How to Store Green Onions to Keep Them Fresh

Expert tips for extending the life of this essential ingredient

Scallions in water
The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Versatile, bright-tasting green onions, also called scallions, add both flavor and color to countless recipes and can be eaten raw or cooked. You can mix them into a dish or use them on top for a pretty garnish. So it would make sense to keep them on hand, but, unfortunately, they can turn limp and slimy before you get around to using them—and that's a real waste of food and money.

The good news is that if you store green onions properly they'll last days longer than if you just stuck them in the fridge in the package they came in. Below, we'll outline three different options for storing green onions: on the windowsill, in the fridge in a jar, and in the fridge in damp paper towels. Choose your favorite and keep those green onions fresh and ready to go into your favorite recipes.

Expert Tips for Making Green Onions Last

  1. Start with fresh green onions: At the store or market, check the green onions carefully to make sure they aren't wilted, slimy, or bruised. The better shape they're in when you bring them home, the longer they'll last.
  2. Transport them carefully: Place the green onions near the top of your grocery bag so they don't get crushed or bruised.
  3. Keep the root intact: Don't cut the bulb off of the onions until you are ready to use them.
  4. Give them some moisture: When you get home from the grocery store or farmers' market, get the bulbs into some water quickly so the greens don't wilt. All of the storage methods below involve keeping the bulbs damp.
  5. Don't get them too cold: While the fridge can be a great place to store green onions, keep them out of any spots in the fridge that get very cold or freezing.

illustration showing how to store green onions

The Spruce / Catherine Song

Green Onion Storage Option 1: In Water on a Windowsill

You might be surprised to learn that green onions can be stored at room temperature, just like other types of onions. But unlike cured onions, green onions need water to keep them fresh—in this way, they're more like flowers. Here's how to do it.

  • Choose a heavy-bottomed jar, glass, or vase that's tall enough to hold the scallions without them flopping over.
  • Place the green onions in the jar root-side down.
  • Fill the jar with just enough cold or room temperature water to cover the roots, about an inch or two.
  • Then simply place the jar on the windowsill in your kitchen.
  • Change or add water every couple of days, as needed.

Stored this way, your onions will not only stay fresh but will also continue to grow!

Green Onion Storage Option 2: In Water in the Refrigerator

If you don't have a windowsill in your kitchen, you can store green onions in the fridge following the same directions for storing on a windowsill, but then covering the tops of the onions with a plastic bag—this can be the bag they came in or a zip-top bag. Here's how to do it:

  • Place the green onions in a heavy-bottomed jar, glass, or vase root-side down, then fill the jar with just enough cold or room temperature water to cover the roots.
  • Cover the green onions with a plastic bag. You want to keep some of the humidity within the bag, so you need to cinch the bag a bit. If using a grocery produce bag, place a rubber band or string around the bag where it meets the mouth of the jar; for a zip-top bag, just zip it as much as possible. You don't need an airtight seal, just enough to keep in the humidity.
  • Transfer the jar to the the refrigerator. Just be sure to put the jar where it isn't likely to get knocked over—you can wedge it between other items on the door of the fridge, for example.
  • Replace the water every couple of days.

Green Onion Storage Option 3: Wrapped in Damp Paper Towel

Instead of placing the scallions in a jar, you can use a paper towel and storage bag or storage container. Here's how to do it:

  • First, wrap the green onions in a slightly damp paper towel. The dampness provides the humidity needed for proper storage; if the towel is too wet though, it can promote rotting.
  • If you prefer, you can sprinkle the towel with water after wrapping the green onions.
  • Place the wrapped scallions inside a plastic bag or storage container; it doesn't need to be sealed airtight. Remoisten the paper towel if it dries out and replace it if it becomes too wet.

Green Onions Wilted Anyway? Regrow Them Instead of Tossing Them!

If you have onions lying around that are deteriorating, you don't have to throw them out. Regrow them instead. Here's how:

  • First, cut off one inch of the green part of each onion, keeping the white part with the roots intact.
  • Plant the scallions in your garden or in a pot on your windowsill, root-end buried in soil.
  • Keep the soil moist with frequent waterings.
  • Any time you need some green onion, snip off some of the tops, leaving the white part with the roots planted in the ground.
  • The onions will grow back again, and you can keep doing this as long as you don't disturb the roots. In many places, green onions will even survive the winter.

How to Freeze Green Onions

A final option for preserving your green onions is to freeze them. Here's how:

  • Wash the green onions well and pat them dry.
  • Remove the stem end, then chop the green onions, separating the green and white parts if you expect to use them differently in recipes.
  • Spread the chopped green onions on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and freeze for about 2 hours.
  • Transfer the onions to a freezer bag or container that seals tightly (again, separating the whites and greens if you want to use them differently).
    Store them in the freezer for up to 6 months (they'll be safe indefinitely but the flavor may deteriorate over time).
  • You can use them straight from the freezer for most recipes, or thaw them in the fridge first.