Spring onions bring a subtle onion flavour without it becoming dominant. That’s why they’re so popular both in cooked and uncooked dishes such as salad. But how can you store spring onions for the long term?
Can You Freeze Spring Onions?
Yes, you can freeze spring onions for up to 3 months. Spring onions are one of the easiest vegetables to freeze. To freeze them, wash, bag up and then place them into the freezer.
Do Do Spring Onions freeze well? Sometimes
Can you refreeze Spring Onions? No
How to Freeze Spring Onions
There are a few things you’ll want to consider when freezing spring onions or scallions (more on that further on in this article). But first, here’s my preferred method for the best way to freeze them:
- Wash and Peel
Prepare your onions by washing them and peeling away any outer layers. You could freeze them whole or for ease of use later chop them up. If you are freezing them whole, cut off any excess stalk before freezing.
- Chop
Cut the spring onions into rings. Simply consider how you normally use spring onions and slice them up accordingly. Don’t throw out the green parts, they’re still loaded with flavour perfect for soups, stews and stocks.
- Bag Up
Pop the prepared spring onions into a freezer bag. Or if you want to portion them out pop perfectly portioned-sized handfuls into freezer bags. Label the bags with the date and contents.
- Freeze
Put them in the freezer, where you can store them for around 3 months.
Use an Airtight Container
If you’re worried about your entire freezing smelling of fresh spring onions, then store them in an airtight container and away from foods that can absorb odours easily, such as ice cream. No one wants onion-scent vanilla ice cream.
Yes, you can freeze spring onions whole, but you need to consider whether that’s the most efficient way of freezing them. Consider how you usually use them and prepare them accordingly.
Whether you slice, chop, dice or mince spring onions, they can all be frozen. Portion them into freezer bags, seal and freeze for up to 2 months.
I’ve not found flash-freezing spring onions in a single layer beneficial. It can be a good idea to shake the bag of spring onions after 30 minutes to prevent them from clumping entirely.
How Long Can You Freeze Spring Onions?
You can freeze spring onions for up to 2 months without losing too much flavour or their crisp texture. You will soon find yourself adding spring onions to all recipes so they wonāt need to last too long in the freezer.
If you have an abundance that you canāt get through in time then you could also consider pickling them to keep them edible for a later use!
Spring onions have a particularly long storage time in the fridge. They will keep for around 2 weeks in the fridge.
How Do You Defrost Spring Onions?
If you are throwing a handful of spring onions into a recipe or a delicious meal then the good news is you donāt need to worry about thawing them out at all!
Just take the amount out of the freezer bag and pop it right into the cooking pot or frying pan.
If you do find that you need thawed spring onions then you need to pop them into a bowl and defrost them in the freezer for a couple of hours. You could also leave them out at room temperature for an hour or so.
Chopped spring onions should defrost fairly quickly so you shouldnāt have to wait too long.
Can You Refreeze Spring Onions?
Once you have thawed out spring onions you shouldnāt refreeze them as a raw ingredient again. If you have defrosted them for more than 24 hours you should throw them away.
However, if you have cooked up your onions into a meal then you should be able to freeze the leftovers without too many problems.
Do Spring Onions Freeze Well?
This depends on how you like to eat spring onions. If you are hoping to have fresh and crunchy spring onions to add to a salad then you might be a little disappointed. They do lose their fresh crunchy texture.
The flavour shouldnāt be affected but the texture will be and it wonāt quite be the same as you are used to.
The other thing to consider is that they must be stored airtight to prevent freezer burn. This is also why you need to remove any excess water after cleaning them.
Sources
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