🌱 How to Harvest, Cure, and Store Onions (Plus Recipes with Sweet Walla Wallas!)
There’s nothing quite as satisfying as pulling up onions from your garden—those glowing bulbs emerging from the soil, finally ready to land in your kitchen. This year, I grew Walla Walla onions, red onions, and shallots, and my harvest gave me the perfect chance to show you how to tell when onions are ready (and when they’re not).
Onions are one of the most rewarding crops you can grow, not just because they’re a kitchen staple, but also because growing them yourself gives you options you’ll never find in the grocery store. An added bonus is that critters typically stay away from them, so you don’t have to fence them off.
Growing Onions: From Seed to Storage
Onions are one of the most rewarding crops you can grow in the garden. They’re versatile in the kitchen, long-storing, and surprisingly simple once you understand their growth cycle. Many gardeners start onions from sets (small pre-grown bulbs), but there’s a huge advantage to starting from seed.
Why Growing Onions from Seed is Worth It
When you grow onions from seed, you’re starting at the very beginning of the plant’s natural life cycle. This means the plant is in its first year of growth, and all of its energy is directed toward developing a strong, flavorful bulb. The onion’s mission in year one is simple: grow leaves, feed the bulb, and store energy. That’s why first-year onions are larger, firmer, and often store longer.
By contrast, when you plant onion sets (tiny pre-grown bulbs you buy at the store), you’re actually starting with a second-year onion. These sets have already completed their first growing season, so once you put them in the ground, their biological clock is ticking toward flowering and seed production. That means more of their energy goes into sending up a flower stalk — not into plumping up the bulb. The result is often smaller bulbs, more bolting, and less reliable storage.
Benefits of Growing Onions by Seed
Bigger, Healthier Bulbs
First-year onions devote their full energy to bulb growth, giving you larger and better-formed onions.Wider Variety
Seeds open the door to countless varieties you won’t find as sets at the garden center — red, white, yellow, sweet, storage onions, shallots, even specialty onions like Walla Walla or Italian Cipollini.Better Storage
Because first-year onions put their strength into the bulb rather than flowers, they often cure and store much longer (with the exception of naturally short-storage varieties like Walla Walla).Less Bolting
Bolting (premature flowering) is a common problem with second-year onion sets, but much less likely when growing from seed.Stronger Plants
Onions grown from seed tend to be hardier and more disease-resistant, since you’re starting them fresh rather than relying on pre-grown sets that may already be stressed.Cost Savings
A packet of onion seed is often less expensive than buying bundles of sets — and you’ll get far more plants from it.
Getting Started
If you’re new to onion seeds, you can start them indoors 8–10 weeks before your last frost date. You can also grow seeds using the winter sowing method. That’s how I grew my onions this year. Then transplant them into the garden once the soil can be worked. Give them plenty of sun, well-draining soil, and consistent moisture. The payoff is onions that will not only fill your pantry but also remind you why starting from seed is worth the effort.
🧅 How to Tell When Onions Are Ready to Harvest
Onions grow in two stages: first, they put energy into the green tops, and then they swell their bulbs above the ground. You’ll know they’re ready for harvest when:
The tops start to yellow and fall over — usually 50–70% of the tops will flop.
The necks feel soft — a thick, stiff neck means the onion is still growing; a soft neck means it’s done.
👉 If the tops are still upright and green, like some of mine were in the video, https://youtu.be/Br5SKhhSR-w they’re not ready yet. Patience pays off!
🌞 How to Cure and Store Onions
Once you’ve harvested, onions need a curing period to store well. This allows the outer skins to dry and harden, protecting the bulb inside.
Lay onions out in a single layer in a dry, warm, shaded, and well-ventilated area (like a garage, porch, or shed).
Do not wash them—just gently brush off excess dirt.
Cure for 2–3 weeks until the necks are completely dry and the outer skins are papery.
Trim roots and tops (leave 1 inch of neck).
Store in mesh bags, crates, or braided bundles in a cool, dry place.
Red onions and shallots cure and store beautifully for months.
Walla Walla onions are sweeter and higher in water content, so they don’t last as long. Use them first in your kitchen!
🧄 Nutrition Benefits of Onions
Onions are more than just flavor builders—they’re a nutritional powerhouse:
Rich in quercetin, a powerful antioxidant that supports heart health.
Contain sulfur compounds that may help lower inflammation and support immune function.
Part of the allium family, which has been linked to reduced cancer risk (especially gastrointestinal cancers).
Low in calories but high in prebiotic fiber, feeding beneficial gut bacteria.
Onions are truly food-as-medicine, and when you grow your own, you get both better taste and better health.
🍲 Recipes with Sweet Walla Walla Onions
Since Walla Walla onions are best eaten fresh (not stored), here are two delicious plant-based ways to use them:
1. Creamy Caramelized Onion Dip (Plant-Based)
Ingredients:
2 large Walla Walla onions, thinly sliced
1 tbsp vegetable broth (or splash of water)
1 cup cashews, soaked 4 hours and drained
½ cup unsweetened plant milk
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp miso paste (optional, for depth)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions:
In a skillet, cook onions low and slow with broth until deeply caramelized (about 20–30 min).
Blend cashews, plant milk, lemon juice, and miso until creamy.
Stir caramelized onions into cashew cream. Season to taste.
Chill before serving with veggies, crackers, or bread.
2. Rustic French-Style Onion Soup (Vegan)
Ingredients:
3 large Walla Walla onions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp vegetable broth (plus more as needed) for carmelization
4 cups vegetable broth (for soup base)
1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
1 tsp thyme (fresh or dried)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Whole-grain bread + nutritional yeast for topping
Instructions:
Slowly caramelize onions and garlic in a heavy pot with a splash of broth (20–30 minutes).
Add vegetable broth, soy sauce, and thyme. Simmer 20 minutes.
Ladle into bowls, top with toasted bread, and sprinkle with nutritional yeast for a cheesy finish.
🌿 Why Growing Your Own Onions Matters
From seed to harvest, onions give you control over what ends up on your plate. You’ll discover varieties you never see at the grocery store, enjoy fresher flavors, and build self-sufficiency in your kitchen.
Whether you’re pulling up long-storing shallots or enjoying fresh, sweet Walla Walla onions in a dip or soup, onions prove themselves over and over again as a cornerstone of the plant-based kitchen.Thanks for reading! If you’re inspired to deepen your plant-based journey or cultivate your gardening skills, I’m here to support you. Explore personalized coaching, workshops, and more on my Work With Me page. Let’s grow together!