Can You Freeze Onions?
Onions are a perfect addition to your freezer stash—as long as you prep them very carefully.
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Onions are a building block for pretty much every stew, sauce, and dinner dish. And generally, they'll last a few months if stored at cool temps (between 45 and 55 degrees)—but if you need to store the onions even longer, freezing onions can seem like a good idea.
But can you freeze onions safely? Yep. the nuances of storing this recipe essential.
Related: How to Store Onions So They Don't Stink Up Your Fridge
Can You Freeze Onions?
The short answer: Yes, you can freeze onions. And they'll last a while in the freezer, too. It usually takes about six months before frozen onions really start to decline in quality while they're in the freezer, so you'll have plenty of opportunity to use them before they start to lose flavor.
How to Freeze Onions Properly
Onions are a pretty hardy vegetable in general, so it's not too delicate to be popped in the freezer. But there are some secrets to freezing onions you need to follow to help you preserve the quality of your onions—and everything else in your fridge.
Prep your onions
Freezing whole onions is not really recommended—as it requires blanching, freezing, and then a slower thaw—to preserve the quality of the onions.
Related: How to Cut an Onion Like a Pro
Your best bet is to slice or dice the onions, depending on how you plan to use them.
jYou can also opt to pre-cook the onions, including caramelizing them. That way if you're making up a batch of caramelized onions, you can pop those in the freezer to make it super-fast to add them to your dishes.
Prefreeze your onions
If you don't want them all stuck together, you can take the extra step of spreading the onion slices or dices on a baking pan and freezing them first, so that they don't become a giant clump of onions in the freezer bag.
Wrap up your onions
Whenever you put things in the freezer, you should wrap the carefully to help keep air away from the surface to prevent the dreaded freezer burn. For chopped or sliced onions, wrap them in freezer-safe plastic wrap or a freezer-safe zip bag—then place them in a second sealed container to keep your onions safe and sound.
Keep your onions from adding odors to your other foods
Onions are...ahem...pretty pungent. And that smell could end up in places you definitely don't want them—like your favorite pint of ice cream. So make sure that your onions are well sealed in multiple layers of freezer-safe wrappings to help them keep their odors to themselves.
Use your onions when you're ready
If they're chopped or sliced, there's no need for you to thaw them before using.
Ways to Use Frozen Onions
Because freezing and thawing can change the texture of your onions, frozen onions are best used in cooked dishes—for instance, as part of a stew, casserole, or stew.
French Onion Soup Casserole
Caramelized onions add plenty of flavor to a standard mac and cheese for this creamy casserole. You can use caramelized onions that you've frozen, or caramelize the ones that you've already frozen.
Caramelized Onion and Apple Tart
Caramelized onions add depth to this apple tart. All you need in some creme fraiche and puff pastry to put this together.
Tofu Asada With Caramelized Onion Refried Beans
Caramelized onions add a deep, sweet note to your refried beans in this flavorful plant-based recipe.
Roast Beef and Onions
Quarter your onions when you prep them for freezing so it's easier to put this Sunday dinner special on the table.
Slow-Cooker Classic Beef Stew
A slow cooker is absolutely perfect for low-and-slow dishes like this tasty beef stew. Using baby carrots can help cut down on prep time, too.
No-Knead Onion Rolls
These easy onion rolls are even easier to make when you have the chopped onions ready to go in the freezer.
Deeply Caramelized Onion Dip
Have a lot of onions in the freezer? This tasty dip—perfect for chips or veggies—calls for six cups of onions!
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