How to properly dry green onions: 8 ways

Green onions growing in almost every garden plot contain a large amount of substances and vitamins that are beneficial to the human body. It is often used in the preparation of salads, soups, and also as a spice. Since it is widely used on the farm, they try to stock it for future use. Of course, fresh greens contain much more nutrients than dried or frozen ones, but if the harvesting process is carried out correctly, then the loss of vitamins will be insignificant. This article will talk about dried onions and how to prepare them.

History of dried green onions

Dried green onions are the name for dried green onions. Typically, varieties are used for drying in which the green part is more valuable than the bulb, these are spring onions, shallots and others. But it is also possible to use shoots of ordinary onions.

The history of onions began a long time ago. It was first discovered in Asia as a tasty food product. Nomadic shepherds came across thickets of wild green onions, and then they discovered that the bulbs were excellent for cooking. Thanks to trade routes with Asia, onions were sent to Egypt, where they became a cult plant. The ancient people began to worship him. You can see images of bulbs in paintings and frescoes of those times. A little later, it became a popular drug in Ancient Greece; athletes began to use it, rubbing their muscles before sports competitions. They believed that this would give them additional strength. And in Rome, people ate onions to improve strength and endurance. He also helped them in treating problems with the stomach and intestines. They say that the Phoenician sailors had large reserves of this greenery on board the ship in order to fight scurvy during long sea voyages. It was quite difficult to store the vegetable on ships during long voyages, so it was more often eaten in dried form.

Today, onions and their greens have gained recognition throughout the world and are used in many recipes.

Storage rules

It is important to know about the nuances of storing vegetables in fresh and dried form.

Storing dried onions

The dried seasoning is stored in containers with lids. It is preferable to use lids with perforations for air access. If there is no special lid, use parchment paper or thick cloth, securing it to the neck of the glass container.

Linen bags and paper bags are also suitable for storage.

It is important that they are not exposed to moisture during storage.

Storing fresh onions

It is convenient to store dried onions from the garden in boxes or cardboard boxes. A small amount of vegetables is poured into each box, in one layer of 25-30 cm. Holes are made in the side walls of the box for air access.

Also, canvas bags are used to store the bulbs; they are placed in a dry, ventilated place.

Another time-tested storage method is to braid the heads. Braided chains are not only well ventilated (and therefore the onions in them are less susceptible to rotting), but can also decorate the kitchen.

It is better to store onions at a temperature of 0 to 5°C. However, the heads will last 1-2 months at room temperature.

Leeks are stored in a cellar or basement, sprinkled with sand.

Shelf life

The dried vegetable is stored in a dark, dry place without foreign odors. The shelf life of dried seasoning is about one year.

Dried bulbs from the garden should be firm to the touch and have several dry, dense outer scales. The neck of each head should be tightly closed (there are no voids or succulent leaves on the cut).

If storage conditions are met (temperature from 0 to 5°C and humidity 50-60%), healthy dried heads are stored for several months.

Popular varieties

Green onions are a unique plant that is undemanding to the soil; it can be grown both in the garden and in greenhouses and even on the windowsill at home. If you grow your own greens, you can choose almost all varieties of green onions. They are suitable for preparations for the winter.

The most popular varieties in our Russian regions:

Black Prince.
Shallot.
Slime.
Pearl leeks.
Rostovsky.
Onion.
Egyptian.
Chives.

Now a quick overview:

Black Prince is a variety of green onions, characterized by its unpretentiousness to the composition of the soil and its care. But the best yields are best achieved on fertile sandy loam and light loamy soils. The Black Prince is multibudded, causing one bulb to produce many feathers.
Shallots are one of the best options for growing greens, as this variety is characterized by a very high yield of dense, high-quality onion feathers. In order to succeed in growing this variety, you need to water your onions sparingly.
Slime onion - this species is often used for growing in greenhouses. In open ground it is also frost-resistant and ripens quite quickly. Its taste is particularly tender and slightly garlicky.
Pearl leek - this variety has very wide leaves, in appearance they resemble garlic leaves. The taste of this plant is not sharp, like that of ordinary onions, it has a pleasant softness.
Rostovsky. This variety of green onions is especially distinguished by its fleshy feathers. If you plant turnips with a large diameter, more than 5 cm, you can reap an impressive harvest of greenery.
Onion. This variety is among the leaders in cultivation and use. It is grown only for greenery; the bulbous part is not formed in it, but is a thickened white stem.
Egyptian. This species is also sometimes called Canadian. This variety has high resistance to bad weather and low temperatures, it is not afraid even of frost. Greens are superior in quality to onions.
Chives are one of the popular and unpretentious species; they are also called skoroda. It grows well in sufficient sunlight. The greens grow especially tender, with a pleasant aroma. Blooming onions look very beautiful in the garden. But it is better to harvest the crop for drying before the flowering stage.

In addition to the above types of green onions, there are others that can be used for preparing preparations.

When planting, you need to focus on the soil and climate in your region. And, of course, the determining factor when choosing an onion for planting will be its future appearance and taste.

Timing and technology of cleaning

Only those onions that are stored on time are stored for a long time. If you dig it up early, the too thick and juicy neck of the bulb will take a long time to dry, which will increase the risk of rot and fungal diseases.

If you delay harvesting, the bulbs will become overripe and the upper scales will crack. This in turn will lead to rapid deterioration of the product during storage. Overripe onions develop a secondary root system, which worsens the taste of the turnip.

When to dig? Turnips are removed from the beds after the feathers wither. If 60-80% of the leaves have fallen, it’s time to start harvesting. On average, this time falls in the second half or end of August.

Another sign of a ripened vegetable is the formed cover leaves, which have acquired a color characteristic of the variety.

A timely harvest is the key to successful storage. If you start harvesting onions earlier, when the feathers have not yet died, the neck of the onion will be too thick and juicy - this increases the risk of rotting of the bulbs.

Harvest

Digging is carried out in dry, sunny weather. It is advisable that there is no rain 1-2 weeks before harvesting. Then the earth will dry out and the collected heads will not have to dry for a long time.

If the soil is light and loose, the onion is simply pulled out of the ground. But if the soil is dense and heavy, the bulbs are dug up. Otherwise, most of the pulled out heads will remain without bottoms and will rot in a few weeks.

It is more convenient to dig up the crop with a small pitchfork. They are stuck into the rows at a short distance from the bulbs and the layer of soil is slightly raised.

In order for onions to be stored for several months after harvesting, they are dried before storing them.

The influence of grade on harvesting time and shelf life

Depending on the variety and growing conditions, the growing season of onions lasts on average from 65 to 85 days. Early varieties ripen by the end of July, and later varieties are ready for harvesting in late August - early September.

Leeks are dug up later than turnips. Harvesting begins in mid-September - early October (grown leeks are not afraid of the first frosts). To make the onions whiter, 10-14 days before removal from the garden, the lower part of the plants is sprinkled with earth or covered with light-proof material. After digging, the roots and leaves are cut off.

Harvesting of shallots begins from the end of July to mid-August. As in the case of turnips, delaying harvesting leads to the germination of the bulbs and the appearance of new roots. Shallot nests are dug up, divided into bulbs and dried.

How to choose green onions for drying

If you collect greens from your own beds, then choose fresh, beautiful, healthy feathers. Existing dried or rotten parts indicate that this onion is unsuitable for drying. If the crop is harvested at the wrong time, during the flowering period, the shoots become stiff and acquire a fibrous tree-like structure. This plant is not suitable for harvesting.

When buying onions at the market or in a store, you need to adhere to approximately the same selection principle. Choose juicy feathers, they should look healthy and strong.

Canned green onions, salad in a jar for the winter: recipe

Onion feathers can be preserved for the winter.

To do this, we will prepare the following products:

onion feathers (add parsley and dill to taste)
1 liter of water
250 ml vinegar
50 g sugar
1 incomplete art. l. salt

Cooking instructions:

Wash the onions (and other greens) under running water.
Place the greens on a towel to dry. Grind.
Fill a container suitable for further preparation with herbs. Let's ram it.
Light the fire and put in water to fill. When the water boils, add sugar and salt, pour in vinegar.
The filling should boil a little so that all the grains of sugar and salt dissolve.
Pour the filling into the onions in the jars.
Then everything is as usual: sterilization for 25 minutes and sealing with lids.

How to prepare a product for drying

Before you start drying green onions, you need to carry out preparatory work. The entire plant is suitable for drying, with the exception of the roots. The white stem is also suitable for harvesting, but it may take a little more time to process.

Process:

To begin, prepare your workplace. This is usually done on a table on which paper or regular kitchen towels are placed. Select the necessary utensils: containers, knives. Don’t forget to take care of where to put your waste. You shouldn’t throw them away; they can turn into high-quality humus.
Place the onions on the table and start sorting them. Pull out grass, leaves, debris. It is better to set aside feathers with dried tips for fresh eating. Leave only intact specimens for drying.
Next, rinse all the greens under cool running water and let them dry naturally.
Remove the film from the selected feathers, where necessary, cut off the roots. If there is excess water, remove it with a towel.
Then cut the onion into small rings, about 4–5 mm in thickness. It is important that the rings are the same size so that during drying the raw material is dried evenly.
It's best to separate the onion greens and white stems into separate bowls, as they will not take the same amount of time to cook during the drying process.

How to dry greens in the microwave

This method is less time consuming. It's also great if you have a small bunch of herbs or onions left over.

But be careful, for example, dill can catch fire when dried in the microwave! Therefore, it is necessary to control the drying process every minute, because the time depends on the volume of the portion.

1. Cut off the bad leaves and fleshy parts of the plant. They are not suitable for drying in a microwave oven. We need thin leaves and twigs.

2. We wash our greens under running water. Blot slightly with a paper napkin.

3. Now let's decide on the dishes. A large flat plate that can be placed in the microwave will do.

4. Place a couple of paper napkins on a plate and the prepared herbs on top. Don't make the layer too thick. And we lay another napkin on top.

5. Set the power for drying in the microwave oven to the maximum 700-800 W. Dry for about 4 minutes. There is no need to interfere, but it is better to check every minute. If the leaves lose their brightness and become brittle and dry, then the process is over. If not, then increase the time by 1-2 minutes.

How to dry green onions at home

The onion greens are very tender. If you overheat it, it will turn yellow and quickly lose all its beneficial properties. Therefore, when drying, you need to choose the most gentle temperature and suitable place. At the moment, there are a lot of options for preparing dried herbs and vegetables. In addition, modern devices and devices allow drying to be carried out in the shortest possible time. It’s rare that someone doesn’t have a microwave or stove and oven at home. But even in their absence, say, at the dacha, you can dry green onions in the open air. And if you follow simple rules, it will turn out no worse, except that it will take a little longer.

Methods for drying green onions at home:

in the oven;
electric dryer;
microwave;
convection oven;
Isidri dryer;
special drying device;
in the sun;
in "braids".

Let us dwell in detail on each of the proposed options.

In the oven

Regardless of what type of oven you have, it is important to ensure proper air circulation. If the stove has a convection mode, then you need to turn it on. If this is not possible, you can simply open the cabinet door.

Oven drying instructions:

Place the cooked onion rings on a baking sheet and place in the oven.
Preheat the oven to 40–50°C and dry for 2–3 hours.
Stir the onion every half hour using a wooden spatula.
After turning off the oven, leave the greens in the oven until they cool.
Open the oven and remove the baking sheet from it.

Advice:

Before drying, cover the bottom of the baking sheet with parchment and place onion rings on top.

In an electric dryer

An electric dryer is an excellent device for quickly preparing food.

Instructions for drying in an electric dryer:

Place the onions on trays.
Set the temperature to 55–70°C.
Place the pallets on top of each other.
Rotate trays throughout the drying process to ensure even cooking of the dried onions.
Dry the onions for 5–7 hours.

Note!

Drying time depends on the raw material, feather size and cut. The larger the feather, the more moisture in the greenery, the longer it will take to dry.

In the microwave

A microwave oven is a household appliance that has earned the trust of almost every person. It has made life easier for modern humanity, which is in a frantic rhythm, because in this oven cooking goes many times faster than in all other devices. It turns out that the microwave oven is also suitable for preparations, including dried herbs.

Microwave drying instructions:

Place cooked and chopped onions in a microwave safe container.
Place a glass of water in the microwave to provide extra heat.
Dry the onions on full power for 3 minutes.
Remove the product and check how dry it is (if necessary, let it dry for an additional 30 seconds).

Advice!

When drying green onions in the microwave, it is recommended to place them inside in small portions.

Although this method seems very fast, drying greens in large quantities will take a long time. In addition, you will spend a lot of electricity on large volumes of workpieces.

In a convection oven

The drying time for green onions in an air fryer, compared to a conventional oven or electric dryer, is much shorter!

Instructions for drying onions in an air fryer:

Place the chopped feathers on the air fryer rack in a single layer.
Place a skewer between the body and the lid to remove hot, moist air.
Set the drying speed to the lowest possible setting.
Set the heating temperature to 70°C.
Dry the raw materials for 15–30 minutes.
Place the removed onions in fabric bags.

In the Isidri dryer

Many housewives began to use the modern Isidri dryer in their kitchen. It can also be used to dry green onions. The whole process will take no more than 5 hours, and the result will meet your expectations.

To fill 12 dryer trays, you will need to prepare 2 kg of fresh raw materials.

Instructions for drying green onions in the Isidri dryer:

prepare 2 kg of fresh onions;
using a kitchen scale, weigh out 160g portions;
spread the onions evenly on the grids: 160 g per tray;
dry the greens for 5 hours at 50°C;
remove the prepared dried onion.

Note!

Since the greens dry faster than the white part of the onion, separate the parts into separate trays. The white onion can dry for up to 10 hours.

Cutting 2 kg will take about 5 hours. As a result, after drying you will get 165 g of spice.

In a special drying device

Some families and gardeners have a special device at home for drying vegetables or fruits. This device has advantages because it allows you to dry large volumes of food at a time. These devices have different modes of use that allow you to configure the desired process parameters. In addition, there are several tiers, which allows you to dry a large amount of raw materials at once.

For people who like to make preparations and have their own garden, such a device is very useful. Drying in this device does not require constant monitoring of the process and mixing of the raw materials. At this time, you can do other household chores and after finishing, just take out the product and put it in storage containers. If you make a lot of preparations at once, then you can use such a dryer, an oven, and an air fryer, all together will significantly reduce the time.

Instructions for drying in a special drying device:

Cut the green onions, pre-washed and processed according to all the rules, into equal rings and place in containers for drying.
Select a program, set the time and turn on the machine.
Next, leave to dry and wait for the mode to turn off.
Pull out the drying trays and carefully pour the resulting product into previously prepared dry and clean dishes.

Advice:

Place the greens evenly on each tray in one thin layer, keeping the white parts of the onions separate from the greens as they do not dry equally quickly.

In the sun

This method of drying greens was used by our ancestors long before the advent of household appliances. On the one hand, this is one of the longest ways to prepare green onions, but on the other hand, in the air they will definitely turn out tastier than in the same microwave.

Instructions for drying onions in the sun:

Cover the surface on which you will dry the greens with paper (use trays, sieves or a wire rack).
Distribute the sliced rings across the entire width in one layer.
Place in the shade to dry; when exposed to sunlight, the onion will lose its green color and beneficial properties.
Stir the workpiece periodically.
Dry for 3-5 days depending on the weather.

Minuses:

drying in the open air takes a long time, there is a possibility of moisture residues in the resulting product. There are other inconveniences, for example, insects and animals can ruin the workpiece.

Recommendations:

You can dry the raw materials in the attic, after opening all the windows and doors.
At night it is better to put the onions indoors so that they are not covered with moisture from the morning dew.

In "braids"

Green onions are also dried in the form of packs or “braids”, and then crushed in dried form.

Instructions for drying onions in braids:

Prepare bundles of 5-6 feathers.
Hang in the open air where there is no direct sunlight, otherwise the onions may rot.
After drying, crush the feathers and put them in fabric bags.

Recommendations:

Keep the bunches small and not too heavy, as dry onions become brittle.
Be sure to add some strong rope to the braid to increase strength.
Do not braid the feathers tightly so that they can ventilate.
Store the “braid” hanging in a dry place, protected from sunlight, or chop it up and put it in bags for the winter.

Video:

how to dry any greens in 1-5 minutes Expand

How to make dried fried onions at home

A traditional seasoning in Asian cuisine is dried fried onions. It is used for preparing hot dishes, soups, snacks from meat, fish and seafood. Dried fried onions themselves are an excellent addition to savory baked goods. When ground into powder, it can be used as a delicious homemade seasoning with a rich flavor and aroma.

It will take about 1/2 hour to prepare a portion of the product.

Peeled onions are cut into thin rings or feathers. The amount of cutting depends on the size of the pan - the vegetable will be deep-fried.
Pour vegetable oil (1.5-2 cm) into a frying pan and place on medium heat.
Place the slices in hot oil and fry them until caramel color with constant stirring.
Using a slotted spoon, place the fried pieces on a wire rack or paper towel to drain off excess oil.
Once cooled, the onions should be crisp and dry to the touch.

The main criterion for the readiness of the product is that the fried plates crumble into powder. This way you can make a dry seasoning for ready-made dishes on the table. The resulting fried onion flakes, whole or ground into powder, are poured into an airtight container for storage and daily use.

In the video you can see how to dry onions in an electric dryer and how long it will take.

How to properly store dried green onions

In order for the product to retain its taste and not spoil, you need to prepare suitable storage containers. Suitable:

bags made of fabric or paper;
cardboard food boxes;
plastic bags;
glass jars with tight lids.

Fill the container with dried herbs and label the top with the date and ingredients. Remember that dried spices do not like moisture and insects. Choose a dry and dark storage location. It is recommended to store the product at 20°C, and air humidity should not exceed 60%. Therefore, it is very important to follow the storage recommendations, then you can enjoy the preparation all winter. The shelf life of dried onions is usually about a year.

Recipe for green onions and dill for the winter

You can prepare green feathers immediately with dill. Preparation does not require much effort, and the products included in the preparation are available in large quantities in the summer.
The process of pickling any greens is simple, the effort is minimal. The main thing is to adopt the recipe and not forget about it when a lot of onion feathers grow in your garden or summer cottage.
The method of salting onion feathers together with dill is an economical and convenient preparation option. Then it can be used to saturate the taste and improve the aroma of hot foods. However, it is important to consider the amount of salt in the finished dish, because greens are stored in salted form.
The preparation will complement winter salads and sauces. Pickled onion feathers can be used when preparing borscht, soups, and okroshka.
If desired, the recipe can be improved by adding parsley as a third ingredient. If you have not yet prepared greens for the winter in this way, then it’s time to try the recipe. Try it at least once and you will see how simple and profitable it is.

To pickle green onions and dill, we will prepare the following products:

a large bunch of onion feathers and dill
sea salt

Cooking instructions:

Let's prepare the greens for pickling: rinse under running water, remove damaged and yellowed parts.
Trim and discard the dill stems. We only need juicy green “twigs-panicles”.
Place the greens on a paper or waffle towel and leave to dry.
We decide on the size of the pieces into which we will cut the onion and dill (the best option is fine cutting) and chop the dried herbs.
Place the chopped greens in two separate containers. After chopping the greens, we begin to prepare containers for storing the workpiece: we sterilize the jars in any accessible and familiar way.

To prepare onion feathers for the winter, they should be chopped

Lay out the chopped greens in layers. The first layer will consist of dill. Sprinkle it with salt.
Next, add a layer of onion. Sprinkle with salt again. We determine the amount of salt by eye: the greens should not “drown” in the salt.

Sprinkle each layer with salt

We repeat the preparation process until the last layer of greens, sprinkled with onions, reaches the neck. Compact the contents of the jar. The main thing here is not to overdo it and only lightly press down the layer of greens with salt.
The last layer in the container should consist of salt so that the greens under the lid do not spoil.
Cover the jar with a plastic lid and put it in the refrigerator for storage.

The last layer should be salt

What are the benefits of dried green onions?

Calorie content: 208 kcal per 100 g.

Energy value of dried green onions:

Proteins: 8.5 g.
Fat: 2.8 g.
Carbohydrates: 42.5 g.

Useful material:

vitamins A, B, C;
trace elements (potassium, iron, magnesium, sulfur, fluorine, cobalt, manganese, zinc);
sugars (glucose, sucrose, maltose, fructose);
essential oils;
acids (malic, phytic, citric).

The vitamin composition of green onions is indeed very rich. Nutrients meet the daily needs of a person. Onions contain mineral salts of phosphorus, iron, and potassium. Microelements must be supplied to the body. Lack of iron threatens anemia, lack of potassium leads to slower growth of the body, impaired sexual function, interruptions in heart function, and muscle cramps. Sulfur contained in green onions is responsible for blood clotting and collagen production: with frequent consumption of green onions, skin, hair and nails look strong, healthy and shiny. The microelement inhibits the aging of the body and reduces allergic reactions.

The oils obtained by steam distillation are considered to be of particular value. Essential oil contains amino acids that help improve digestion, help in the treatment of colds and viral diseases, and eliminate bile stagnation. They are used in the treatment of the genitourinary system; they eliminate cholesterol plaques on blood vessels, and therefore reduce blood pressure. Essential oils are used throughout the food industry in the production of sauces, spices, and semi-finished products.

Phytoncides contained in feathers have bactericidal and anthelmintic properties. Organic acids and fiber improve the production of gastric juice, increase the digestibility of food, improve appetite and accelerate the elimination of waste products from the body.

B vitamins are very important for the normal functioning of the heart and gastrointestinal tract. Their content in the body helps fight stress and strong emotional stress. Thanks to vitamins of this group, the immune system is strengthened and resistance to various diseases increases.

Vitamin and mineral composition

The table shows the chemical composition of green onions (per 100 g).

Name	Content	Norm
Vitamin A	333 mcg	900 mcg
Beta carotene	2 mg	5 mg
Vitamin B1	0.02 mg	1.5 mg
Vitamin B2	0.1 mg	1.8 mg
Vitamin B4	4.6 mg	500 mg
Vitamin B5	0.13 mg	5 mg
Vitamin B6	0.15 mg	2 mg
Vitamin B9	18 mcg	400 mcg
Vitamin C	30 mg	90 mg
Vitamin E	1 mg	15 mg
Vitamin H	0.9 mcg	50 mcg
Vitamin K	166.9 mcg	120 mcg
Vitamin PP	0.5 mg	20 mg
Potassium	259 mg	2500 mg
Calcium	100 mg	1000 mg
Silicon	5 mg	30 mg
Magnesium	18 mg	400 mg
Sodium	10 mg	1300 mg
Sulfur	24 mg	1000 mg
Phosphorus	26 mg	800 mg
Chlorine	58 mg	2300 mg
Iron	1 mg	18 mg
Iodine	1.5 mcg	150 mcg
Cobalt	7 mcg	10 mcg
Manganese	0.2 mg	2 mg
Copper	92 mcg	1000 mcg
Molybdenum	20 mcg	70 mcg
Selenium	0.5 mcg	55 mcg
Fluorine	70 mcg	4000 mcg
Chromium	4 mcg	50 mcg
Zinc	0.3 mg	12 mg

KBZHU

Nutritional value of the product (per 100 g):

calorie content - 218.5 kcal;
proteins - 8.4 g;
carbohydrates - 42.6 g;
fats - 2.8 g.

Harm and contraindications

No matter how beneficial dried green onions are, in some cases their consumption can be harmful to health.

Dried greens should not be added to food for ulcers, gastritis, problems with the kidneys, pancreas and liver. The seasoning contains a fairly large amount of salt and is spicy; in addition, the high content of essential oils and phytoncides can negatively affect people's health, causing spasms in the gastrointestinal tract.

It is not recommended to use the seasoning if you are individually intolerant to onions, otherwise it may result in indigestion. Also, you should not use too many seasonings if you have problems with the bronchi.

How to keep green onions fresh: storage methods in the refrigerator

A few tricks can help keep green onions fresh for a few weeks longer than usual. If you just put it in the refrigerator, there will be no effect. It is worth taking care of the correct “packaging”. There are different ways to store onion greens in the refrigerator.

In a glass container

This method is well suited for preserving young onions with short green feathers. You will need clean, dry glass jars that are tall enough to accommodate the entire plant. They cannot be bent or broken. This will lead to rapid spoilage of the product.

Before storing green onions, do not wash them at all or dry them well so that no moisture remains on them. It is carefully placed in a jar and sealed with a lid. The workpiece is sent to the refrigerator, where it is kept until it is needed. You can keep green onions fresh in the refrigerator using this method for 1 month.

In a plastic bag

An equally good option for storing onion greens is to put fresh plants in an ordinary plastic bag and put it in the refrigerator. So that they do not disappear, but remain fresh as long as possible, they must be:

healthy;
without traces of diseases and damage left by pests;
without yellow, dry leaves and dirt.

Before storing the bulbs and feathers, you need to cool them by putting them in the refrigerator, and then put them in a bag and tie them. This way, condensation will not form under the film, which means the greens will last longer. You can store green onions in a bag in the refrigerator for up to 1.5 months.

Where can you use dried green onions?

When making preparations, you should not hope that the onion will taste the same as fresh. Fresh herbs give a tart, pungent sensation, while dried onions give off a spicy aroma and perfectly complement many dishes.

Dried herbs are very widely used in cooking. It is also suitable for preparing a second course and adds a fragrant aroma to the soup. One teaspoon of dried green onions will be enough to give the first dish a special taste. And the smell will spread throughout your apartment and attract those who want to have lunch.

Dried scallions are great for making stews or gravy. You can use the stock directly, but some cooks use powdered green onions. It is an equally tasty spice that can be sprinkled on various dishes on your table. This will give them a special sharpness and piquancy, as well as additional nutritional value.

Dried green onions are rarely added to salads. But greens crushed to a powder can be used as a topping for vegetable salad. The onion flavor and spicy aroma will add zest to cold winter days.

For lovers of home baking, dried green onions will be the most suitable spice. When added to the dough, a special aroma will reign in the kitchen. It is enough to mix crushed greens into the dough and knead buns or bread. It will turn out very tasty.

Dried green onions are also used in dishes instead of onions, as they create the same piquancy and spiciness. And the tart smell will help turn simple food into a culinary masterpiece.

Dried green onions complement various culinary dishes - vegetable, meat, and fish. It is also added to broths. In cooking, it can be used almost anywhere. Its popularity is due to its taste and medicinal properties. In addition, its preparation is quite simple and has many options.

Use in cooking

Fresh and dry green onions differ in their culinary properties: fresh greens have a sharper and tart taste, while dried greens are aromatic and add delicate flavor notes to the dish.

Dried green feathers are used in almost any savory dish. It is added to soups, meat sauces and vegetable stews 3-5 minutes before readiness, and placed in fillings for dumplings with potatoes, closed and open pies.

Dried herbs are used in two forms: dried feathers are placed or they are first crushed into powder.

A pinch of greens is added to fresh vegetable salads to add a pleasant aroma and a special zest during the cold season.

Adding a little dried onion to your bread dough will create a mind-blowing aroma in your kitchen while it bakes.

Why dry onions for the winter?

Some have been practicing harvesting for the winter for a long time, some novice gardeners are just starting to do this, but do not be afraid, since the process of drying greens is quite simple. It differs little from the traditional preparation of fruit for chips and winter compotes.

Storing food dry has a number of advantages. Fresh vegetables can be stored for only a few days in the refrigerator, while dry vegetables can be stored for up to a year. If you store greens and vegetables canned or deep frozen, they change both texture and taste. Dried herbs will remain as spicy as immediately after drying. At the same time, the raw material takes up little space - the volume is reduced by 10 times, the weight - by almost 5. The result is a universal product that is used both as an additive for main courses and as a seasoning for baked goods.

Drying onions for the winter season is really beneficial and practical. In winter, vitamins are especially lacking, and dried greens are rich in nutrients, iodine, fiber, and essential oils.

How to dry it in the oven for the winter

The apartment may be damp, or there may be rainy days, so it is not possible to dry the onions outside. This is not a problem, because there are ways to do this using household appliances. The most common thing that everyone has in their kitchen is a stove and oven. This is where we will dry the aromatic herbs. The weight and cooking time for the green onions remain the same as in the recipe above.

Step-by-step preparation

Rinse the feathers under the tap and gently shake off. Place on a towel to dry.
Cut into rings approximately 0.5 cm wide.
It is best to pour the greens not directly onto the baking sheet, but onto the parchment. You need to spread it in an even layer. In this case, the dried material can be easily collected and poured into containers.
Preheat the oven. The best temperature for drying is 40-50°C. At higher temperatures, the greens will dry out and lose many of their beneficial properties; The taste will also deteriorate. During the entire drying time, the oven door should not be tightly closed, otherwise moisture will remain inside and spoil the greens.
It will take 2 to 3 hours for the onion feathers to dry completely. This depends on the oven, so you need to check.
Wait until the finished product has cooled completely, pour into glass or plastic jars; close with lids.

What onions can be dried?

There are more than 1,000 varieties in the onion family, but not all of them are edible.

Drying onions is suitable for the following types:

Onion. One of the most popular species, which has large bulbs and deep green hollow tubes on top of the ground.
Batun (sandy, pipe-shaped). A plant with powerful stems up to 50 cm in length, but without bulbs.
Shallot (chickweed, shallot). Onions with soft and juicy bulbs of small oval or round shape. The greens are tender and reach 45 cm in length.
Schnitt (ambulance). It is famous for the delicate taste of small leaves. The bulbs are not used in cooking.
Leeks (grape, pearl). Chefs love it for its special taste and pleasant aroma.
Slime. A vegetable without bulbs with juicy greens in the form of ribbons that have a pungent taste.
Branched onion (fragrant vegetable, jusai). Both onions and greens are added to food. It differs from other types in its garlic-onion taste.
Cheremsha. Wild onions that are collected in the forest. All its parts are edible; the taste is reminiscent of garlic.

Another popular species of the onion family is garlic, which has a persistent pungent taste.

Many housewives prepare fried onions by drying their rings after heat treatment.

How to properly select and dry whole onions

In order for onions (whole!) to be stored for a long time and not lose either their presentable appearance, taste, or beneficial properties, you need to pay attention to a number of important factors. We will talk about them in detail below.

Step 1: Proper Digging of Onions

If you do not buy it at the market, but grow it at home yourself, then know that it is not enough to plant the vegetable correctly, you also need to dig it up properly. When digging, try not to touch the roots of the onion, so as not to damage them, otherwise the onion heads will not be able to lie for a long time and will begin to rot very soon.

It is also not recommended to pull your harvest out of the ground with your hands, throw it with all your might onto a common heap, or hit it on the ground, shaking off earthen residues - all this can cause rapid spoilage of the product.

Step 2: Sort the onions before drying

Think in advance about how and where you will store your onion trophy. If onions will be stored in a net or braid in winter, then the heads must be left only with long tails. Remove dry leaves immediately using scissors.

But cut off carefully so that a “neck” 4-6 cm long remains. We do not touch the roots in any case, since they are the key to long-term storage.

If you come across bulbs that have slightly deteriorated or begun to rot, immediately remove them from the general mass. It is better to cook something from them in the near future, since they will not withstand lying for a long time.

All heads must be sharp or late varieties (these are best preserved until spring), strong and without signs of germination.

Step 3: Dry onions outdoors

Before storing the heads for the winter, they must be carefully prepared, and to do this, the first step is to dry them in the sun. Spread the harvested crops on a large blanket, old bag or large towel and leave to dry for several days.

When the upper “coat” of onion heads is thoroughly dry, you can package the harvest. You can weave a braid for the bow or use grandma’s proven method by packing the bow in stockings or nets.

After drying

Once the onions are dry, let them cool completely. Then put it in a cup and cover with a clean cloth.

Place the cup in a dark place and leave for a couple of weeks. At the same time, shake the contents carefully every day and watch for droplets of condensation that may form inside the bowl. If you find them, it means the onion is not completely dry and needs to be put back into the oven. If there is no condensation, then the onions can be stored.

Such control is necessary because insufficiently dried onions can rot during storage.

Storing dried onions

Home-dried onions are packaged for subsequent storage in small batches. It is good to use vacuum jars or bags for this.

It is better to store in a cool, dry place, protected from sunlight. The refrigerator is ideal, but you can also put it in the freezer.

Home-dried onions can be stored in glass jars

The benefits and harms of dried onions

Since when dried, onions completely retain the substances they contain, the range of their beneficial effects on the body is no less diverse than that of fresh ones:
Strengthens the immune system.
Has anthelmintic effect.
A good therapeutic and preventive remedy for colds.
Fights hypertension.
Has an expectorant effect.
Supports the body in diabetes.
Stimulates the removal of excess fluid from the body.
Has a laxative effect.
Able to overcome scurvy.
Fights hepatitis A.

There is also harm from eating onions. It occurs if you neglect its contraindications:
breastfeeding (babies may refuse breast milk);
pregnancy (whether a particular pregnant woman can take this seasoning or not, the doctor must say);
diseases of the oral cavity (the vegetable greatly irritates the mucous membranes and increases the signs of illness);
pancreatitis (it is strictly forbidden, since the use of the product is fraught with death);
gastrointestinal diseases (as it is a spicy seasoning);
gastritis (the product irritates the walls of the stomach and causes very unpleasant sensations);
liver problems;
bronchial asthma;
allergies due to individual intolerance.

Features of dried onions

First of all, you need to understand all the advantages that drying onions gives:

Housewives who harvest the vegetable themselves will not have to worry about storing it in the winter, since in its raw form it is susceptible to rot.
This way it takes up less space in the house and is always at hand.
Often someone in the family does not like onions and removes them from food. By grinding the seasoning into powder, the dish will not lose its taste, and the person will eat it calmly.

The calorie content of dried onions is much higher than that of fresh vegetables due to the loss of most of the moisture and is about 208 kcal versus 40 kcal.

Stores sell dried onions at a low price, but you should know that enterprises try to carry out the process faster, often without thinking about the result obtained:

In a special drum. Workers load the prepared vegetable inside, where it is blown with a stream of hot air. This is the simplest and most common option.
Spraying powder. This method is used to obtain onion powder, when the crushed product is simply sprayed under a stream of air. The finished seasoning is white or golden in color. In the latter case, due to partial caramelization of granulated sugar under excessively hot air. With this method, most beneficial substances and essential oils will be lost.
Sublimation. The prepared vegetable is first frozen and then vacuumized in a special way.

If we compare the processing of onions for food at home, then frying and baking the vegetable is much inferior to the dried product in terms of the number of useful components.

Peculiarities

In addition to onions, the method of drying which we described above, there are types of onions such as leeks and green onions.
We will tell you how to dry and store these varieties of onions. Leeks: secrets of drying

How to dry leeks for the winter in an electric dryer and oven? Leeks can be prepared for the winter by drying, freezing and storing fresh in the refrigerator. Read more in the article “Storing leeks for the winter.”

The drying process is not much different from drying onions. The leek must be chopped into small pieces and then dried in an oven or electric dryer.

With special preparation, leeks can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 months. At the same time, it has a fresh taste and can be eaten or added to salads as a decoration.

To freeze leeks, you need to cut them into small pieces, spread them in a thin layer into bags and put them in the freezer. This onion will retain all its beneficial properties.

Green onions: secrets of drying

Is it possible to dry green onions for the winter? Tips for drying green onions in the oven and for their further storage in this video:

When dried, green onions retain all their taste and the vitamins they contain.

If possible, it is better to dry green onions outdoors.

First, you need to sort out the onions, selecting damaged and thick stems. The stems that suit us must be washed, cut into small pieces and placed on a board or sieve.

The board should not be placed directly under the sun's rays - this can damage the bow. It is better to dry green onions in the shade, in a non-stuffy place.

Onions can also be dried using an electric dryer. This drying will take a little time - only half an hour at a temperature of 70°C.

Video instructions for drying green onions in an electric dryer. Let's look:

Read about this and other ways to store green onions on our website.

As you may have noticed, drying and preparing onions for the winter does not take much effort. Onions can be stored for a long time if you periodically monitor their condition.

Such advance preparation will help you, even in winter, to receive all the vitamins your body needs and not get sick. And green onions as a decoration on your New Year's table will surprise all your friends.

Using Dried Onions

When using dried onions in cooking, proceed from the following proportions:

1 teaspoon of dry onion is equal to one small onion
1 or 2 tablespoons of onion equals one medium onion
¼ cup dried onion equals 1 cup finely chopped fresh onion.

Onion powder

If you don't like the texture of dry onions, you can always make onion powder out of them. Just grind it in a blender or coffee grinder. One tablespoon of dried onion is crushed into about one teaspoon of onion powder.

In this case, half a teaspoon of powder is equivalent to a quarter cup of fresh finely chopped onion.

Half a teaspoon of onion powder is equal to a quarter cup of fresh onions

Onion powder can be used on its own or mixed with other spices - salt, herbs and seasonings. They can be sprinkled on meat, added to sauces and salads.