Is it possible to freeze onions in the freezer, how to store them in the refrigerator

FAQ

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Onions are a versatile vegetable, tasty, aromatic and very healthy. What can you cook from it? Yes, almost everything! Appetizers, soups, main dishes and even desserts, and they also bake bread with it. When making supplies for the winter, few housewives think about freezing onions, because they are stored for a long time and are sold in stores almost all year round. However, there are several reasons that justify such preparations.

“It is golden and elastic, a round onion is useful to everyone” - note that the heads of elongated oval, broadly ovoid, transversely elliptical and other shapes are no less useful

The first and main reason is the need to process the “substandard” part of the crop , which will not last long and will not have time to be used up. In addition, freezing onions for the winter in the freezer makes sense if:

There is no dry and cool cellar. Ideal conditions for preserving the harvest throughout the winter: temperature around 0 ℃, good ventilation and low humidity (you will also find detailed information about various methods of storing onions on the pages of our website).

Residents of ordinary apartments have probably encountered the problem of bulb germination. A week or two after purchase, they become soft to the touch, and green feathers appear instead of a dry tail.

Place the onion in a container filled with water with a neck of suitable diameter (so that only the lower half of the turnip is immersed in water) and place it on the kitchen windowsill.

Plastic egg trays are well suited as containers for forcing green feathers at home.

The green feathers will begin to grow actively, and within a few days you will be able to add fresh greens to your lunch or dinner. And, unfortunately, you will have to go to the store again to get new bulbs.

For those who are interested in the possibility of growing green onions on a windowsill, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with useful tips.

You cook a lot often. A lot of dishes (almost 90%) contain chopped onions in their recipes. Chopping takes a significant amount of time, and you have to “take extra measures” every time to cut raw onions without crying. Do you know how to do this and not cry? Here are a few secrets:

if you have a gas stove or surface, turn on several burners before starting work; alternatively, you can light a candle;
Chill the onion in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before slicing;
periodically wet the knife blade with cold water;
Take water into your mouth and hold until you have cut everything, or chew mint gum.

Another way is to choose sweet varieties, they are usually less tear-producing.

You don’t like the pungent smell and taste. In order to get rid of bitterness and the characteristic sharp taste, it is recommended to pre-marinate the vegetable or pour boiling water over it. Freezing saves the housewife from these problems, although the thawed product will no longer be as crispy.

How to store onions in the refrigerator

It is recommended to store onions in a cellar or basement, but in urban apartments it is quite difficult to ensure such maintenance. Housewives buy onions in small portions and put them in the refrigerator, but is this possible? Onions can be stored in the refrigerator, but they need to be provided with the correct conditions:

place in the vegetable drawer;
place in a bag or airtight food container;
isolate from other vegetables.

The shelf life reaches several months. If the vegetable is peeled, the storage time is noticeably reduced. The product must be placed in an airtight container, otherwise it will dry out and the rest of the food will absorb its bright smell.

Attention! Onions do not retain their properties well and can germinate in the refrigerator, so if it is not possible to provide the vegetable with other conditions, you should not buy it in large quantities. The product will simply rot in the refrigerator if stored for a long time; its maximum shelf life will be 2 months.

Common Mistakes

When freezing this vegetable for the first time, many housewives make mistakes that affect not only the shelf life of the product, but also its taste:

Selecting containers that are not suitable for storage. Frozen vegetables should be stored in airtight containers. Otherwise, there is a risk of foreign odors and water entering.
Re-freezing. The workpiece must be frozen only once. Repeated freezing is considered unacceptable.
Wrong packaging. Before freezing, vegetables must be packaged in small portions.
Failure to comply with temperature conditions. Frozen onions should be stored at a constant temperature, which should not exceed -20 degrees Celsius.

Basic recommendations for freezing onions

If you follow simple rules, freezing onions can be simplified and made more effective:

Any onion is suitable, regardless of the type and size of the heads;
freezing can be provided at any time of the year;
the vegetable must be in good condition, without any flaws, rot, signs of spoilage or mold.

The following are used as containers for freezing:

freezer-safe plastic food containers;
bags with zip closure;
bags for vacuum storage (special device required);
simple plastic bags.

The key condition is the tightness of the container. The bag with peeled vegetables or sliced onions should be tightly closed. If you use ordinary bags, you should try to squeeze out as much air as possible from them. The penetration of oxygen leads to spoilage of the product due to increased humidity.

It is better to freeze in portions, packing in each container the volume of product required for one-time use. If blanks are made at different times, the positions must be marked, indicating:

date;
volume of product inside the package;
pre-freezing processing method used.

The preparations should be frozen and stored at a temperature of about -18 degrees. The recommended storage time for onions in the freezer is 6 months, after which the product will lose its beneficial properties.

Freezing raw onions

The easiest way is to freeze onions for the winter in the freezer in their raw form. The required number of onion heads must be peeled and immersed in water before slicing to avoid tearing.

You can cut the vegetable in any convenient way:

half rings;
rings;
cubes.

The crushed product is laid out in bags for freezing, dividing the volume required for one-time preparation and the air is released from them. Send the product to the freezer. Fresh frozen onions are used to prepare hot dishes, but you need to take into account that they lose their structure and become more watery.

Attention! It should be taken into account that onions, even after freezing, emit a specific odor, so it is recommended to store them in an airtight container, away from foods that can absorb the odor.

Fried onion

Onions are frozen not only raw, but also fried. The process is carried out according to the following algorithm:

the onion is peeled and cut as necessary;
put in a frying pan with vegetable or butter and fry until golden brown;
put the roast in a porcelain container and wait for it to cool;
After complete cooling, place in a zip bag.

The bag is stored horizontally so that its contents become a thin layer. As necessary, break off the portion required for preparing the dish.

Overall

This freezing method is used extremely rarely; the feasibility of creating blanks of this kind can be challenged. The dubiousness of the method lies in the fact that onions as a whole, unpeeled, can be successfully stored in the refrigerator and at room temperature.

If a few extra heads are accidentally peeled, they are frozen for later use when cooking broth or hot dishes. It is recommended to pre-blanch the vegetable by immersing it in a container of boiling water for several minutes (5 minutes is enough for a medium-sized head). It is worth noting that defrosting is also achieved by blanching.

In the ice

If the hand has lost some of its structural and appearance qualities, it is recommended to freeze it using vegetable oils. Refined sunflower or olive oil is suitable. The preparation is provided in this way:

peel the onion, cut off the damaged parts;
the vegetable is placed in a blender or passed through a meat grinder;
the resulting puree is laid out in ice trays;
add 1 tsp of vegetable oil to each compartment;
put in the freezer for 5-7 hours.

After freezing, the onion cubes are transferred to a storage container, and the container can be reused.

In a plastic bottle

Onions can be frozen in a plastic bottle. Such a container has many advantages: low cost, convenient dispenser and tightness. Using this method, you can freeze only finely chopped onions; the particles should easily pass through the neck. You should not place vegetables that have been put through a blender into such a container.

It is important to follow these rules when preparing the workpiece:

Immediately after cutting, onions should not be placed in a bottle.
The cut cubes should be placed on a tray or cutting board and placed in the freezer for several hours.
To make it convenient to pour the slices into the neck and pour it out of it, you should wrap it in food foil, forming a funnel.
After filling, the bottle is sent to the freezer.

Attention! Trying to compact the onion as tightly as possible is not a good idea. Voids are necessary with this harvesting method.

Schnitt

How to freeze chives for the winter? Chives, known as chives, have a bright, rich flavor that is reminiscent of a mixture of regular onions and garlic . Very often, chives are used as a special seasoning for a wide variety of dishes.

If you are a lover of this plant and want to preserve it for the winter, then freezing is the best way to prepare it. In order to properly freeze chives, you must follow the instructions:

Rinse cut onion feathers with cold running water.
Trim off the roots and wilted leaves of the onion.
Dry the onion on a towel or sheet of paper. is completely dry before placing it in the freezer , since when the plant is frozen with residual water, the taste of the product is significantly reduced.
It is also important that the chives dry on their own in the air, since external mechanical impact on them (for example, wiping with a towel) can damage the delicate feathers and loss of aroma.
Chop the onion with a knife to the size usually used for cooking.
Place chopped onion in freezer bags.
Place the bags in the freezer.
Smooth out the slices in the bag in a horizontal layer (for uniform freezing), remove excess air, close or tie tightly.

How to defrost onions

Most often, the product is added to a hot dish frozen, and then brought to a boil again, but in case of urgent need, a vegetable shredder can be defrosted in the following ways:

move the packaging to the refrigerator;
place the frozen briquette in cold water;
leave for several hours at room temperature;
use the defrost function in the microwave oven.

When using a microwave, you need to set the power to minimum, otherwise the onions will be baked.

Recommendations from experienced housewives

When freezing onions, remember that they will have a fairly strong odor for the first few weeks. There is a risk that other products will be saturated with it. Therefore, experienced housewives advise freezing onions in a separate empty drawer in the freezer. When the product freezes well, other vegetables will “take root” next to it.

You should avoid re-freezing and take out exactly as much onion as you plan to spend at one time . As a result of contact with air, the taste is lost, and re-freezing becomes pointless.

Some housewives cut onions for freezing and first lay them out in one layer in a deep plate or tray, cover them with cling film and put them in the freezer for several hours. And then they take it out and pour it into special storage bags. This way the vegetable freezes faster and better.

Freezing green onions

Green onions can be bought in the supermarket all year round, but they are unlikely to be as healthy as seasonal homemade greens, so thrifty housewives try to freeze this product for future use. There are several freezing methods, each of them convenient in its own way. Therefore, it is advisable to choose the optimal one depending on the purposes of subsequent use.

Green onions need to be properly prepared:

select elastic feathers of bright green color;
trim yellow leaves and remove dried ends;
rinse the greens several times to remove all contaminants;
place the product on a napkin;
wait until the moisture is completely removed.

Attention! Green onions should be cut into rings of medium thickness, because small ones can fall apart.

Freezing is provided using the following methods:

Classical. The chopped onions are laid out on trays and placed in the freezer and left for 3-4 hours. After freezing, the onions are placed in a container and sent back to the freezer.
In a silicone container with water. The container is filled to the top with chopped onions, and then purified water is poured into it. The container is sent to the freezer until completely frozen. The contents are removed from the mold and placed in a bag for permanent storage.
Freezing green onions with butter. High fat oil is left at room temperature for 1 hour. The onion is cut into small rings and poured into a container. After softening, mix the butter with the onion and place in molds for freezing cubes. This oil is used for sandwiches or simply added to soup.

Using a similar scheme, green onions are frozen not only with butter, but also with vegetable oil. This method is simple and allows you to extend the shelf life of the product. When storing green onions with butter, it is about 2 months, and through the use of vegetable oil, it increases to six months.

Storage and use

The shelf life of frozen onions in the freezer is approximately 2-6 months and depends on the harvesting method and freezing temperature. It is optimal to keep the product at a temperature of -18 degrees, then it will retain its nutritional value, benefits and aroma for six months.

Frozen greens are not used for vegetable salads. The product can be used in the preparation of soups, as a filling for pies, and added to omelettes. Onions frozen in cubes with butter are used for sandwiches. Green onions should not be defrosted under hot water or in the microwave. Under the influence of heat, it will lose its beneficial properties and turn into green mush.

Can supplies be placed in the freezer?

Onions are a source of vitamins and nutrients, and many dishes cannot be imagined without them, which makes them in demand among housewives.

Let's find out whether it is possible to store onions in the freezer. Answer: yes. This is especially true for small workpieces. In this case, freezing will be the best option for preserving onions for further use .

This method is also suitable when you accidentally cut much more onion than was needed for cooking, but will not use it in the near future. Some housewives freeze already chopped onions in order to speed up the cooking process in the future and not bother themselves with the process of chopping this vegetable.

Results

The opinion that onions cannot be frozen is erroneous. The chopped vegetable, like its greens, tolerates low temperatures well and retains its beneficial properties for six months. There are many ways to quickly and easily prepare onions for freezing; the most difficult thing is to choose the best one.

It is not recommended to store onions in the refrigerator; there the vegetable will quickly deteriorate due to non-compliance with the basic requirements for humidity conditions, therefore, if there is no alternative place for storage, you should not purchase the product in large quantities. If a large harvest is harvested, some can be peeled and frozen, and the rest can be sent to the balcony or placed in the cellar.

Onions keep well in the freezer, but the main problem is that they change their structure after storage. After defrosting, it cannot be added to salads, but can only be used for preparing hot dishes and snacks. This is a significant drawback that the frozen product has.

Video: Freezing onions for the winter

Freezing onions for the winter

Watch this video on YouTube

Video: How to freeze Green Onions for the Winter, an easy way.

How to freeze Green Onions for the Winter. A simple way to freeze onions for the winter.

Watch this video on YouTube

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Leek

How to freeze leeks for the winter? The taste and smell of leeks is much softer and sweeter than that of the plant we are used to, so freezing it will bring much less hassle due to the absence of a strong aroma .

Housewives often refuse the upper dark green leaves of onions because of their fibrous structure.

However, it is in this part of the plant that the maximum amount of useful substances , so dark leaves should also be harvested. Freezing leeks is done in the following way:

Peel the onion, removing any yellowed, wilted leaves.
Rinse with running water and dry on linen cloth or towel.
Without removing the leaves, leeks should be cut into small pieces (2-3 cm) and placed in plastic bags, divided into portions.
Remove excess air, tie tightly, place in freezer.

Leeks must be frozen at a temperature no higher than -18 degrees , but can be stored in conditions of -18...-5.

There is another way to freeze leeks, namely their stems :

After cleaning, the plant stems must be cooled. Cooling is carried out at a temperature of -2…+2 without packaging.
After 1-2 hours, the cooled onions are placed in plastic bags (no more than 8 stems in 1 bag).
Once the air has been removed from the bags, they should be placed in the freezer for further storage.

Read useful information about storing leeks on our website.

Rules for marinated preparation

In order for the vegetable to retain all its beneficial and taste properties for a longer period of time, it can first be lightly pickled in table salt.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Number of servings: 5

Energy value

calorie content – 89.6 kcal;
fats – 0;
proteins – 3.4;
carbohydrates – 19.

Ingredients

onions – 1 kg;
table salt – 350 g.

Step-by-step preparation

First, you need to process the main ingredient - selecting whole, unspoiled fruits, thoroughly clean them, wash them under a running stream and, after drying them from excess moisture, cut them in any convenient way (cubes, rings, half rings).
Then, transferring to a deep container, sprinkle with table salt and leave to marinate for about 7-8 minutes.
We place the resulting product in special plastic bags or sealed containers and, after pumping out excess air, close it tightly and store it in the freezer.

Important: just before cooking, you will definitely need to soak such a preparation in cool water for about half an hour so that all the excess salt comes out of it.

Freezing dried in the oven

To get rid of excess moisture and create conditions for greater preservation of frozen onions, you can first dry them a little in the oven.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Number of servings: 6

Energy value

calorie content – 134.5 kcal;
fats – 5;
proteins – 3.4;
carbohydrates – 19.

Ingredients

onions – 1.2 kg;
olive oil – 30 ml.

Step-by-step preparation

We set the temperature on the oven thermostat to 180℃ and leave it to warm up, and in the meantime, let’s get on with the rest of the preparatory processes.
We peel fresh vegetables, wash them under a cold running stream and, after wiping them dry with paper napkins, chop them in the way you need.
Take a large baking sheet and, grease it with olive oil, spread the chopped onions on it. Place the container in the preheated oven for approximately 5-7 minutes.
After the specified time, remove from the oven and cool. Place the cooled, dried vegetable into special bags in portions (always leave free space, as the onion will increase in volume during freezing), label it with a sticker and transfer it to the freezer for storage.

Where to apply

Fragrant green onions are suitable for preparing first and second courses, casseroles, meatballs, omelettes, savory pies and pancakes, and sauces.

Depending on the freezing method, green onions are added as a dressing to many dishes.:

cubes with water for hot first courses.
Greens with butter go well with potatoes, meat and fish, and go well with sandwiches.
Chopped greens from bags and containers are added to main courses, casseroles, pancakes, pancakes, and pies.
Blanched onions are good in soups and main courses.
For salads, it is better to use carefully thawed feathers .

Recipe for preparing raw food for the winter

It is worth remembering that the vegetable will lose some of its taste. Therefore, it cannot be consumed without heat treatment, for example, for preparing salads. But you can add it to soups, main courses and baked goods without any problems.

onion 1 kg

Reviews

Many housewives who have tested the method of freezing green onions from their own experience were satisfied with the result. Here are some reviews on this topic.

Anastasia, Moscow : “I liked the method. Last year I froze a lot of these preparations, the onions tasted like fresh ones. I added a little to soups and egg pies.”

Valentina, Kazan : “I froze the greens in cubes with water and butter. What you need for potatoes is butter and onions at once. Thanks to water, the taste and aroma are perfectly preserved. I prepare all the excess greens this way.”

Lyudmila, St. Petersburg : “I have been using frozen onions in winter for soups and pies for a long time. I love greens both dried and frozen. The taste is preserved well. The family loves it!”

How to store after blanching

One of the best methods for freezing food is to blanch it first. During this process, a kind of protective film is created on the vegetable, which prevents it from losing its beneficial properties, and also allows it to maintain its juiciness and taste characteristics. This processing method slows down the action of enzymes and promotes better storage.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Number of servings: 5

Energy value

calorie content – 89.6 kcal;
fats – 0;
proteins – 3.4;
carbohydrates – 19.

Ingredients

onions – 1 kg;
water – 4 l;
table salt – 60 g.

Step-by-step preparation

Wash the peeled vegetables thoroughly, dry them with paper towels and chop them into small cubes.
After this, take a deep container, fill it with 4 liters of clean water and, sending it to a medium flame, bring it to a boil. As soon as the liquid begins to bubble, add 2 tablespoons of salt, stir and place the chopped onion in boiling water for literally 15-20 seconds.
We place the scalded product on a culinary sieve and immediately transfer it to ice or rinse it under ice water - this must be done in order to stop the heat treatment. Leave the cooled vegetable in the kitchen utensil until all the water has drained.
We put the resulting workpiece into bags in portions, sign it, not forgetting to indicate the freezing date, and put it in the freezer.

How to choose and prepare the product correctly

Fresh onions of bright color are suitable for preparing the preparation. You can take both feathers and the white part. The greatest amount of useful substances is contained in the white part of the onion. The amount of vitamins decreases towards the top.

The light color of the onion means that it has already lost half of its nutrients.

It is better to freeze greens immediately after cutting. If the feathers have been cut off for three days, then they are no longer as fortified.

In dry weather, onion beds require daily watering. Only in this case will the greens be juicy.