- Shallots lack the pungent flavor and aroma of onions. A shallot has a milder flavor with a hint of garlic. Even the more mild sweet onions have a stronger flavor than a shallot. The flavor of shallots is similar to both garlic and onion combined. Onions are typically served cooked, which helps temper their strong flavor. Although shallots also respond well to cooking and caramelizing, they also are suitable for fresh use in salads, sauces and vinaigrette dressings where their mild flavor shines.
- Both shallots and onions produce edible green foliage. Onion leaves, commonly referred to as green onions or scallions, have a spicy flavor similar to the onion bulb though more mild. Shallot foliage, or scapes, taste more similar to mild garlic than to onion. Onions grown for scallion use typically don't produce full bulbs, but a single shallot plant can produce both edible scapes and bulbs. The foliage from both onions and shallots are used fresh or cooked.
- The bulbs of onions and shallots have distinctive differences. Onions form a single bulb. The bulb, when cut open, reveals multiple layers. Shallots form smaller cloves attached to form a bulb, similar to garlic. Each clove has a papery coating, typically in shades of red or brown. Onions also have a papery covering but the color ranges from white or pale yellow to brown or red. Shallot bulbs and cloves are much smaller than the bulbs produced by most onion varieties.
- Onions mature in summer from either fall- or spring-planted seed or sets. Shallots are planted in fall for summer harvest. Shallots survive frost better than most onion varieties. Once planted, shallots require little more than watering throughout the growing season. Onions have similar water requirements but they need more fertilization than shallots. Onions bulbs may protrude from the soil but the majority of the bulb remains below soil level. Shallot bulbs usually form on top the soil around the base of the plant.
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