Why do red onions turn blue or green when cooking sometimes?
I cooked a pot of beans with some red onions last night. Today for lunch when I got them out of the fridge, all of the onions had turned a blue/green colour!
They still taste ok, but sure looks unappetizing!
Any ideas what's going on here?
Best Answer
The pigments that give onions the colour behave like a litmus test. They are red in the naturally acidic onion. They turn green/blue in an alkaline environment. It sounds like when you cooked the beans it created that alkaline environment to cause the colour change.
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Quick Answer about "Why do red onions turn blue or green when cooking sometimes?"
The pigments that give onions the colour behave like a litmus test. They are red in the naturally acidic onion. They turn green/blue in an alkaline environment. It sounds like when you cooked the beans it created that alkaline environment to cause the colour change.Why did my red onion turn blue?
Red onions\u2014as well as other red produce, including cabbage and cherries\u2014are rich in pigments called anthocyanins. When they're cooked with acid, their color intensifies, but when combined with an alkaline component, they can turn a startling bluish-green color.Is it safe to eat red onions that have turned green?
It's safe to eat a red onion that has turned blue or green during cooking.Is it safe to eat onions that have turned blue?
Yes, we understand that when your onions turn green blue, they might not look as appealing but from a practical application? They're completely safe to eat and the change in color will not affect flavor. It's just the natural color of your food in the presence of an alkali.How do you keep red onions from turning blue?
If you cook red onion with alkaline foods, such as nuts, lentils, and some vegetables, those anthocyanins revert to their blue hue. The same is true of red cabbage. To maintain the red hue, add a little acid, such as a splash of vinegar or a squeeze of lemon juice.Why Are Red Onions Not Called Purple Onions?
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Answer 2
Cooked red onion does turn dark blue-green colour in the fridge, but when you warm it up it turns a reddish colour again.
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