What to do with all those bulk onions? I almost always buy my onions in the 3 lb. bags, but used to end up on the losing end when half of them went bad. I've found a solution to that!
I dice up all the onions that I'm not going to use right away and put 2/3 cup of the chopped onions into ziplock bags. These bags go into the freezer until the onions are needed. I make a lot of soups and gumbos so the slightly limp texture is fine, and the taste is the same as fresh.
This also works for celery and bell peppers!
By Ann B. from New Orleans, LA
This page contains the following solutions.
Whenever you have part of an onion left over from the recipe you are making, don't throw it away, instead wrap it up in some foil or put in a kitchen container and freeze it.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
I recently received about 10 pounds of red onions and am looking for ways to use them up or save them. My mom said they don't freeze well... anyone have any luck with this?
we have a food dehydrator, we store lots of veggies and fruits that way, by dehydrating them first. once they are dehydrated, you can then freeze them to keep them longer.
my mom always diced them & put in storage for the freezer for soups or chili -
They freeze fine if chopped up. I keep bags of onions in my freezer to add to soups, omelets, salads, hamburger helper, etc. I freeze Vadalia sweet onions every year, and make & can sweet Vadalia relish, yummy! I love them so much I bought a Vadalia onion cookbook, lol. :>)
Jill
I've found that you can freeze them with great results, provided you don't want to use them raw once thawed. If you are going to cook them or add them into a recipe them you won't notice any problems with texture or flavour. To make them easier to use, chop them before freezing.
Try the Inn chef web site http://www.innchef.com - they were "Pickling" Red Onions today.
When you freeze them do you double bag them? If you single bag the onions does the odor permeate the rest of the freezer goods?
They last a long,long time in a leg cut from your stockings tie a knot between each onion so not to touch each other and hang. Easy to just snip one loose when you need to use too!
Can you freeze onion?
Hardiness Zone: 7a
By Franco from Fayetteville, AR
I dice the onions up and put them in baggies in the approximate amount that I think I will be needing for certain things.
I freeze onions all the time, chopped up and ready to use.
We buy bags of onions and cut up and freeze them in zip lock bags ready to use for cooking The only time we use freshly chopped onions is in potato salad.
Hello Franco, I often chop up a bag of onions, freeze them in a single layer on a cookie sheet in the freezer (helps draw out some of the excess moisture) and then divide them up into freezer bags to store in the freezer. They work great for most crock pot recipes, soups, stews, gravies, and some casseroles, but not for fresh salads or burgers.
I really don't notice the difference in flavor as much as the difference in texture. I don't use them as a "fresh" ingredient in potato salads (as Kathryen said) or any kind of salad, sandwich spread, etc. It's a great time saver if using them in dishes that need the flavor and not necessarily the crunch. Chop up a fresh one when needed!
This is great information! I'm glad you asked the question! I'll start freezing my onions from now on! Thanks everyone!
Can I freeze onions?
By Frank
No problem! Just cut, slice, or dice and place in freezer bags or freezer containers. The texture may change for eating raw, but for cooking, they are just fine. I do it all the time.
Yes you can! I dice them up and sometimes will add them to diced green onions and chopped celery. When I'm cooking it saves a ton of time to have these waiting and already prepped!
You can freeze just about anything that will be cooked when you thaw it. Like Binkylou says, they are great to have on hand. The best way is to chop them the way you want them, then spread them out on a baking sheet and freeze them like that. When they are good and hard, put them in a freezer bag. This way, you can take out a tablespoon or a cut, plus they thaw faster when not in one big clump.
Hi,
Yes, We freeze onions. Dice them or quarter them and freeze on a cookie sheet. When frozen, seal in a plastic bag. I usually double bag or wrap them to be sure they contain the smell.
Judy
Is cutting up onion and keeping it frozen carcinogenic or safe?
By zozo
I've never heard that frozen onions cause cancer. I've purchased frozen chopped onions at the grocery store, and haven't given it a second thought. I'm pretty sure I've purchased frozen stir fry mixes containing onion, and I think I've seen frozen onion rings.
I do it all the time, especially when onions are on sale. I use them for cooking only.
When freezing onions, do they have to be sliced? or can you freeze the whole onion?
By Ginger from OK
You can freeze the whole onion but unless you are going to put it in a soup whole or something, I'd suggest chopping it up. It's just easier to handle when you defrost it.
How do you freeze onions?
By Karen
Peel them, chop them and put them in freezer bags. You can freeze green peppers and celery this way too.
Ditto with what Lilac says :-) Just be sure to pat them dry after cutting and remove as much air as possible from the freezer bags to help prevent freezer burn.
What effect does it have on onions to freeze them when they are fresh?
By Jo Ann M
In my experience, they get kind of mushy when they're thawed, so not good to use in a recipe that needs fresh, crisp onions. I've had great success in pre-dicing them and then throwing them in the pan to carmelize for use in recipe that calls for that sort of thing (chili, soups, casseroles, etc...).
Please can someone tell me if you can freeze fried onions, and if so how?
By Dee from Essex
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I buy onion in 5 pounds or more. I prep all the onions at the same time to avoid wasting any of it. I peel them, quarter them, then toss into my blender to puree them. I use the zip lock snack size bags to measure out what one small/medium onion would be.
Can you freeze onions or will they last chopped in a container in the refrigerator for a week?
Bulb onions store well in a cool, dry place. Freezing is usually not recommended since onions change flavor when frozen.
If you like cooking with chopped or diced onions but don't like spending extra money buying prepared onions, try making your own.
