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How often do you use leeks and toss the dark leafy green tops because the recipe doesn’t use that part? Or purchased onions at the farmers market that still had their greens attached and didn’t know what to do with that part? Before you give up and toss those onion greens into your compost pile, turn them into your own homemade onion powder!
Prevent unnecessary food waste by making your own onion powder!
While there are some onions where we use the greens, like scallions or spring onions, most of the time this part of the onion gets composted. On some times, like leeks, the dark green portions are stringy and not tender. But they’re still full of flavor!
The best way to use these onion greens is to dehydrate them and turn them into homemade onion powder. The dehydration process, followed by grinding the onions into powder, turns the unusable into an ingredient you’ll keep reaching for in your spice cabinet. A win win for your cooking and your wallet!
Farmers Market Ingredients and Substitutions
Onion Greens
I have a whole post diving into the nuances between the different types of onions. The leafy greens from any of these onions can be dehydrated and turned into homemade onion powder. My favorite choices for this recipe are the dark leafy greens from leeks, which are often trimmed and destined for the compost, or the greens from sweet onions, like Vidalias or Walla Walla onions. You can always collect a mix of greens from different types of onions as well.
Tips and Tricks
If you really want to cut down on the time it takes to dehydrate your onions, or if you want to use your oven for something else at the same time, I highly recommend getting a countertop dehydrator. Dehydrators are specifically designed for this purpose, so while you can use your oven to do the same thing, the dehydrator is a better choice if you plan on preserving lots of food.
How to use Homemade Onion Powder
You can use your homemade onion powder the same way you’d use the stuff you buy at the grocery store. Add a teaspoon to your recipes anywhere you want a burst of onion flavor. This onion powder works especially well in homemade chili powder mixes; try adding it into my Whole30 Butternut Squash Chili in addition to all the spices.
Additionally, onion powder is the best way to add onion flavor without increasing the moisture content of your recipe. This is especially important for baked goods and dips, where moisture has a huge effect on the final outcome. Use your homemade onion powder in this ranch seasoning mix from Mind over Munch and then toss that seasoning onto popcorn or chicken or anywhere you want ranch flavor. Or, for a baked goods example, this sweet onion cornbread from Southern Cast Iron bumps up the onion flavor through the addition of onion powder.
How to store Homemade Onion Powder
Homemade Onion Powder should be stored in a sealed, airtight container in your pantry for up to 2 months. Storage time can be extended by adding a desiccant packet, which will absorb any moisture present in the air.
Homemade Onion Powder
How often do you use leeks and toss the dark leafy green tops because the recipe doesn't use that part? Or purchased onions at the farmers market that still had their greens attached and didn't know what to do with that part? Before you give up and toss those onion greens into your compost pile, turn them into your own homemade onion powder!
Ingredients
- 4 cups onion greens, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 225°F. If your oven has a fan or convection option, turn that on as well.
- Line two sheet pans with aluminum foil and silicone liners.
- Spread the roughly chopped onion greens evenly onto both sheet pans. Try to avoid overlapping greens, as these will take longer to dehydrate.
- Place the trays in the oven and dehydrate for 8-10 hours (overnight is my preferred way to do this). If your oven does not have a convection fan, prop the oven door open slightly to allow continuous air flow.
- After onion greens are fully dehydrated, crumble into powder and store in an airtight glass jar for up to 2 months.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 19Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 2mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 1g
Calculated nutrition values are not always accurate, but can provide a general idea for planning purposes. Please do not rely on this information as it may not be complete. Recipes that include unusual ingredients, especially scrap ingredients, will have the least accurate information with this calculator.
