No, a white onion is not the same as a sweet onion, but it is slightly sweeter and milder than a yellow onion.
While white onions possess a milder flavor profile compared to yellow onions, making them suitable for raw consumption, they don't reach the pronounced sweetness characteristic of onions specifically bred and cultivated as "sweet onions."
Here's a breakdown to clarify:
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White Onions: These are generally milder than yellow onions and often used in Mexican cuisine, salads, and salsas. They have a thinner skin and a more delicate flavor.
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Yellow Onions: These are the most common type of onion and have a balanced flavor that becomes sweeter when cooked.
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Sweet Onions: Varieties like Vidalia, Walla Walla, and Maui onions are specifically bred for their high sugar content and low sulfur content. This results in a distinctly sweet and mild flavor that allows them to be eaten raw or cooked with minimal bitterness. Their flavor and texture are distinctly different from that of white or yellow onions.
In summary, while white onions offer a touch of sweetness compared to the sharper yellow onions, they shouldn't be confused with genuine "sweet onion" varieties.
