Onions are used in so many recipes and dishes – buying them in bulk and preparing them in advance is a smart move. But whatās the best way to preserve chopped onions? Can you freeze them?Ā
Can You Freeze Chopped Onions?
Yes, chopped onions can be frozen for up to 6 months. You can buy fresh onions and prepare them yourself. You just need to bag them up and ensure theyāre tightly sealed. (Full Instructions Below)
Do Do Chopped Onions freeze well? Yes
Can you refreeze Chopped Onions? Yes
How to Freeze Chopped Onions
Freezing chopped onions saves you so much time in the kitchen. And it’s remarkably straight forward.
Below are the steps that you need to take to freeze chopped onions:
- Prepare
Assuming youāve bought fresh onions, begin by peeling each onion. You will need to remove the outer couple of layers. Then, slice them in half and cut them to whichever thickness you desire. Itās helpful if you can cut them as evenly as possible. - Flash Freeze
If you place finely chopped onions directly in a bag without flash freezing them, they will clump together. So, lay your onions out on a baking tray and place them in the freezer for an hour or so initially. - Add to Freezer-Safe Bags
Once they have frozen solid, remove the tray of onions from the freezer and add them to a freezer-safe bag. If you like the idea of freezing them in individual portion sizes, you can use several bags if you prefer. - Seal
When youāre happy with the number of chopped onions in each bag, push as much air as you can from the bag before sealing. - Label and Freeze
Write todayās date, as well as the use-by date of your chopped onions on the front of the bag, before placing them in the freezer. Remember, you can freeze chopped onions for around six months.
3 Tips for Freezing Chopped Onions
Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our Top 3 Tips for freezing chopped onions to have the best results:
Use Any Color Onion
You will find that white, red, yellow, and brown onions freeze extremely well, so you can freeze any variety. You can even mix them up in the same bag if you like to include both in your recipes.Ā
Donāt Chop Them Too Fine
When youāre chopping your onions, try not to cut them too fine. The finer they are, the more likely they are to deteriorate in flavour. Also, it makes life difficult if you want to use your frozen onions in different ways. If youāve chopped them slightly thicker, you can always slice them again before serving them if you choose.
Freeze Cooked Onions
While raw onions work best, if you have some cooked onions leftover, you can pack them up and freeze them too. The only difference is that cooked onions should only be frozen for around 2-3 months instead of six.
How Long Can You Freeze Chopped Onions?
You can freeze raw chopped onions for around six months. Providing theyāre sealed and protected from freezer burn, they should retain much of their taste and flavour until youāre ready to add them to your chosen recipe.
As mentioned, if youāre freezing cooked onions, you should only freeze them for around three months.
You Can Freeze Chopped Onions for up to 6 Months
How Do You Defrost Chopped Onions?
If youāre adding chopped onions to sauce or are planning to cook them before serving, you donāt actually need to defrost them. You can simply add them as if they were fresh and continue with your prep as usual.
However, if youāre planning to serve your onions raw, you can thaw them in the fridge. To do this, remove the serving that you require from the freezer and place the onions in the fridge for 4-5 hours.
By the time youāre ready to serve them, they should have thawed sufficiently.
Can You Refreeze Chopped Onions?
Yes, you can refreeze chopped onions. For instance, if youāve defrosted too many onions for a particular recipe, just return them to a freezer-safe bag and repeat the process as listed above.
The only thing to consider is that the more you defrost and refreeze chopped onions, the more likely they are to deteriorate in taste. If youāre going to refreeze chopped onions, we would only recommend doing it once.
Do Chopped Onions Freeze Well?
The bottom line is that raw chopped onions freeze really well. Make sure you buy onions that are firm and fresh, and you can peel and chop them before storing them in the freezer for up to six months.
Related FAQs
If you’ve still got questions about freezing chopped onions or onions in general, then these may help:
Sliced onions can be frozen much like chopped onions. Try not to slice them too thinly as they will break down far too quickly. Instead, keep the rings thick and then freeze them using the same method.
The best way to freeze onions comes down to how you use them. Freezing them chopped is a great way to freeze them as you can scoop a portion of onions out as and when you need them and use them from frozen.
