Shelf Life Tips
- How long do cooked onions last in the fridge or freezer? The exact answer to that question depends to a large extent on storage conditions - refrigerate onions within two hours of cooking.
-
To maximize the shelf life of cooked onions for safety and quality, refrigerate the onions in shallow airtight containers or resealable plastic bags.
-
Properly stored, cooked onions will last for 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator.
-
How long can cooked onions be left at room temperature? Bacteria grow rapidly at temperatures between 40 °F and 140 °F; cooked onions should be discarded if left out for more than 2 hours at room temperature.
-
To further extend the shelf life of cooked onions, freeze them; freeze in covered airtight containers or heavy-duty freezer bags.
-
How long do cooked onions last in the freezer? Properly stored, they will maintain best quality for 10 to 12 months, but will remain safe beyond that time.
-
The freezer time shown is for best quality only - cooked onions that have been kept constantly frozen at 0°F will keep safe indefinitely.
-
How long do cooked onions last after being frozen and thawed? Cooked onions that have been thawed in the fridge can be kept for an additional 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator before cooking; onions that were thawed in the microwave or in cold water should be eaten immediately.
-
How to tell if cooked onions are bad? The best way is to smell and look at the onions: discard any that have an off smell or appearance, do not taste first.
About Our Authors
Sources: For details about data sources used for food storage information, please click here
