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Have you ever tried making homemade onion powder? It’s so incredibly easy to do and the quality of flavor is totally incomparable to store-bought. I can’t believe it took me so long to start making it at home but now that I know how simple it is, I’ll never buy it from the store again. Plus, it’s much cheaper considering I can turn a $2.50 pack of onions (about 6-10) into roughly 2 cups of onion powder. I’ll use it to season just about every savory dish I make, but it can also be used to make a delicious onion dip or onion soup. Needless to say, this onion powder goes very quick in my house!
Health Benefits of Onions:
- Rich source of vitamins and minerals like Vitamin C, B6, folate, potassium, and fiber which boost the immune system and support overall health
- Have been shown to lower cholesterol and blood pressure, reducing the risk of disease
- High in antioxidants, particularly quercetin, which lowers oxidative stress and inflammation
- Supports heart health and protects against cardiovascular disease
- Supports bone health and protects against osteoporosis
- Antibacterial effects
Which onions should you use?
The flavor of your homemade onion powder will vary slightly depending on which type of onions you use, so here’s a breakdown to help you decide:
Yellow Onions (recommended): These are the most common ones you’ll find and the ones I always use to make my onion powder. They have a bold, slightly sweet flavor and low moisture content so they’re great for dehydrating into powder.
White Onions: These onions have a sharp flavor and are slightly more mild than yellow onions, with a less pungent scent. They are mostly used raw in dishes like salsas and sandwiches, but can certainly be used to make powder. They have a slightly higher moisture content than yellow so they may require more time to dry.
Red Onions: Typically used raw or pickled, these onions tend to have a mild and sweet taste, with a subtle spiciness. Like white onions, they can be used to make powder but may require more time to dry due to a slightly higher moisture content.
Shallots: These have a subtle, sweet, and slightly garlicky taste. They wouldn’t be my first choice for drying into powder but they are certainly an option if you want a milder and sweeter flavor.
Below is a step-by-step guide to making homemade onion powder, with a printable summary at the bottom of the page.
Pro tip: If I’m not using homegrown onions, I always try to buy them from the local farmer’s market because the quality of flavor makes a huge difference! Plus I love to support my community and the environment, and you can’t beat the piece of mind of knowing exactly where your food comes from. I encourage you to check out your local farms (if you haven’t already) and see what they have to offer!
Step 1:
Peel and thinly slice your onions. Then, arrange them in a single layer on your dehydrator tray.
Pro tip: I recommend using these Mesh Screen Sheets so you don’t end up having the smaller onion pieces fall through the holes when they shrink up.
Step 2:
Dehydrate at 125°F for 15-20 hours, or until the onions are completely dry and brittle.
Step 3:
Transfer dried onions to a high speed blender and blend into a fine powder. Transfer to a clean, airtight container and store at room temperature. Place a silica gel packet in the container to absorb any moisture and avoid clumping.
Just like that you’ve got high quality, flavorful and inexpensive onion powder to use in all your favorite recipes! When properly dried and stored, this onion powder should last for years. If you try making this recipe and enjoy it, share it with a friend and comment down below. I always love to hear your feedback!
Useful Equipment:
Cosori Dehydrator: The dehydrator that I’ve had for years and absolutely love! Depending on how low you can set your oven, you may not need a dehydrator, but I use mine for almost everything and would highly recommend investing in one if you can.
Cosori Dehydrator Mesh Trays: I tend to use these for most foods that I dehydrate to avoid smaller pieces falling through the gaps of the dehydrator trays, which often happens as the food shrinks as it dries.
Vitamix High-Speed Blender: I’ve found Vitamix to be the most effective blender for blending dried foods into a fine powder. Although I’ve also had success with a Ninja high-speed blender, which just takes more time to get to the fine consistency you desire for a powder.
Food Processor: Another option for blending dried foods into powder. Although food processors are not quite as effective in my opinion, they are much cheaper and can still get the job done.
Coffee Grinder: I’ve never tried using a coffee grinder for this recipe, but they should work just fine and are by far the cheapest option.
Mortar and Pestle: Certainly not my first choice for powdering dried foods considering the time and arm power it takes to reach the right consistency, but it will definitely get the job done! It’s the OG blender and the method we’ve been using to make powders for all of human history.
Silica Gel Packets: I highly recommend purchasing a pack of these food-grade moisture-absorbing packets to store with all your dried goods! They do a great job at keeping the moisture out of your foods and keeping spices and powders from clumping up.
Spice Jars: If you’re going to start making more homemade spices, you’ll need some cute little spice jars to store them. Or if you’re like me, you’ll just save the jars from every spice you’ve every purchased and repurpose them for homemade ones!
Jar Vacuum Sealer: If you plan on making this onion powder in bulk, I highly recommend using this mason jar vacuum sealer to remove excess oxygen and seal your jars for storage. I’ve used this one for years and have found that it significantly improves the long-term quality and keeps dried goods fresh for so much longer.
Homemade Onion Powder
Equipment
- 1 Dehydrator
- 1 High-speed blender, food processor, or coffee grinder
Ingredients
- onions
Instructions
- Peel and thinly slice your onions to about 1/8" thickness.
- Arrange sliced onions in a single layer on your dehydrator tray.
- Dehydrate at 125°F for 15-20 hours, or until they are completely dry and brittle.
- Transfer dried onions to a high-speed blender and blend into a fine powder.
- Store in a clean, airtight container at room temperature. Place a silica gel packet in the container absorb moisture and avoid clumping.
Sources:
Wang C-K. Health benefits of onion bioactives on hypercholesterolemia, cardiovascular diseases, and bone mineral density. Food Frontiers. 2020;1–2. https://doi.org/10.1002/fft2.18
