Ars Sprouted Onions Safe To Eat?

Sprouting is a natural stage of an onion’s life cycle. They are considered a root vegetable in the culinary world, but botanically they’re technically a bulb. And just like other bulbs (including flowers), onions are essentially the resting stage for a mature onion plant.

Sprouting starts when the onion is exposed to the right growing conditions. It doesn’t necessarily have to be sitting in soil for this to happen. When stored in warm, humid, and/or light-filled spots, onions are basically tricked into thinking it’s spring and start the sprouting process.

Unlike potatoes, where the mature plant is toxic to humans, all parts of an onion are safe to eat. So you don’t need to worry when you see green sprouts poking out of your produce.

In fact, you don’t even need to remove them. Onion sprouts not the same as scallions or green onions, but they taste pretty darn similar. So feel free to chop them up and use them in your recipes.

Sprouted onions are generally safe to eat, but there are still some important things to know. To provide enough nutrients for the sprouts to grow, the onion uses the sugars that are naturally present in the bulb. This will gradually deplete the pungent sweetness found in a fresh onion. If you’re cooking the onions, it shouldn’t make a major difference. But we’d suggest steering away from raw preparations, since the onions will taste more astringent.

And it should go without saying that you should toss (or compost!) your sprouted onions if they’re mushy, leaking juice, or developing mold.

The most obvious method to prevent your onions from sprouting is eating them soon after you buy them. But for those of us who buy onions in bulk, you can slow the sprouting with proper storage.

You want to avoid keeping your onions in areas with high moisture levels and temperatures. If you live in a more temperate climate with low humidity, you can store your onions in a dark room like a pantry or closet. But if it’s peak summer and you live in a more humid environment, you’re better off keeping them in the refrigerator.