Walla Walla onions, botanical name Allium cepa, is a cold hardy biennial onion known for its ability to be overwintered, though it is not a storage onion like many cellar onion varieties. Though they should be distinctly and botanically differentiated, the Walla Wall onion has been synonymously compared to the Vidalia onion and Spanish onion.

On the outside, Walla Walla onions have the appearance of yellow onions, yet they are the pinnacle of sweet onions, neither hot nor sharp. They are globular and just shy of softball-sized at maturity, thin-skinned with a golden brown colored peel. Their flavor, raw is distinctly warm, non-tearing, the flesh juicy and crisp.

Serving Ideas

Walla Walla onions are ubiquitously known as a true raw-eating, slicing onion but they can also be cooked utilizing their sweetness in a variety of methods for soups, slow roasting stews, braising meats, grilling fish and simply sauteing. Complimentary pairings include other alliums such as garlic and chives, cooling ingredients such as apples, ginger, fennel and mint, foods rich in fat such as avocados, cheeses, cream and bacon, citrus, tropical fruits, herbs, legumes, chicken and chiles.

Ethnic/Cultural Info

The Walla Walla Sweet Onion is designated under federal law as a protected agricultural crop. In 2007, the Walla Walla Sweet Onion became Washington's official state vegetable.

Geography/History

Walla Walla onions are named after the county in southeastern Washington state in which they were cultivated for the first time within the United States. They were, however, developed by a French soldier, Peter Pieri, who brought an Italian sweet onion from the French island of Corsica and further developed the onion from selecting and resending preceding onion crops until achieving the level of size, sweetness and shape that would eventually become the Walla Walla onion.

Seasons/Availability

Walla Walla onions are available late spring through summer.