How to Freeze Dry Onions

If you’ve ever had homegrown onions go soft and rotten in storage, you know the heartbreak of losing part of your harvest. Preserving onions is one of the best ways to maximize your hard work in the garden, and while freezing and dehydrating are great options (see my posts on freezing chopped onions and drying green onions), today I want to show you how to freeze dry onions—my favorite long-term solution.

Freeze drying requires electricity to run the machine, but once complete, your onions are shelf stable for months and even years. No more worrying about spoilage or wasted produce. Just jars of homegrown goodness ready when you need them.

Why Freeze Dry Onions?

• Shelf stability: Once freeze dried, onions last indefinitely without refrigeration.
• Versatility: Perfect for soups, stews, slow cooker recipes, and even sautés.
• Homemade onion powder: Grind freeze dried onions into powder—no preservatives, anti-caking agents, or packaging. Just pure flavor from your backyard.
• Space saving: Freeze dried onions take up less room than fresh or frozen.

Preserving onions this way means no waste, no preservatives, and no reliance on long-term electricity. Just shelf-stable, homegrown onions ready to flavor your meals all year long.

Step-by-Step: How to Freeze Dry Onions

1. Prep the onions
   Peel and chop to your preferred size for cooking. 
2. Load trays
   Place chopped onions on freeze dryer trays. You can pre-freeze them on the trays to save time during the drying cycle. I recommend investing in at least one set of plastic lids (two or three sets are even better).
3. Start the cycle
   On my medium Harvest Right freeze dryer, I press Start to initiate a cycle. The machine takes about 15 minutes to prepare. Then I load the trays, close the door securely, and shut the drain valve.
4. Drying process
   The cycle runs for hours—often into the next day. When finished, check the onions. They should be completely dry, crispy, and warm to the touch (never cold). If they feel cool, add more dry time or warm the trays.
5. Store properly
   Transfer onions into airtight containers. I prefer glass jars, but mylar bags also work well. For maximum shelf life, use a vacuum sealer to remove air. (Yes, you can vacuum seal glass jars—it feels like magic!)

Storage & Use

• Keep jars of freeze dried onions handy for everyday cooking.
• Rehydrated onions won’t return to their original texture, but they’re perfect for slow cooker recipes, soups, stews, and sautés.
• Grind into onion powder for a pantry staple that’s 100% homemade.

Gift Idea

Freeze dried foods make wonderful gifts. Pair a jar of Freeze Dried Onions with Homemade Herbal Season Salt and don’t forget to print out my Whole Chicken in the Crockpot recipe to include for your gift recipient. It’s a thoughtful, practical present that’s sure to be appreciated.

Labels

Custom labels totally elevate a homemade gift.  I adore this handy label printer!  From goat milk soap to dried veggies, dried herbs from my garden, homegrown sriracha sauce, and more, it allows me to create countless homemade gifts with ease.

It connects with your phone via its own app and allows you to customize labels for just about anything.  You can even choose the label size or shape: round, square, rectangular.

Printing custom labels is a snap with this label maker, and you will love the upgraded look of your homemade and homegrown gifts.

More Homegrown and Homemade Gift Ideas

• Homemade Fajita Seasoning
• Homemade Herbal Season Salt
• Homemade Ranch Mix
• Homegrown Dried Herbs
• Homegrown Paprika Powder
• Dried Apple Chips
• Dried Tomato Slices
• Homemade Tomato Powder
• Homemade Sriracha Sauce
• Homemade Freeze-Dried Marshmallows
• Homemade Vanilla Extract
• DIY Beeswax Candles
• How to Grow Loofah Sponges