Onions – Is there a place for dried?

Your recipe calls for fresh onion, but when you go to your panty, you find none. You recall that you do have some sort of dried onion product in your spice rack. Can you use that? That is the subject of this Cooking Tip.

Similar to dried garlic products, dried onion products start with fresh onions that are dried and then ground/cut into different sizes. Similar to fresh onions, the flavor will vary depending on the variety of onion used.

When you add fresh onions, you add not only their flavor but also a textural element. Also, as the onions cook, they release water, adding moisture to your dish. Whereas the dried onion products can impart flavor, you will miss out on the texture and moisture.

We all know that cutting fresh onions releases a pungent odor and causes eye tearing. One advantage of dried products is that they do not cause eye discomfort, and the odor is much milder. Let’s look at some of those products.

Onion Powder

• This is made from fresh onions that have been dehydrated and then finely ground.
• It can add an onion taste in those dishes where you do not want the moisture or texture of fresh onions.
• The powder dissolves more fully into a dish and distributes more evenly than fresh onion if added to a spice rub or a meatloaf.

Granulated Onion

• Granulated onion results from drying the onions but grinding them less finely than is done with onion powder.
• Depending on the size of the resulting granules, other names you might see are minced onion, chopped onion and onion flakes.
• These larger-sized onion products are best used in dishes with sufficient moisture and time for the onions to rehydrate.
• If your dish does not have significant liquid, some recommend that you soak the particles in warm water for five minutes before using.
• Besides onion flavor, the larger-cut dried onion products could add a small amount of texture.

Granulated Roasted Onion

• This product is similar to the others, but the onions are roasted before drying and ground.
• Roasted onions will be less pungent and more sweet.

Onion Salt

• Just as with garlic salt, this is a mixture of salt and onion, usually in a 3:1 ratio.
• It imparts an onion flavor but also adds a significant amount of salt.
• Whereas you can substitute the other dried onion products for onion salt, do not use onion salt instead of onion powder or granulated onion.

Similar to dried garlic products, onion products are not a substitute for fresh onions but are a separate product that will add onion flavor. They are best used as an ingredient in dishes such as onion dips or chili, soups, stews, and sauces.

For those who do want to try to substitute for fresh onion, below are some suggestions. As onions vary in size, these recommendations vary according to what size onion is called for in the recipe. If no size is specified, use the amounts listed for a medium onion. As recommendations differ from expert to expert, always start on the lower side and then increase to taste. Fresh onions are often sautéed before being used in your recipe. You do not need to do this with dried onion products.

1 small onion

• Yields ¼ to ½ cup chopped fresh onion.
• Substitute 1 teaspoon onion powder or 1-1½ tablespoons of granulated onion.

1 medium onion

• Yields ½ to 1 cup chopped fresh onion.
• Substitute 2-3 teaspoons of onion powder or 2 tablespoons of granulated onion.

1 Large onion

• Yields 1 to 1½ cups chopped fresh onion.
• Substitute 1-1½ tablespoons of onion powder or 3-4 tablespoons of granulated onion

If you desire, you can make your own dried onion products with this method.

1. Peel onions.
2. Chop finely.
3. Spread in a single layer and dry either in a food dehydrator or in a 150°F oven.
4. When they easily crumble, they are dry.
5. Allow to cool and then grind in a spice grinder or mortar/pestle.

I do have a couple of dried onion products in my spice rack, although they are rarely used and only in certain applications. How do you like to use them?