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Maui onions are small to medium in size with a globular, elongated, and sometimes stout shape. The bulb is covered in thin, papery skin that ranges from light yellow to brown. The flaky skin covers a translucent, white flesh that is crisp, juicy, and firm and has many layers of white rings. Maui onions lack the sulfur that gives most other onions their sharp taste and tear-producing odor. Their flesh also has a high sugar and moisture content allowing the onion to be exceptionally sweet, succulent, crunchy, and mild.
Seasons/Availability
Maui onions are available year-round, with a peak season in the spring through early summer.
Current Facts
Maui onions, botanically a part of the Amaryllidaceae family, are a variety of sweet onion and are a hybrid of a short day, yellow granex onion. Grown on the upper slopes of Haleakala, a dormant volcano on the island of Maui, Hawaii, Maui onions are one of the first spring onions to appear and are considered one of the sweetest varieties in the world. Maui onions are available in limited quantities as they are cultivated on less than four hundred acres of land and are labeled with “Kula Grown” to signify that the onion has been grown in the unique, volcanic soils. Favored for their sweet flavor, juicy texture, and ability to be consumed raw, Maui onions are versatile and used by chefs and home cooks for many different culinary applications.
Nutritional Value
Maui onions contain vitamins B6, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, folate, and vitamin C.
Applications
Maui onions are best suited for both raw and cooked applications such as grilling, baking, broiling, frying, sautéing, and steaming. Known for their sweet flavor, Maui onions are commonly used fresh and are layered in sandwiches, chopped into salads, sprinkled with salt and consumed raw as a snack, or mixed into poke with fresh fish, seaweed, and spices. The onions can also be barbequed on skewers with meat, tossed into soups, casseroles, and stews, fried into rings or roasted and coated in balsamic vinegar and fresh herbs. Maui onions pair well with barley, hazelnuts, coffee, grilled meats such as lamb, poultry, beef, and fish, avocado, jicama, butter lettuce, carrots, radishes, cucumber, sweet corn, red pepper, tomatoes, oranges, herbs such as cilantro, dill, mint, parsley, and rosemary, yogurt, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, potatoes, vanilla, toasted coconut, maple syrup, and pineapple. The bulbs will keep 1-2 months when stored whole in a cool and dry place. When sliced, they will keep up to four days when sealed and stored in the refrigerator.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
In Maui, a free festival is held every April or May in the Whalers Village at the Ka’anapali Resort to celebrate the Maui onion. Drawing thousands of attendees since 1990, the festival has live entertainment, gourmet meals, recipe contests, cooking demonstrations, and onion-themed games and prizes all dedicated to the promotion of the sweet bulb. There is even a raw Maui onion eating competition to highlight the sweet and non-pungent flavor of the variety.
Geography/History
Maui onions are native to Maui, Hawaii and have been cultivated on the slopes of Mt. Haleakala, a dormant volcano, since the early 20th century. Today Maui onions are available in limited quantities at grocery stores in Hawaii and select specialty grocers and online retailers in the mainland United States.
Antonio Farms
Riverside, CA
Maui onions: These onions are renowned for their sweetness and lack of sulfur, which makes them mild and tear-free unlike other varieties. Their flesh is crisp, juicy, and firm with a translucent white appearance. They also contain a higher sugar and moisture content compared to typical onions, resulting in their unique succulent and crunchy texture and gentle, pleasant flavor.
Cabral's Farm
Maui onions are incredibly versatile, pairing well with a variety of ingredients like avocados, yogurt, hazelnuts, and even sweet elements like vanilla, maple syrup, and pineapple. Their unique flavor profile complements meats, vegetables, and herbs such as mint and dill. They last 1-2 months whole if stored properly and up to four days when sliced and refrigerated, making them a convenient and flavorful addition to your kitchen.
L.O.V. Farms LLC
Maui onions are grown in the nutrient-rich, volcanic soils on Haleakala's upper slopes in Maui, Hawaii, making them unique. With cultivation limited to less than 400 acres, Maui onions are labeled “Kula Grown” to signify their origin. Botanically, they belong to the Amaryllidaceae family and are a hybrid of yellow granex onions. Maui onions stand out for their sweet flavor and juicy texture, earning them a reputation as one of the world's sweetest onion varieties.
Smith farms
Maui onions are exclusively grown on the volcanic slopes of Mt. Haleakala in Maui, Hawaii, where the soil contributes to their distinctively sweet and mild flavor. Cultivated since the early 20th century, their availability is limited, making them prized for their quality. You can find them at select local and specialty grocers or purchase them online if you're shopping from the mainland United States.
From Berumen Farms…Maui Onion Festival: Each year in April or May, Whalers Village at the Ka’anapali Resort hosts a free festival to celebrate the Maui onion. Since 1990, the event has drawn thousands for live entertainment, cooking demonstrations, recipe contests, and onion-themed activities. Highlights include gourmet meals showcasing the sweet bulb's flavor and even a raw onion eating competition to demonstrate its mildness.
Gaytan Family Farm
Riverside, CA
Maui onions: These onions are small to medium in size with a rounded or elongated shape. They stand out for their thin, papery skin and translucent, firm white flesh. Unlike most other onions, they lack sulfur, making them mild with no sharp taste or tear-inducing odor. Their high sugar and moisture content contribute to their extraordinary sweetness, juiciness, crunchiness, and overall mild flavor profile.
Gaytan Family Farm
Riverside, CA
Maui onions: Known for their sweet flavor, Maui onions can be enjoyed raw in sandwiches, salads, and poke with fresh fish or cooked in a variety of dishes like soups, casseroles, fried rings, or roasted with balsamic vinegar and herbs. They pair wonderfully with foods like grilled meats, carrots, dill, pineapple, and even cinnamon or vanilla. Whole onions can be stored for 1-2 months, while sliced ones last up to four days in the fridge.
Antonio & Guillermo Farm
Riverside, CA
951-454-6476
Maui onions are grown on the upper slopes of Haleakala, a dormant volcano in Maui, Hawaii, and are praised for their sweet flavor and juicy texture. They're among the first spring onions to appear and are cultivated on less than four hundred acres of land. Marked as "Kula Grown" due to the volcanic soil, they can be eaten raw and are used in diverse recipes by chefs and home cooks alike.
Fresno Evergreen
Maui onions have been cultivated on the slopes of Mt. Haleakala, a dormant volcano in Maui, Hawaii, since the early 20th century. Known for their sweet and mild flavor, these onions are grown in volcanic soil, which enhances their unique taste. They are available in limited quantities at grocery stores in Hawaii and select specialty grocers and online retailers in the mainland United States.
Gaytan Family Farms
Riverside CA
Maui Onion Festival: Every April or May, Whalers Village at Ka’anapali Resort in Maui hosts a festival dedicated to the Maui onion. Since 1990, the event draws thousands with live entertainment, gourmet food, cooking demos, and unique onion-themed games. A highlight is the raw Maui onion eating competition, showcasing its sweet, non-pungent flavor. This free festival celebrates the unique qualities of this regional specialty.
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