A bit of care and a sharp knife is all it takes to slice or dice most vegetables. However, chopping a basic onion, with its tricky concentric layers, may leave you weeping in frustration. Our step-by-step guide shows you how to make quick work of dicing that tear-jerking bulb.

Step 1

Step 1. After peeling off the papery outer skin of the onion, place the onion on its side on a cutting board. Slice off the top of the onion.

Step 2

Turn the onion so it sits on the newly cut flat surface, and slice the onion in half through the root end.

Step 3

Step 3. Place an onion half, flat side down, on the cutting board. Make 1/4 inch slices lengthwise through the onion, cutting up to, but not through, the root end. (This keeps the onion from falling apart.)

Step 4

Step 4. Turn the onion and make 1/4-inch slices that are perpendicular to the previous slices. The onion will fall apart in neat 1/4-inch pieces. Repeat steps with the remaining onion half.