How To Store Green Onions To Keep Them Fresh

The key to making green onions fresh for long starts from the moment you buy them. Look for these signs to see if the green onions are stale.

Slimy Texture: Stale green onions develop a slimy texture or stickiness, especially around the bulbs or the white sections of the base.

Discoloration: If the green onion stalks are yellow or brown, they will not last long. 

Wilting: If the dark green stems seem dry and are not a vibrant green, do not buy them.

Smell: Stale green onions have an acrid smell and should be avoided.

Fresh green onions have a beautiful color with a pungent onion smell. Once you buy the onions, place them near the top of your grocery bag to avoid crushing them. 

After you get home, 

• Do not cut the bulb off of the onions.
• Do not place them in a cold and freezing fridge.

You might be used to keeping your leafy herbs in the fridge, but they thrive best at room temperature. You store them as you would fresh-cut flowers. This method is ideal for onions with roots still intact on their bulb.

How To:

• Remove dry, straggly leaves
• Rinse the onions under cold water. Be gentle, as they bruise easily
• Place the onions in a heavy-bottomed glass tall enough to hold the scallions 
• Fill the glass with cold or room temperature water till it covers the roots, about an inch or two.
• Place the jar on the windowsill in your kitchen, away from 
• Change or add water every couple of days, as needed.

If you store it this way, your onions will not only stay fresh but will also continue to grow!

Also, keeping the onions on your kitchen counters reminds you to use them. If you keep them in the fridge, the green onions might get buried amongst other veggies, and you might forget about them. 

If there is too much sunlight in your kitchen or you do not have a windowsill, you can store green onions in the fridge.

The method is almost the same as the one above but with a few extra steps involving a plastic bag.

How To:

• Place the green onions in a glass with room-temperature water to cover the roots.
• Cover the green onions with a plastic bag and then cinch the glass with a rubber band around the bag where it meets the mouth of the jar.
• It does not have to be tight. It should be just right to keep in the humidity.
• Place the glass in the fridge where it likely will not topple upon opening/closing.
• Replace the water every couple of days.

Make sure you place the green onions where you can see them so you remember to use them. 

The first two methods are ideal for green onions with roots still intact. If your herb does not have roots, use the damp paper towel method, where you use a paper towel and storage bag instead of placing the herbs in a jar.

How To:

• First, wrap the green onions in a slightly damp paper towel to provide the herbs with the humidity needed for proper storage.
• The paper towel should not be wet or dripping as it can promote rotting. 
• If you want, you can wrap the green onion first and then sprinkle the towel with water.
• Once wrapped, place the scallions inside a ziplock bag and a crisper drawer. 
• Re-moisten the paper towel if it is dry and replace it if it is too wet.

You can store your green onions in the crisper drawer if you will use them within a few days. The crisper drawer maintains the ideal humidity for your herbs and veggies to ensure they stay fresh longer.

For this method, you do not have to do anything. You just place the green onions directly in the crisper drawer. You do not have to unpack, wash, or cut them. 

If, for some reason, you are unable to use the green onions within a day or two and they are going limp, you can store them using any of the methods mentioned above to keep them fresh for a few more days.

If you don't store green onions properly, meaning at room temperature in the container or even in the plastic it came in, they will only last a day or two. Store them in the crisper drawer, and they might last a few days.

But when you store them with some good methods, such as with the fresh cut flower method or the method with a damp paper towel, they will astonishingly last from one to three weeks.

Remember to keep a little humidity whatever method you apply. Also, if in the refrigerator, check for dry and wilted leaves on the onions; and at room temperature, remember that water changes are needed.

If you want to extend the shelf life of your green onions because it is harvest season and there is a surplus, or you want to keep extra stock for winter when it is scarce, below are some of the methods you can use:

Vacuum Sealing

You can also vacuum-seal your green onions if you have one at home. For this method, separate your green onions into single portions needed for your meals.

Portioning out increases convenience as you do not have to keep resealing the bags. And remember to label each bag so that you know which ones you should use. 

How To:

• Remove any damaged or wilted parts and trim the ends.
• Rinse the onions and pat dry completely. Cut your green onions according to the size of the vacuum-sealing bags.
• Arrange the cut green onions in the vacuum-sealing bags in a single layer.
• Seal the bag. 
• Place the vacuum-sealed bags in the fridge for anywhere between three weeks to six months.

Freezing

If you do not own a vacuum sealer, you can freeze your green onions. The texture differs from fresh green onions, but they will last four months in the freezer.

You can use them in soups, stews, sauces, or garnish.

How To:

• Wash the green onions well and pat them dry.
• Cut away the roots if they are still intact.
• Separate the white parts/bulb of the onions and the leaves if you use them differently in recipes.
• Chop both the bulbs and the leaves into smaller pieces.
• Spread the chopped bulbs and leaves on separate parchment paper-lined baking sheets and freeze for about 2 hours. This prevents clumping.
• After two hours, transfer the frozen goods to a tightly sealed freezer bag or container. Again, keep the bulbs and leaves separate.
• Remove all air from the bag before sealing.
• You can use them straight from the freezer for most recipes or thaw them in the fridge first.

Dry Green Onions

The best thing about drying green onions is it's just similar to drying onions. You sprinkle it in potato, rice, or pasta dishes as a garnish.

You can substitute other herbs with your dried green onions in baking recipes. You can add them to soups and casseroles. As a general guideline, one Tbsp dried green onions = 1/4 cup raw green onions.

How To:

• Remove stale parts of the green onions.
• Chop the remaining green onions in any size you like.
• You do not have to separate the whites and greens.
• Spread chopped green onions on a mesh tray and cover them with a mesh liner to prevent them from flying around during drying.
• Set the dehydrator to 125°F or 52°C. It will take about 3 to 5 hours.
• After that, let them cool completely and store them in an airtight glass jar in a dark, dry, cool space.

How Long Do Dried Green Onions Last?

Dried Green Onions can last a few years, but the flavor will not. You should use the dried green onions within three months to enjoy their flavor in recipes.

Over time, the color will also fade, so do not make too many at one time. You will enjoy smaller batches better.

Can You Use An Oven or Microwave For This?

You can use an oven and microwave to dehydrate your green onions. All the steps are the same. The only difference is when you are using your machine.

• Oven: For the oven, set it to your lowest setting. Keep the oven door slightly open if the lowest temperature is 170°F/76°C. If not, turn it at 125°F/52°C and dry for 3-4 hours, checking often.
• Microwave: Microwave for 30 seconds at medium to high power. Remove dried bits and repeat the cycle until everything is dry. 

Besides, using a microwave, oven, or dehydrator, there are many other ways to dry herbs like green onions at home.

Pickling Green Onions

Pickling green onions is another way to make them last. You do not need any equipment, and most ingredients are probably already in your pantry.

How To:

• Cut the roots off the green onions. Then, wash and dry them.
• Thinly slice the green onions into small spears or sticks.
• Place it in a jar. If you want more flavors, add aromatics of your choice.
• Add water, vinegar, sugar, and salt to a saucepan for the pickling brine.
• Cook until the mixture starts to bubble and the sugar dissolves. Do not bring it to a full boil.
• Pour the brine into the jar until all the veggies and herbs are completely submerged.
• Cover the jar with lids and refrigerate overnight before serving.
• The pickles are good for up to one month in the refrigerator.

Preserving in Oil

You can serve your green onions preserved in oil with crostini, salsa verde, or a poached egg. With this method, the green onion becomes soft, and the oniony flavor is tamed. Once you finish the green onions, you can use the oil in other dishes.

How To:

• Remove damaged, dry leaves of the onions.
• Rinse the onions and pat them dry
• Cut the onions in half lengthwise and lay them in a baking dish.
• Heat oil over medium heat until hot but not smoking. 
• Pour oil over onions, tossing to coat, letting them soften in the dish.
• After they are slightly cooled, store them in glass jars or containers.
• Onions are good to use for a week when stored in the fridge.

Regrow them instead of tossing them!

If you have green onions that are going stale, you can regrow them. 

First, cut off one inch of the white part with the roots intact. Plant the white part root-end buried in the soil in a pot. Place the pot on a windowsill.

Keep the soil moist with frequent watering. The onion leaves will keep growing even after you snip some off as long as you do not disturb the roots.