Can You Freeze Green Onions? Here’s All You Should Know
Updated on March 28, 2023
When I was younger, if I was served a meal containing green onions, I would always push them to the side. Now, ironically, I find myself eating them almost every day! You can only imagine how that came about, but one of the main reasons was because of the knockout combination green onions – otherwise known as scallions – offer.
Not only are they delicious add-ons to protein-based dishes, but they’re also highly nutritious. Typically, you’ll find green onions in stir-frys, salads, sauces, and marinades. You’ll also find that, when thinly sliced, they release more of their flavor. With so much nutrition and versatility, it is no wonder you want to buy these delicious vegetables in large quantities when you see them on offer at the supermarket or farmer’s market. However, they only last up to 10 days in the refrigerator.
Can You Freeze Green Onions?
So can you freeze green onions? The answer is yes you can freeze green onions for up to 12 months, and the best part; there is no need for special preparations such as blanching or steaming. Simply wash, dry, and freeze.
Can You Freeze Fresh Green Onions?
You can absolutely freeze fresh green onions. However, I wouldn’t rush to do so. Green onions aren’t expensive to find in grocery stores, and they have a long shelf-life. The only good time to freeze fresh green onions is if they’re going to be surrounded by other moldy products or exposed to high temperatures.
The good thing about green onions is that they’re easy to find in supermarkets and farmers’ markets. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about whether or not you’ll be able to find them on any given day.
Green onions typically last 1-2 weeks in your fridge, however, you can always freeze them and prolong their shelf life for 10-12 months.
However, after being frozen, the texture will change – the stem and bulb soften while the green parts toughen. Do not fear. This is a normal part of the freezing process.
Can You Freeze Green Onion Tops?
Yes, you can freeze green onion tops. Every part of the plant can be frozen and maintained for 10-12 months in the freezer.
The only reason you wouldn’t necessarily want to freeze the tops of your green onions would be if you were trying to save space in your freezer.
If you choose to keep the onions intact as purchased, you can simply cut the tops off from the rest of the onion and use them as desired.
Can You Freeze Green Onion Scallions?
Scallions and green onions are often interchangeable words in most regions of the world, which means that if you freeze green onions, you can freeze green onion scallions.
Once ready to use, scallions can be puréed or mashed, ready for savory pancakes.
They can also be grilled to use in noodles or baked goods as they add a lot of flavor to your chosen dish. Scallions are commonly used in many Asian dishes and are frequently one of their main ingredients.
Any kind of stir-fry, soup, salad, or sandwich can be enhanced by using green onion scallions.
Can You Freeze Dry Green Onions?
Freeze drying green onions is an effective way to keep your onions fresh while in the freezer. So, yes, you can freeze dry green onions. It’s often recommended to wrap your green onions in a bag before putting them in the freezer, and the tighter you wrap them, generally, the fresher they stay.
As for most freezing processes, extracting the air from any sealed container or bag before freezing ensures long-lasting preservation.
Drying the vegetable allows moisture to be removed. This is crucial in preventing the growth of molds and bacteria. This is also why many store-bought packaged foods (including fruits and vegetables) can have such long shelf-lives. The lack of water retention and exposure to outside air and bacteria keeps foods, in this case, green onions, from going bad.
Onions are primarily at risk to bacteria once they are exposed to air. Hence, it is imperative they are in air-tight containers before freezing.
How Do You Freeze Green Onions?
There are five easy steps to freezing your onions, but it’s essential to know that to keep them fresh, you must control their moisture levels.
If green onions have excess moisture, they will rot. However, the following process will ensure that your onions are dry, stay fresh, and taste delicious weeks and months later.
Step 1
Cut off the roots. After removing the green onions from the package, line them up and remove their roots.
Step 2
Chopped them in preparation for freezing
Step 3
Dry the green onions.
As I said earlier, the key to preserving freshness in green onions is controlling their moisture. You must rub them down with a paper towel and remove all excess water before freezing them.
Step 4
Place the dry green onions on a tray lined with baking paper.Ensure your tops, and scallions are spread on a single layer without touching.
Put the tray in the freezer for p to 30 minutes or until your green onions are firm to the touch. This process will prevent the green onions from clamping together.
Step 5
Place them in a freezer bag & freeze them.
Transferred your pre-freeze green onions into freezer bags. Make sure you write the date on the bag, so you remember when they will reach their expiration date. After that, put them in your freezer.
How Do You Use Frozen Green Onions?
When you freeze green onions, you change their texture. Due to this change in texture, it’s often not recommended to continue to eat them raw. This means that you should avoid eating them as part of salads, vegetable platters, on their own, and so forth.
Instead, you should continue to use your green onions in soups, stews, marinades (when grilled or cooked), and sauces.
Raw green onions, even after freezing, can be used as delicate finishing touches to meals. These meals can include soups or stews, meat dishes that are grilled or sautéed, and dips. Other examples are eggs that range from sunny side up to scrambled, potato salads, omelets, and side garnishes for hard-boiled eggs.
The versatility of these green onions is endless. They add extra color, flavor, and freshness to so many different meals. Another popular way to use them is on stir-fried vegetables and other similar meat dishes.
Since green onions’ strength of taste decreases when frozen, you can actually use them in a few baking dishes. From biscuits to cornbread and everything in between, green onions add a subtle punch and crunch to your baked goods (and your kids won’t even notice them!).
How Long Do Frozen Green Onions Last?
If you follow the previous steps, your frozen green onions will last in the freezer for 10-12 months.
That being said, there is no actual expiration date on frozen green onions. The advised 10-12 months indicates the time where the green onions will be in ideal condition.
How To Thaw Green Onions
Green onions will thaw as you cook them, so if you follow all 5 steps mentioned above, you can simply remove your preferred serving size of onions. Then, add them directly to whichever recipe you’ve decided to create.
The only other situation would be if your green onions were frozen whole; in that case, you’d be best to transfer them from your freezer to your fridge. Allow them to thaw overnight, and then use the green onions as desired.
Conclusion
Green onions are jam-packed with flavor and are a great addition to most hot meals. I remember when I first started adding onions into the pan with my proteins and realizing how much of a difference they made to the overall taste experience.
When it comes to freezing your onions, make no mistake, that if done correctly, they will be ready for consumption for a long time after they are frozen, but for now, enjoy them fresh.