5 Ways to Store Onions for Long Term (Weeks, Months, or 1 Year) 

Although onions are a common kitchen staple, improper storage can cause them to deteriorate. Whether you want to keep onions fresh for a few weeks, several months, or even a year, here are five efficient ways to store them for extended periods of time.

1. Keep in a Dark, Cool, and Dry Place

• Ideal for: Whole onions (Duration: two to three months)
• Temperature: 45–55°F (7–13°C) is the optimal range for onions to be stored. It works great in a dark corner of your kitchen, or in a cold basement or pantry.
• Ventilation: To stay fresh, onions require a lot of air circulation. You can hang them in a pantyhose or store them in a wicker basket or mesh bag.
• Prevent Moisture: Store onions in a dry area and keep them free from moisture. Onions can rot due to moisture.
• Avoid Potatoes: Keep onions apart from potatoes in storage since the gases and moisture released by the potatoes can hasten the deterioration of the onions.

2. Let Onions Freeze

• Ideal for: Sliced or chopped onions (Keeps for up to a year)
• Peel and Chop: After peeling, cut or slice the onions as needed.
• Flash Freeze: Arrange the chopped onions on a baking sheet in a single layer and chill for approximately one hour. As a result, the fragments don’t adhere to one another.
• Once frozen, move the onions into airtight freezer bags or containers for storage. Put the date on them so you can easily track them.
• Use Straight from Freezer: You don’t need to thaw frozen onions before using them in cooking. They perform admirably in sautés, stews, and soups.

3. Let onions get dry

• Ideal for: Extended storage (up to a year or more)Slice Thinly: After pealing, slice the onions thinly. The slices will dry out faster if they are thinner.
• Utilize a Food Dehydrator: Set up a food dehydrator with a temperature of 135°F (57°C) and dry the onion slices until they are absolutely dry and brittle. It usually takes six to twelve hours, depending on the moisture content and thickness.
• After the onion slices have dried, keep them in jars or other airtight containers. You can use dehydrated onions straight out of the bag or rehydrate them by soaking them in water.
• Store in a cold, Dark location: To preserve the flavour and freshness of the dehydrated onions, keep the containers in a cold, dark location.

4. Keep in pantyhose or onion bags

• Ideal for: Whole onions (Duration: 6–8 months)
• Place in Bags: To preserve whole onions, use old pantyhose or mesh onion bags. Put the onions inside and knot them one after the other.
• Hang for Airflow: Place the bags or pantyhose in a place that is dry, cool, and has good ventilation. By doing this, you lower the chance of rot by allowing air to circulate around each onion.
• Check Often: Take note of any symptoms of deterioration and discard any soft or growing onions.

5. Onion Pickles

• Ideal for: Flavor-enhanced onion preservation (up to six months)
• Peel and cut the onions into chunks or rings to begin preparing them.
• To make a brine, put vinegar, water, salt, and optional sugar in a pot. Once the sugar and salt are dissolved, heat the mixture.
• Pack the Onions: Place the onions, allowing a little amount of headspace at the top, into sterilized jars and cover them with the hot brine. For added flavour, you can add spices like bay leaves, mustard seeds, and peppercorns.
• Close and Store: area the lidded jars in the refrigerator or another cold, dark area. Pickled onions are excellent added to salads, sandwiches, and other dishes. They keep for up to six months in storage.

In summary

• You can increase the onions’ shelf life and make sure you always have this useful ingredient on hand by following these tips. These methods will help you preserve your onions for weeks, months, or even a year, whether you’re freezing, pickling, dehydrating, or storing them whole.