder
Covers the flavor when texture doesn't matter — soups, rubs, sauces.
1 medium onion = 1 tbsp powder
Cooking with onion?
Paste your recipe into Mise — we'll find every ingredient as a real product you can buy, and swap the ones you can't, like onion, for the closest match in stock.
Turn a recipe into a basket →How we choose these
These are tested kitchen substitutes, chosen for matching flavor, texture, and role — with ratios so the swap actually works. Taste as you go; substitutes shift intensity, not just flavor.
Flavor data: Epicure (Radzikowski & Chen, 2026), arXiv:2605.22391, CC-BY-4.0.
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