Spring onions are a little more subtle than white or red onions but they still bring a delightful soft onion taste to salads and hot dishes. You can make a delicious potato and spring onion soup or a curry. Add them to stir-fried beef and ginger or fried tofu and red chili.
Fish parcels with ginger and spring onions are delicious as are Chinese spring onion pancakes. You can braise them with chives (see also Can You Freeze Chives?) in lots of butter or you can roast them with other vegetables.
However, they don’t last very long so what do you do if you grow them and they are all ready for picking at the same time? The answer is simple. You can freeze them, and in this article, we will tell you how to freeze and defrost them.
How To Freeze Spring Onions
It can take a little while to prepare your spring onions for freezing but it is worth it. The good news is that you don’t need to blanch your spring onions, unlike most vegetables which saves time. This is the way to freeze spring onions:
1. Wash and peel the spring onions.
Put the spring onions in a colander and run them under cool water. Peel off the outer layers as they don’t taste particularly good.
2. Dry the spring onions.
Lay out the spring onions on sheets of paper towels and leave them to dry for about half an hour. This helps the spring onions to freeze individually so that they don’t stick together. Make sure that they are completely dry before you put them in the freezer otherwise ice crystals may form which will ruin the texture of the spring onions. They will probably end up soggy.
3. Chop up the spring onions.
4. Put the spring onions in freezer bags.
It is a good idea to divide the spring onions into meal-size portions so that you only defrost as much as you need. Spring onions don’t last for long in the fridge so you will probably end up throwing some away. Squeeze out all the air from the freezer bags so that freezer burn doesn’t occur. Freezer burn will ruin the taste and texture of your spring onions. Put labels on the bags with the date so that you don’t keep the spring onions in the freezer for too long.
5. Put the freezer bags in the freezer.
6. After half an hour, shake the freezer bags.
This helps to stop the chopped spring onions from forming clumps.
How To Freeze Salad Onions
Salad onions, like spring onions, belong to the scallion family. They are very similar to spring onions but they are even milder. However, they have a lovely creamy taste and can make delicious soup. You can freeze salad onions in the same way as spring onions. Just follow the instructions we have given.
Tips For Freezing Spring Onions
- Chop the spring onions rather than freeze them whole. It will take longer to defrost whole spring onions and the chances are that you are going to chop them anyway.
- Squeeze out all the air from the freezer bags so that freezer burn doesn’t occur.
- It is better to use the defrosted spring onions in a cooked dish rather than in a salad. The texture will change when they are frozen, and they will lose their crunchy taste. This doesn’t matter in a hot dish but it does in a salad.
- A good way to freeze spring onions is in a flavor cube. Blend the spring onions with such spices as garlic, chili, cumin, coriander, and your favorite herbs. Ginger is also a good addition especially if you are making an Asian dish. Put this mixture in the slots of an ice cube tray and put olive oil on top. Don’t fill the slots right to the top as the mixture may expand when it is being frozen. You can then just add a cube or two to your dish without defrosting. The cubes will melt in no time.
For How Long Can You Freeze Spring Onions?
You can keep your spring onions in the freezer for up to two months without them losing taste and texture. After this time, they will still be safe to eat but they won’t be as delicious. You probably won’t need to keep them in the freezer for longer than two months even if you have lots of them. They can be added to so many dishes that you will soon get through them. If you still think you won’t use them in time, you can pickle them, and then they will last for a couple of years in the freezer.
How Do You Defrost Spring Onions?
Generally, you don’t have to defrost spring onions. You will have frozen them in meal-size portions so just tip the contents of the freezer bag into the dish you are cooking, be it soup, curry, or stir fry.
However, if you want to add them to a salad, you will need to defrost them first so put them in a bowl and place them in the fridge. It will only take an hour or so for them to defrost. However, remember that they are not going to be as crunchy after they have been frozen. This won’t matter in a hot dish but they probably won’t be as tasty in a cold dish. The delight of raw spring onions is their crunchiness.
Can You Refreeze Spring Onions?
You shouldn’t refreeze spring onions as they can spoil if you do. Even if they don’t, their texture will change, and they will probably end up mushy. This is why it is a good idea to freeze them in meal-size portions. If you don’t and have some leftovers, they will need to be thrown away as they will start to spoil after 24 hours.
However, if you have used your spring onions in a hot dish, you can freeze the leftovers.
Is It A Good Idea To Freeze Spring Onions?
This all depends on how you intend to use them. If you use them in a hot dish, you won’t notice much change in the spring onions, if any at all. However, if you want to eat them raw, they will lose their crunchy texture. They will still be flavorsome but they just won’t have the right texture. We advise only freezing them if you want to cook with them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hopefully, you now know all there is to know about freezing spring onions but in case you are still curious, we have answered a few questions here.
Scallions are more or less the same as spring onions. The main difference is in the bulb. Scallions have a very thin bulb while spring onions have a rounded bulb. Scallions can be frozen in the same way as spring onions and again they are best used in a hot dish.
Nothing is stopping you from freezing spring onions whole but there isn’t any point. They will take much longer to defrost and then you will probably chop them anyway.
Green onions, like scallions, are similar to spring onions. They have a larger bulb than scallions but smaller bulbs compared to spring onions. You can freeze them in the same way you freeze spring onions.
