noun

shallot

shuh-LAHT/ʃəˈlɑːt/

A small, mild onion-like bulb used in cooking.

The halved shallot reveals its layered interior beneath the copper-purple skin.

Three copper-purple shallots, one peeled and one halved showing layered interior.

Etymology

French échalote ultimately preserves the name of Ascalon, a Levantine seaport: the vegetable was called an “onion from Ascalon.” Shallot and scallion therefore share a place-name origin.

In context

Food Network0:23

i'm just going to zest one lemon in this olive oil it's so aromatic a couple of shallots and a couple of garlic cloves so just want to peel the shallot

Giada De Laurentiis' Linguine with Shrimp and Lemon Oil | Everyday Italian | Food Network

More examples

Cook the sliced shallots in butter until soft.
One small shallot gives the sauce a mild onion flavor.
Roasted shallots taste sweet alongside chicken and potatoes.

Forms

shallot · shallots

Similar words

onion: Usually larger, with a stronger flavor than a shallot.
scallion: Has a slender white base and long, edible green stalks.