Shallot
Shallot is a small, mild, sweet member of the onion family, often treated as the more refined alternative to onion, especially in French cooking and raw preparations.
How to buy
Look for firm shallots with dry, papery, copper-colored skin and no sprouting or soft spots -- they should feel heavy for their size. They're often sold in small mesh bags.
How to store
Store the same way as onion: cool, dark, dry, and well-ventilated, not refrigerated. Whole shallots keep for several weeks to a couple of months. Once cut, wrap and refrigerate, using within about a week.
Culinary profile
- Flavor
- Milder and sweeter than onion, with a delicate garlic-like undertone. Less sharp and sulfurous raw, which is why it's often preferred uncooked in dressings and vinaigrettes.
- Texture
- Crisp when raw. Its smaller size and higher sugar content let it cook down quickly and evenly once minced.
- Aroma
- A lighter, sweeter allium aroma than onion, with a faint garlicky note.
How to prepare
- Minced — Finely chopped for dressings, sauces, and quick sautés.
- Thinly sliced raw — Sliced paper-thin for salads and vinaigrettes, where its mildness shines.
- Caramelized — Cooked low and slow until soft, sweet, and golden.
Classic dishes
American
- Shallot vinaigrette salad dressing — A simple dressing of minced shallot, vinegar, mustard, and oil.
Italian
- Shallot and white wine pan sauce — A quick sauce for fish or chicken, built on softened shallot and wine.
Indian
- Fried shallots for biryani garnish — Crisped shallot scattered over biryani for crunch and sweetness.
French
- Shallot vinaigrette — Minced shallot whisked into a classic oil-and-vinegar dressing.
- Beurre blanc — A butter sauce built on a reduction of shallot, wine, and vinegar.
- Mignonette sauce — Minced shallot in vinegar, served with raw oysters.
Thai
- Shallot-lime dressing — A sharp, bright dressing combining shallot, lime, and fish sauce.
Greek
- Shallot and herb marinade — Minced shallot combined with herbs, lemon, and oil as a marinade.
Korean
- Shallot-soy dipping sauce — Minced shallot stirred into a soy-based dipping sauce.
Vietnamese
- Fried shallots — Thinly sliced shallot fried crisp and used as a garnish on noodles and rice.
Spanish
- Sofrito with shallot — A base of softened shallot and tomato used to start many dishes.
Middle Eastern
- Shallot and sumac salad topping — Raw shallot tossed with sumac as a sharp, tangy salad garnish.
Caribbean
- Escovitch topping — Pickled shallot, carrot, and pepper served over fried fish.
Filipino
- Fried shallot garnish — Crisp fried shallot used to top rice dishes and noodles.
British & Irish
- Shallot and red wine sauce — A pan sauce for steak built on softened shallot and reduced red wine.
Substitutions
- Onion — More pungent and assertive than shallot; use slightly less by volume, and expect a sharper raw bite -- best suited to cooked dishes rather than raw dressings.