How to Store Green Onions So They Last for Weeks

For the lovely and light onion flavor they layer on, plus the pleasant crunch green onions deliver, we try to keep scallions in our kitchen as often as possible. Once they are there, we’ve tested out many techniques to make the most of our scallion supply. After years of testing, we have landed at these solutions for how to store green onions in fresh and frozen fashion.

How to Store Green Onions

“Proper storage is the key for extending the shelf-life of green onions,” confirms Sarah Brekke, M.S., Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen brand manager.

The mission with storing scallions is to allow for humidity and circulation around the stalks and stems, Brekke adds, rather than trapping moisture between them. The latter can accelerate spoilage. (As a reminder, yes, you can use the green and white parts of green onions!) 

Similar to cilantro, you have two optimal solutions for how to store green onions. But unlike with those fresh herbs, you can feel free to wash, trim, and dry green onions before storing—regardless of which option you choose.

Option 1: The ‘Fresh-Cut Flowers’ Strategy

Using a sharp knife, carefully trim off any wilted tops from the green onions. Remove the rubber band securing the bunch, if it’s present, to allow for more air circulation around the green onions. Wash the green onion stalks and stems well under cool water. Extract and discard any wilting pieces, then pat the rest of the bunch dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Transfer the green onions into a jar or glass filled partially with water. Place the green onion “bouquet” on a shelf in the refrigerator.

Test Kitchen Tip: Refresh the water every few days. And anytime you notice any wilting pieces, remove them and discard. Any decay can quickly spread to neighboring stalks.

Option 2: The Zip-Top Bag Strategy

Using a sharp knife, carefully trim off any wilted tops from the green onions, then slice off the roots. Remove the rubber band securing the green onions, if it’s present, then wash the stalks and stems under cool water. Extract and discard any wilting pieces. Use a clean kitchen towel or paper towels to dry off any excess water. Line a large zip-top plastic bag with a very lightly damp paper towel, add the clean-and-dry green onions, and press out as much of the air as possible before sealing the bag. Place the bag, green onions facing up, in the refrigerator. Every day or two, peek at the green onions and remove any pieces that show signs of wilting or decay.

Can You Freeze Green Onions?

You bet. 

“Green onions can be frozen, and this is a great option for long-term storage,” Brekke says. Bonus: “Often, the green onions won’t even need to be thawed before you use them.”

To freeze green onions, the process starts out in a very familiar way: Using a sharp knife, carefully trim off any wilted tops from the green onions, then slice off the roots. Remove the rubber band securing the green onions, if it’s present, then wash the stalks and stems under cool water. Use the knife to chop the green onions into smaller pieces (we like ¼-inch to ½-inch for most purposes; sliced on a bias, if desired) based on how you plan to use them. 

On a parchment paper-lined pan(s), scatter the clean and chopped green onion pieces, then transfer them to the freezer for 2 hours, or until completely frozen. Once frozen, pop the green onions into a large freezer-safe zip-top bag, then label and date so you can keep track of your stock.

Thawed frozen green onions tend to wilt and/or weep, so reserve frozen green onions to use for recipes in which they’ll be cooked (such as stir-fries, soups, stews, scrambled eggs, dips, and sauces), rather than using them thawed and raw.

How Long Do Green Onions Last?

Following Brekke’s best practices for how to store green onions, plan to use the alliums within their approximate maximum lifespan:

• Fresh: Up to 3 weeks
• Frozen: Up to 4 months

“The green portions should be bright and firm,” Brekke says. “If the green tops are slimy or beginning to wilt, the green onions have gone bad and need to be discarded.”

If you’d like to really max out your green onion’s value, regrow them, Brekke suggests. 

“Place the root ends of the green onions in a jar of water, and keep this in a sunny location. The onions will begin to regrow from the tops; just be sure to change the water frequently,” she says.