Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Freezing onions the easy way
• Method 2 of 3: Blanch the onions before freezing
• Method 3 of 3: Puree the onions before freezing
• Tips
• Necessities
• Freezing onions the easy way
• Blanched frozen onions
• Mashed frozen onions

For anyone who uses a lot of onions in cooking, it is a good idea to keep a supply of onions in the freezer so that you always have onions at home when you need them. However, it is important to prepare the onions properly before freezing if you want them to retain their flavor. You can easily freeze chopped onions, but you can also blanch or puree the onions beforehand so that they have a stronger flavor when you use them in cooking.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Freezing onions the easy way

1. Peel and finely chop the onions. To prepare the onions for freezing, use a sharp knife to cut the top 1.5 inches off. Then cut the onions in half. Peel off the papery skin and then chop the onions. You can decide how big you want to make the pieces.
   • It is not a good idea to chop the onions that are less than about 1 inch (1.5 cm) long. If the pieces are too small, they can be completely covered with ice in the freezer.
   • You can also slice the onions instead of chopping them. This is a good idea if you freeze them for later use in dishes such as fajitas.
2. Put the onions in a freezer bag. When you have chopped the onions into pieces of the desired size, put them in a plastic freezer bag. Make sure to put the onions in a flat layer in the bag so that they don't clump together when they freeze. Squeeze the air out of the bag and seal it.
   • If you are freezing a large number of onions, you can prevent them from sticking together during freezing by placing them in a single layer in a shallow baking dish. Let them freeze that way for two to three hours. When the onions are partially frozen, you can put them in a freezer bag without worrying about them clumping together.
   • Make sure to use plastic bags that are thick enough to prevent freezer burn and keep the onion odor in the bags. If your bags seem too thin, put the onions in double bags.
3. Write the content and date on the bag and freeze the onions. Before putting the onions in the freezer, use a pen or marker to write the date of freezing and best-before date on the bag, as well as the type of onion involved. Place the bag flat in the freezer, keeping the onions in a single layer.
   • You can keep the onions in your freezer for up to 6 months.
   • If you freeze several bags of onions, you can place them on top of each other so that there is more space in the freezer. Just make sure there is a single layer of onions in each bag.

Method 2 of 3: Blanch the onions before freezing

1. Peel and finely chop the onions. Prepare the onions by cutting off the top and bottom parts with a sharp knife. Then peel off the papery skin by peeling it off. Use the knife to chop the onions into pieces of your desired size.
2. Bring a pan of water to a boil. Fill a large saucepan with water and place it on the stove. Boil the water over a high heat and make sure it comes to a full boil. This should take about 10 to 20 minutes, depending on how much water you are using.
   • The amount of water you need to boil depends on how many onions you want to blanch. Use 1 liter of water per 100 grams of onions.
3. Add the onions to the pan and cook for several minutes. When the water boils, put the onions in the pan. Cover the pan with a lid and let the onions cook for 3 to 7 minutes, depending on how many onions you are blanching.
   • The more onions you blanch, the longer you should leave them in the boiling water.
   • Finely chopped onions can more easily be placed in an iron cooking basket or a metal sieve and then put them in the boiling water. That way you can quickly and easily remove the onions from the pan when they are ready. If you don't have a simmering basket or strainer, remove the onions from the boiling water using a slotted spoon.
4. Place the onions in a bowl of cold water. When you have removed the onions from the boiling water, immediately put them in a bowl of ice water or cold water. Leave the onions in the cold water for as long as you cooked them. This way you stop the cooking process.
   • The ice water or cold water in which you put the onions after cooking should not be warmer than 15 degrees Celsius.
   • While the onions are in the cold water, stir several times to make sure the onions cool evenly.
5. Drain the onions and put them in freezer bags. When you have let the onions cool long enough, drain them thoroughly in a colander. Shake well to remove excess water and pat the onions dry with a clean towel. When the onions are dry, put them in freezer bags and place the bags in the freezer.
   • Make sure to write the freezing date on the freezer bag so you can keep track of how long the onions have been in the freezer.

Method 3 of 3: Puree the onions before freezing

1. Peel and chop the onions. Use a knife to cut the top and bottom parts of the onions off so that you can easily peel off the papery skin. Then chop the onions to prepare them for mashing. You don't have to chop or slice the onions, but you do cut them into pieces small enough to fit in a blender.
   • Use the pitcher of your blender as a guide for how small to cut the onions. If the jug is not very big, then cut the onions into small pieces. In the case of a large pitcher, it may be enough to cut the onions into eight pieces.
2. Put the onions in the blender and puree them. When you have cut all the onions into pieces, put them in the blender. Use the puree mode and hold the button until the onions are ground into a thick but smooth puree.
   • If you are freezing a large amount of onions, it may be a good idea not to puree them all at once. Overfilling the blender jar makes it more difficult for the device to puree the onions properly.
   • If your blender's motor is not very strong, you may need to push the onions down while mashing so that they come into contact with the blades. To do that, insert the handle of a metal serving spoon through the opening in the lid of the blender. Then put the lid on the jug. The rounded end of the spoon should be inside the jug. So when you start mashing you can push the onions down with the spoon. Because the bottom is rounded, it will not get stuck in the blades.
3. Put the puree in an ice cube tray and put it in the freezer. When you have mashed the onions, use a spoon to gently pour the puree into a clean ice cube tray. Place the ice cube tray in the freezer and let the puree freeze completely. This should take about four hours.
   • Don't forget to cover the ice cube tray with a sheet of plastic freezer wrap to prevent the other foods in the freezer from smelling like onions as well.
4. Put the ice cubes with onion puree in a plastic bag and put them in the freezer. After the onion puree cubes are completely frozen, carefully remove them from the ice cube tray. Put them in a plastic freezer bag and keep them in the freezer until you are ready to use them.
   • Do not forget to write the date of freezing on the bag so that you can make sure to use the onion puree within 6 months.
   • These cubes of onion puree are very suitable for adding to sauces, gravies and soups.

Tips

• Frozen onions will keep for 3 to 6 months. However, be aware that it is best to use them within 6 weeks as they will start to lose their flavor after that. When the onions have been frozen for 6 months, there is a good chance that they taste almost nothing anymore.

Necessities

Freezing onions the easy way

• A knife
• Plastic freezer bags

Blanched frozen onions

• A knife
• A large saucepan
• A large bowl
• A colander
• A towel
• Plastic freezer bags

Mashed frozen onions

• A knife
• A blender
• An ice cube tray
• A spoon
• Plastic freezer bags