Onions are a cornerstone of our cooking—but how often are they actually the star? There’s a world of onions out there—red, white, Viadalia, pearl, and so many more—and when given the attention they deserve, these pantry staples can show off their broad range of flavors. From bracingly sharp when raw to silky-sweet when slowly cooked, these 31 recipes put onions on a well-deserved pedestal. Whether they’re frizzled crisp and scattered over a crunchy peanut-coated cabbage slaw or blitzed and melted into a rich, creamy curry, these dishes are worth getting onion breath over.