The Absolute Best Way To Store Onions So They Stay Crisp

The humble onion is one of the world's most versatile culinary ingredients. Grilled, braised, or boiled in a soup, they can impart a unique depth of savory sweetness to any recipe graced with their presence. The unmistakable scent of cooking garlic and onions warms the soul, but if they aren't stored correctly, you may reach for a bulb one day and find it's destined for the trash.

With food prices on the rise, throwing out unused food stings. The pain is worse when you are in the middle of preparing a meal, only to realize a staple ingredient you planned to incorporate is spoiled. Red, white, and yellow onions have slight differences, but they are all hearty vegetables that can live a long life in your kitchen — just not in the refrigerator. The first problem with storing them in the fridge is that it is too cold. The chilly temperature will cause the starch in onions to turn into sugar, creating soft spots and, eventually, a mushy bulb. Onions are stored best at 45 to 55-degrees Fahrenheit.

The humidity inside a refrigerator can also cause them to go soft. On top of that, moisture can promote mold growth, which will obviously ruin the alliums and can potentially spread to other items in the fridge. Onions need to breathe in a dry, brisk environment. For the best chance at keeping them crisp for an extended period of time, store them somewhere like a cool pantry with plenty of ventilation.

Some supermarkets sell bulk onions in a mesh bag, which is ideal for storing them long-term. However, if you purchase loose onions and walk out with them secured in a plastic bag, take them out before storing. Leaving them in the bag can trap moisture and create a climate that can accelerate spoilage.

Although it might be convenient, the top of the refrigerator is a poor location to store onions because it gets warm up there. If your kitchen is especially brisk, you can stash them on the counter, but always remember that these veggies like it dark. If overexposed to light, they can begin to sprout. While this isn't something to be concerned about from a food safety standpoint, it will affect the flavor and texture of your crispy bulbs.

Potatoes and onions are a match made in heaven, but only when incorporated into a dish. Before that, consider them frenemies that should not be stored together. Onions emit ethylene gas — which ripens produce — and when stored next to potatoes, they can encourage them to sprout.

When cared for properly, whole, unpeeled onions can stay crisp between three and six months. If they have been cut or peeled, they should be refrigerated, but will only last a week or two. Gordon Ramsay's tear-free hack to cutting onions will help your eyes stay dry while preparing them, but once cut, they need to be used up quickly.