Green Onion Powder

Green onion powder is a dry powder made from green onions that have been dried then finely ground. It is used as you would a spice, in small quantities.

Green onions are also known as spring onions in England, and as shallots (sic) in Australia and by some in New Orleans. People who will only cook in expensive copper pots prefer to call any type of green onion a scallion, though that’s slightly different again, too. (Here’s more info on the green onion name confusion around the world.)

The powder adds to dishes a delicate background flavour with a mild zip.

You can make it yourself, or buy it already made. Restaurant cooks often buy it in bulk, and use it to add a green onion taste without the usual trimming and chopping.

Yields and Equivalents

12 large fresh bunches of green onion, as purchased = 26 cups / 2 kg (4.4 lbs) fresh trimmed and chopped = 9 full-size square Excalibur screens, full = 12 cups (150 g / 5 oz), dried and chopped = 2 cups (150 g / 5 oz) finely ground powder

10 tablespoons powder = 50 g (1.5 oz)

Directions

Wash the green onions, trim the roots off. No need to blanch.

Chop up coarsely. You can use pretty much all of it.

Spread out on dehydrator. See dehydrating onions for directions for drying temperature and time recommendations.

Dry until brittle.

When dried and cooled, store dried pieces for a few days in a sealed container to ensure there will be no condensation starting. If there is, dehydrate a bit more, as that excess moisture would affect your powder.

When are you sure that your pieces are truly safely dried, you can grind them into powder. (Make sure they are quite brittle before attempting to grind them into a powder, or they dance around the food processor blade.)

It’s ideal if you can grind in two steps but just one step is fine if that is all you can do or wish to do:

1. Put in food processor and grind to a coarse powder (you can stop here if you wish);
2. Take the coarse powder, and in small batches, process through an electric coffee bean mill to reduce to a fine powder. You may need to strain your work a few times and reprocess any pieces that didn’t turn to a powder.

Note that you may not be able to get a fine, floury-like powder as you can with some other items. That’s fine.

Storage

Store in an air-tight jar. Label jar with name of product and date. Store away from heat and direct light.

Usage notes

No need to rehydrate first when using.

Delicious in dressings, dips, soups, sauces, etc.

Try: Green Onion & Celery Salad Dressing Mix