All posts by Sylvia Cooperman

Making the most out of dehydrated onions

Bringing convience, savings and flavor to your cooking

Dehydrated onions are a great way to save money and add flavor to cooking. Not only do they have an incredibly long shelf life, but they’re also perfect for adding complex flavor to your recipes without having to chop fresh onions. Let’s explore how you can use them in your cooking. 

Using dehydrated onions

Since dehydrated onions are already chopped, all you need to do is measure out the amount you need for your recipe without any of the tears associated with chopping from fresh. No more moldy onions in the pantry; the dehydrated form will last a long time if stored properly. To rehydrate dehydrated onions, just add hot water or stock and let them sit for 5–10 minutes until they are soft enough for cooking or using as you would a fresh onion. They can also be used directly in dry form by sprinkling onto salads or into dishes like soups and stews that are being cooked anyway. If you need onion powder, adding the chopped, dehydrated variety to a coffee grinder, spice mill or blender and sifting out any larger pieces will yeild a powder ready to add to rubs, dressings or sauces.

Here is the link to the dehydrated onions I’ve been working with lately:

Dehydrated onions are a great way to save money on groceries because it allows you to buy in bulk, costs less to ship, there is less of a chance for waste and prevents last minute trips to the store which is great anytime but especially if bad weather is coming. Buying dried produce is usually much cheaper than buying fresh.

Storing Dehydrated Onions 

When storing dehydrated onions, make sure they are stored in an airtight container away from direct sunlight and moisture. A cool and dark place like a pantry or cupboard works best for keeping these preserved vegetables fresher longer. If stored correctly, dehydrated onions should last at least 12 months before needing to be replaced with fresh ones. If you have the ability to vacuum store these, you will greatly lengthen their shelf life. Since I use a lot of onions, I never have a problem using them up in a year. Storing fresh onions takes up a lot of space and if you have a half onion left over, you then need to store that in the fridge or freezer where space, in my house at least, is at a premium. 

Dehydrated onions are a great way to save time while adding flavor and complexity to dishes without having to chop fresh onion every time you cook something! Not only do they have an incredibly long shelf life if stored correctly, but they’re also incredibly cost-effective since dried produce is usually much cheaper than buying fresh produce at the grocery store! With all these advantages, it’s easy to see why using dehydrated onion makes sense in your kitchen.