The Italian Origins Of The Pacific Northwest's Iconic Walla Walla Onions

Folks from Washington go hard for the Walla Walla sweet onion. In fact, it became the state's official vegetable in 2007. But the beginnings of this particular allium go far beyond the Pacific Northwest — across an ocean or two, in fact.

The seed for the onion that would eventually become the Walla Walla sweet came from Corsica, an island in the Mediterranean Sea. Though Corsica is located just west of Italy and has strong Italian cultural influences from previous Roman, Pisan, and Genoese rulers, the region has been under French control since 1769. In the late 1800s, a French soldier named Peter Pieri brought this onion seed from Corsica to Walla Walla, Washington. There, Italian immigrants who had established themselves in the agricultural industry began growing it.

The ability of this variety — known as the French onion at the time — to withstand tough winter conditions made it particularly popular. To make it even more desirable, farmers in the region cultivated only the sweetest, largest, and roundest onions for replanting. Italian farmers John Arbini and Tony Locati are particularly well-known for their selective breeding that helped to make the Walla Walla sweet onion what it is, and it was Caroline Arbini who is said to have coined the name in the 1960s.

Walla Walla onions are noticeably sweet because they have less pyruvic acid than other varieties — that's the compound that gives onions their sharp bite. They also have a very high water content, which makes them delicate to the point where they have to be harvested by hand. True Walla Walla onions can only be grown in the Walla Walla valley, which spans from southeast Washington to northeast Oregon. They have to meet specific requirements, and genuine Walla Walla onion products can be identified by a specific seal.

Naturally, these onions are particularly well suited for preparations where you really want to play up their earthy sweetness, like TikTok's French onion pasta, smoky bacon jam, a savory onion tart, or a bowl of French onion soup. These onions especially love any kind of low and slow cooking to really bring out those caramelized notes. 

Because Walla Walla onions are so mild, they are also great to use in recipes that require raw onions. They do not have that biting pungency that makes onions unpalatable to many people, so they are perfect when thinly sliced and tossed in a leafy green salad, diced and piled on a hotdog, or used as a garnish on huevos rancheros or chilaquiles.