Buying Onions in Spain – A Guide for Self Catering Visitors

If you are a vegetarian or vegan cooking in Spain you are likely to have onions on your shopping list. Buying onions in Spain is simple and straightforward and is unlikely to throw up many challenges for vegetarian or vegans.

Here’s some tips to help you learn about the different types of onions, where and how to buy them, and the various forms they are available in.

Types of Onions and Their Names in Spanish

You are likely to see a variety of onions in ‘fruterías’ (fruit and vegetable shops), markets and supermarkets. Which you buy depends on how you are going to use them. Here are some of the most common:

Yellow onion (cebolla amarilla): The most common variety, with a sweet, mild flavour, ideal for stews and sautés.

White onion (cebolla blanca): Milder and juicier, perfect for salads.

Red onion (cebolla roja): Sweeter in flavour, great for salads, salsas, or garnishes.

Spring onion (cebolleta): Young onions with green stalks, used in salads and as a garnish. Find these in the salad section of supermarkets.

Shallot (chalota or échalote): Smaller, with a delicate flavour, used in sauces and side dishes.

Sweet onion (cebolla dulce): Such as the “cebolleta dulce de Fuentes” variety, which has Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status.

Dried onion from Ducros brand. Look for this from a variety of brands including own label in the condiment section of most supermarkets

Shopping Tip

Unless you are an onion aficionado, standard yellow or white onions will be fine for most things. If you are planning a few meals a 2kg bag of onions will see you through. However, if you are just cooking a couple of meals you may find it better to buy specifically what you need to avoid waste and having to store more items in your holiday accommodation kitchen than you need.

An example of a net of onions from La Gramola, readily available from supermarkets and markets

How Onions Are Sold in Spain

Buying onions in Spain is unlikely to throw up many surprises. I think most of the options below are pretty universal:

Loose (sueltas): You can buy onions by the kilo at most markets and greengrocers. Just pick the ones you like and weigh them.
Packaged (envasadas): Supermarkets often sell onions in bags, usually 1 to 3 kg.
Frozen (congeladas): Found in the frozen food section, already chopped and ready to cook.
Dried (secas): Dehydrated onions or onion powder, great for seasoning.
Pre-prepared (preparadas): Some supermarkets sell onions pre-chopped or caramelized in jars.

Caramelized onion from the supermarket Mercadona – time saver when you need a rich onion flavour without all the chopping and sautéing!

Shopping Tip

If you are here on holiday or just for a short visit, just a couple of onions will be fine. Look for low cost food storage containers to keep an onion you’ve not finished.

A bag of frozen onions, ready chopped into small pieces is a great option for people with limited time and space.

Where to Buy Onions

Onions are available everywhere – all year round, so this isn’t something you need to worry about stocking up on. You will find onions in even the smallest of towns and shops.

Supermarkets (supermercados): Large chains like Mercadona, Carrefour, or Lidl offer onions in various forms. Buy onions in nets or loose, depending on your requirements.

Greengrocers (fruterías y verdulerías): A local option with fresher produce and more variety. These may be self service or you may be served.

Markets (mercados): Municipal markets often have a good selection of fresh produce sellers, and you will definitely find onions here. They will be sold by the kilo.

Frozen food stores (tiendas de productos congelados): Stores like La Sirena carry ready-to-use frozen onions.

Useful Vocabulary for Buying Onions in Spain

Here’s some useful sentences and questions to help you when buying onions in a Spanish supermarket, market or shop:

How much is a kilo of onions?

¿Cuánto cuesta un kilo de cebollas?

Can I have two onions?

¿Puedo llevar dos cebollas?

Can I have those two onions? (while pointing to the onions you want)

¿Puedo llevar esas dos cebollas?

Which do you recommend for salad?

¿Cuáles me recomienda para ensalada?

Which do you recommend for cooking?

¿Cuáles me recomienda para cocinar?

Are there any locally grown onions I should try?

¿Hay cebollas locales que debería probar?

Are these onions sweet?

¿Estas cebollas son dulces?

Do you have red onions?

¿Tiene cebollas rojas?

Shopping Situations:

Can you weigh these onions for me, please?
- ¿Me puede pesar estas cebollas, por favor?
Are these onions organic?
- ¿Estas cebollas son ecológicas?
Do you have smaller onions?
- ¿Tiene cebollas más pequeñas?
Do you sell pre-packed onions?
- ¿Vende cebollas ya envasadas?

Tips for Buying Onions in Spain

Choose carefully: Look for firm onions without spots or green shoots.
Try local varieties: For example, the sweet onion from Fuentes de Ebro (Aragón) is a true culinary treasure – you are likely to find local varieties in markets and fruterías. Many of the larger supermarkets also feature local products.
Explore alternative formats: Frozen or dried onions are perfect if you’re short on time.

I’m guessing there isn’t much here that’s a surprise – however what’s your experience been of buying onions to cook in Spain? Have you any tips to share? Leave a comment below – we love to hear from you!