ShelfLife
How long do onions last?
Whole dry onions keep about 1 month in a cool, dry pantry and about 2 months in the fridge. Green onions keep about 1 week in the fridge. Chopped onions freeze for 10 to 12 months.
| Food | Fridge | Freezer | Pantry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Onions (yellow, white, red) | 2 monthsfrom purchase | 10–12 monthsfrom purchase | 1 monthfrom purchase |
| Green onions (scallions) | 1 weekfrom purchase | 10–12 monthsfrom purchase | 1 monthfrom purchase |
Fridge at 4 °C (40 °F) or colder, freezer at −18 °C (0 °F). Freezer times are for best quality: food kept frozen stays safe, but slowly loses taste and texture. These times are USDA guidance, not a guarantee. When in doubt, throw it out.
How to tell if onions have gone bad
- Soft or mushy spots, especially at the neck or root end.
- Mold: black powdery patches under the outer skin, or fuzzy white or green mold.
- Liquid oozing out, or a sour, rotten smell stronger than a normal onion smell.
- Green shoots don't mean the onion is bad: it's still edible, but use it soon. Slimy, yellowing green onions should go.
How to store onions
- Keep whole onions in a cool, dry, dark, airy place: a basket, a mesh bag or a paper bag with holes.
- Don't store them next to potatoes: onions give off gas and moisture that make potatoes spoil sooner, and the other way round.
- Store a cut onion in a sealed container in the fridge and use it within a few days.
- Keep green onions in the fridge wrapped in a damp paper towel inside a bag, or standing in a little water.
Can you freeze onions?
Yes, chopped or sliced, for 10 to 12 months. No need to blanch them. Freeze them in a flat layer in a sealed freezer bag, double-bagged to contain the smell. Frozen onions go soft, so use them in cooked dishes like soups, sauces and stir-fries, straight from frozen.
Questions
Should onions go in the fridge?
Whole dry onions keep well in the pantry for about a month; the fridge keeps them for about 2 months but can make them soft. Cut onions and green onions belong in the fridge.
Can you eat an onion that has sprouted?
Yes, if it's still firm. The sprouts are edible too, like green onions, though the onion itself becomes softer and less sweet.
Is black mold on onions dangerous?
A little black powder on the outer layers can be peeled away from a firm onion, rinsing the rest. If the mold reaches deep into the onion, or it's soft, throw it out.
Add onions to ShelfLife and keep track of what's in the pantry before it sprouts.
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Storage times: USDA FoodKeeper (Food Safety and Inspection Service), public domain. Text by ShelfLife.