Are Onions more popular than Garlic?

Jere Folgert
Feb 1
9 min read

Updated: Aug 16

Early Settlers in America. Using Onions as Spice.

In the Beginning, early settlers in America had Onions.

Onions have been a cornerstone of human cuisine for a very long time. As European settlers ventured to the Americas, onions became an integral part of their agricultural pursuits and culinary traditions. In the early settlement of the United States, onions were a staple crop, with many colonists cultivating them in their gardens for their flavor, medicinal properties, and preservative qualities. Onions were used not only to add flavor to food but also to treat ailments such as colds, fever, and sore throats. While garlic was also known and used by European settlers, the varieties of garlic commonly consumed today, such as hardneck, were not widely cultivated or consumed during this period. Instead, early American settlers relied on onions, shallots and wild garlic, with garlic becoming more widespread in American cuisine later. The versatility and hardiness of onions made them an essential component of early American life, and their impact on the country's culinary development cannot be overstated.

These pungent bulbs were the unsung heroes of the colonial kitchen, adding depth and flavor to a variety of dishes. Imagine a hearty bison stew made with onions, carrots, and beef, simmered over an open fire. Or picture a simple yet satisfying meal of roasted onions and boiled potatoes, flavored with a bit of salt and pepper. Onions were also pickled in vinegar or salt brine to preserve them for longer periods, making them a tangy and crunchy addition to meals throughout the year.

Some popular onion-based dishes of the time included:

Pottage: a thick soup made with onions, vegetables, and sometimes meat
Fritters: sliced onions coated in a batter of flour, eggs, and water, then fried in lard or butter
Pies: savory pastries filled with onions, meat, and vegetables
Relishes: chopped onions mixed with vinegar and spices, served as a condiment

One of the most remarkable aspects of onions is their impressive storage life. When properly cured and stored in a cool, dry place, onions can last for several months. In fact, before the advent of refrigeration, onions were one of the few vegetables that could be kept through the winter months, making them a vital component of the colonial diet. Some varieties, like the 'Yellow of Parma', were prized for their long storage life, while others, like the 'Red Wethersfield', were valued for their sweet flavor and vibrant color. Whether used in cooking, medicine, or preservation, onions played a vital role in shaping the flavors and traditions of American cuisine.

Then, Garlic comes along.

While the colonial kitchen relied heavily on onions, the potent and versatile garlic was a late bloomer in American agriculture. Unlike the commonplace onion, garlic wasn't widely cultivated by early European settlers. It was more of a specialty item, a flavor found in the kitchens of specific ethnic groups, but not yet a staple of the broader American palate. The lack of commercial demand and the focus on crops essential for basic survival meant that garlic remained on the sidelines for much of the 18th and 19th centuries. It wasn't until the waves of immigration from Italy, Eastern Europe, and China in the late 19th and early 20th centuries that garlic began its powerful rise. These immigrants brought with them a deep culinary appreciation for the bulb and a tradition of planting garlic in the fall for a summer harvest, a practice they continued in their new home.

"Poor man's spice."

In colonial America, garlic wasn't a prominent ingredient in mainstream literature or recipes, as it was often considered a "poor man's spice" and associated with lower-class, non-English immigrant groups. The British-influenced colonial diet favored milder flavors. While there aren't many stories explicitly featuring garlic in colonial-era American literature, its presence would have been more common in the culinary traditions of specific European immigrant communities, such as those from Southern Europe.

By the mid-20th century, garlic had broken out of its niche and become a staple in American cooking, from Italian-American classics to a flavor-boosting addition in countless dishes. The commercial cultivation of garlic in the U.S. began to take hold in California, where the climate was ideal for its growth. Towns like Gilroy, California, would eventually earn the title of "Garlic Capital of the World," not just for their production but for their passionate celebration of the plant, including an annual garlic festival. This transformation from a forgotten foreign curiosity to a powerful, pervasive ingredient mirrors the very evolution of American cuisine itself, a vibrant and ever-changing mosaic of flavors brought from every corner of the globe. The quiet, pungent bulb, planted in the cool earth of autumn and harvested in the warmth of summer, is a symbol of how America's culinary landscape was forever changed by the people who brought their traditions and tastes to its shores.

For early American settlers, the onion was a quintessential flavor base, a versatile and hardy crop that was a cornerstone of both sustenance and medicine. Its widespread cultivation and ability to store well made it an indispensable part of life and cuisine. While garlic was known, it was not the dominant culinary ingredient it is today. Garlic's rise to prominence in American cooking is a more recent phenomenon, largely fueled by the influx of diverse immigrant cuisines—particularly from Southern Europe, Asia, and Latin America—that use garlic as a central, aromatic element. This cultural shift, beginning in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, transformed garlic from a niche ingredient to a mainstream staple. Today, both are fundamental, but onions still outpace garlic in terms of global production and consumption, though the latter is catching up. Worldwide, approximately 105 million tons of onions are produced annually, making them the second most cultivated vegetable after tomatoes, while garlic production is around 28 million tons. This demonstrates that while garlic has become a key player, the humble onion remains the global leader in sheer volume.

🧅 Onion & Garlic Usage Statistics 🧄

Global Production: Onions are produced in vastly greater quantities globally. In 2021, world production of garlic was 28 million tons, while onion production was estimated at approximately 105 million tons per year.
Per Capita Consumption: Consumption varies significantly by country. For example, the average American eats about 18.8 pounds of onions annually, but only about 2 pounds of garlic. In contrast, countries with cuisines heavily reliant on garlic, such as China, have a much higher per capita consumption, reaching an average of 14.3 kg (about 31.5 pounds) per person per year.
Nutritional Density: Despite lower consumption, garlic is denser in nutrients than onions. Garlic contains more protein, carbohydrates, and minerals like iron, phosphorus, and zinc. It also boasts significantly higher levels of vitamins, including ten times more vitamin B6 and four times more vitamin C than onions.
Health Benefits: Both vegetables are known for their health benefits, primarily due to organosulfur compounds. These compounds have been linked to anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, and studies suggest they may have a protective effect against certain cancers and cardiovascular diseases.

Recipes and Culinary Use

Garlic's use in early American cooking was limited but not nonexistent. It would have been found in:

Beets Dressed with Garlic: A recipe from Colonial Williamsburg describes simmering beets with scallions and garlic. This shows that garlic was used for flavoring vegetables.
Meat, Carrot, Potato Soup with Garlic: A recipe from Colonial times, that describes cooking rabbit, squirrel, venison with home-grown carrots and potatoes, and lots of garlic.
Medicinal "Cures": Folk remedies and tonics often included garlic. Its powerful antibacterial and antifungal properties—thanks to compounds like allicin—made it a natural choice for treating colds, fevers, and other ailments.

A Shift in American Tastes

The real rise of garlic in America is a fascinating story of immigration and cultural assimilation. It was the influx of Italian, Greek, and other Mediterranean and Eastern European immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries that truly brought garlic into the American culinary spotlight. They introduced classic dishes where garlic was a star ingredient, and its pungent aroma and flavor began to permeate beyond ethnic enclaves. This "garlic boom" transformed the American palate from its blander, British roots to the diverse and flavorful cuisine we know today.

The Science of the "Stinking Rose" 🧄

The pungent aroma of garlic comes from sulfur compounds like allicin, which are released when the clove is crushed or chopped. Allicin is a defense mechanism for the plant, protecting it from pests and diseases. This very chemical, when consumed by humans, has been studied for its potential health benefits, including its antimicrobial and cardiovascular properties. The process of planting garlic in the fall and harvesting in the summer is a reflection of its hardiness. Garlic, an allium, is a cool-weather crop that needs a period of cold to stimulate the bulb to divide into cloves—a process known as vernalization. This is why planting hardneck "seed garlic" in the autumn is essential for a successful summer harvest, ensuring each clove you plant grows into a full, multi-clove bulb.

The Flavorful Journey of Onions and Garlic in Early America

1600s – Arrival of European Settlers

When English, Dutch, Spanish, and French settlers landed in the New World, they brought with them familiar staples from home: wheat, livestock, dried beans, and importantly, onions. Onions were practical, hardy, and long-lasting, making them perfect for a rough, unpredictable frontier life.

Common Uses: Onions were eaten raw in salads, cooked in stews and soups, and dried for winter storage. Colonists also planted onions early in their gardens because they were easy to grow in a variety of soils.
Fun Story: Pilgrims at Plymouth Colony kept onions in their gardens and traded them with Native Americans, who introduced them to wild garlic and ramps (wild leeks), expanding their culinary repertoire.

Typical recipe, 1620s-style:

Onion and Bean Pottage
- Boil dried beans with onions, a bit of salt, and herbs like sage or thyme (brought from Europe).
- Add a little bacon or salt pork if available. Simmer for hours over a fire.

1700s – Onions as Everyday Sustenance

By the 18th century, onions were a cornerstone of colonial diets. Settlers relied on them not just for flavor, but for nutrition and medicinal properties, including treatment for colds and minor infections. Onions were so valued they were often planted in rows around homesteads as both food and deterrents to pests.

Medicinal Uses: Colonists believed onions could prevent plague, reduce fevers, and even repel vermin when hung around homes. They were often made into simple poultices.
Recipes:
- Onion Broth: Slice onions thin, boil in water, add a pinch of salt. Sip for warming and medicinal effects.
- Fried Onions: Slice, dredge in cornmeal (once maize was adopted), and fry in lard or butter. A favorite accompaniment to meat or fish.

Late 1600s–1800s – Garlic Makes Its Entrance

Garlic, though already known in Europe, arrived slowly in the American colonies. Spanish settlers in Florida and California grew garlic in small amounts, primarily for medicinal purposes and less often for flavoring. English settlers were slower to adopt garlic, often viewing it as pungent or even unsophisticated.

Medicinal Uses: Garlic was praised for digestive support, immunity boosting, and as a natural antibiotic. It was sometimes used in tinctures or added to broths for the sick.
Culinary Use: By the late 1700s, garlic began appearing in ethnic recipes, particularly among German, Italian, and French Huguenot immigrants, who valued its pungent, flavorful qualities.

Fun Story: Thomas Jefferson, fascinated by European vegetables, experimented with garlic at Monticello. He described it in letters as “an herb of great strength, fit for sauces and pickles, but too strong for ordinary English palates.”

Historical Recipe – 18th Century Garlic Sauce:

Mash garlic cloves with salt and a little vinegar.
Mix with boiled greens or root vegetables as a spicy condiment.
Sometimes added to fish stews or meat pies for flavor and health benefits.

1800s – Garlic Gaining Popularity

As America diversified, immigrant communities expanded the use of garlic. Italian, French, and Eastern European immigrants in cities like New York, Boston, and New Orleans cultivated garlic in their gardens and markets. Meanwhile, onions remained ubiquitous, planted in every homestead garden from Maine to Georgia.

Onions in Literature: Diaries from the 1800s show onions were eaten daily—often raw with bread and butter, or caramelized over open fires.
Garlic in Medicine: Used in folk remedies to treat colds, scurvy, and as a general “strengthener” in tonic broths.

Recipe Idea – Garlic-Onion Pie (circa 1820s):

Prepare a basic pastry crust.
Sauté onions and garlic in butter until soft and aromatic.
Add eggs and milk, pour into crust, and bake.
Served as a hearty breakfast or light supper.

Conclusion

As we've seen, the journey of onions and garlic in the United States is a delicious chronicle of cultural convergence and scientific discovery. From the humble, indispensable onion that anchored colonial survival, to the once-feared garlic that now flavors everything from fine dining to backyard barbecues, their story mirrors the nation's own evolving palate. But it's not just about flavor. The very compounds that give them their pungent kick—organosulfur compounds like allicin in garlic and syn-propanethial-S-oxide in onions—are the same ones behind their legendary health benefits. These chemical marvels, released when the cell walls are crushed by a knife or teeth, have been shown to have antimicrobial properties and even potential cardiovascular benefits. Today, these alliums are no longer mere pantry staples but powerful, health-promoting ingredients, celebrated in kitchens across the country. Their history is a reminder that the best flavors and the deepest traditions are often found where cultures—and chemistry—collide.