Learn how to cut shallots in three different ways with this tutorial post and video. You’ll see how to peel a shallot, how to dice shallots, and how to cut shallots thinly into rings and half rings.

image of sliced and diced shallots on a cutting board under text box with recipe title

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Shallots are one of my favorite members of the onion family. They’re most similar to sweet onions and have a mellower taste than red, white, or yellow onions.

Crispy fried shallot rings are perhaps the most common way to eat this veggie, but they make a great addition to so many dishes. You can use shallots in place of onions in most recipes. They taste delicious in soups, risottos, pastas, dressings, and marinades.

But if you’re new to cooking with shallots, you may not know how to cut them. Shallots have a unique shape, and sometimes a shallot has multiple bulbs that are side by side.

In this post, I break down how to dice shallots like onions and how to cut shallots into rings and half rings for frying. Be sure to scroll down to the video above the recipe card to watch the tutorial!

Jump to:

How to Peel a Shallot
How to Dice Shallots
How to Cut Shallots into Rings for Frying
Recommended Equipment
How to Cook Shallots
Watch How to Prepare Shallots
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

How to Peel a Shallot

Before you cut shallots, you need to remove the skin. Start by slicing off the stem end. Then, peel back the skin and discard. Keep the root on to make it easier to cut.

the hands of a woman peeling a shallot over a cutting board on a counter

How to Dice Shallots

If the shallot contains more than one bulb grouped together, break them apart from each other and work with each one separately. Peel the shallot. Cut the shallot in half lengthwise.

woman cutting a shallot in half lengthwise on a bamboo cutting board

Make lengthwise slits in each half of the shallot.

woman making lengthwise slits in half of a shallot on a bamboo cutting board

Dice the shallot crosswise.

woman dicing a shallot with a knife on a bamboo cutting board

How to Cut Shallots into Rings for Frying

Peel the shallot. For half rings, slice the shallot in half lengthwise. Then, make crosswise cuts.

woman cutting a shallot into half rings on a bamboo cutting board

For full rings, keep the shallot intact and make crosswise cuts.

woman cutting shallot into rings with a knife over a bamboo cutting board

Recommended Equipment

I like to use these bamboo cutting boards that have stoppers on the bottom to prevent slipping. If you are interested in the chef’s knife that I use to chop veggies, check it out here.

How to Cook Shallots

Shallots can be enjoyed raw, sautéed, caramelized, roasted, or pickled. They are commonly used as a base for soups, risottos, and dressings or marinades.

Some of my favorite dishes with shallots include Quick Pickled Shallots, Balsamic Caramelized Shallot Pasta, Parmesan Peas and Shallots, and Healthier Green Bean Casserole with Almonds. They also appear in the Vegan Mushroom Risotto, Baked Brown Rice Risotto with Asparagus, and the dressing for the Grilled Panzanella Salad.

Watch How to Prepare Shallots

📖 Recipe