When the holidays roll around, I try to buy as much as possible. Buying large bags of sugar, potatoes, and onions not only cuts costs, but it saves me many trips to the store and therefore precious time.
Recently, however, when reaching for the onions, I noticed that the other half of the bag had started to grow. It gave me pause. I wonder if it is safe to use sprouted onions? Hoping that I wouldn’t have to throw away the rest of my onion stash, I reached for it Martin BucknavageContact a food safety expert in the Penn State Department of Food Science to get a clear answer.
Are sprouted potatoes safe to eat?
Bucknavage says sprouted onions are actually safe to eat, provided they’re not mushy or rotten. If the onion is turning brown on the inside, rotting, or smelling like rotten food, these are signs to throw away. Also, any onion, whether it has a little green part or a whole sprout from the top, is fine to use.
Can you use sprouted onions cooked or raw?
Although sprouted onions are safe to consume, there is a caveat: A sprouted onion can have a stronger and more bitter taste.warns Bucknadge. For this reason, he says, “many cooks prefer to cook them in pots that can handle stronger flavors.” So it is best to avoid using raw, where the sprouted onion can overpower the other flavors in the dish.
In fact, as Bucknavage points out, you should be able to get plenty of mileage out of sprouted onions. I’m now thinking of all the possibilities for my half bag: sprouts French onion soupSprout Onion TartSprout Onion Jam!
How about sprouted shallots and garlic?
Bucknawage assures me that other alliums, such as chives and garlic, are safe to eat on sprouts. “Just make sure the sprouts aren’t rotten and they’re not soft,” he says. You should always store alliums in a dry, cool place and, Bucknage says, “remove the outer layers before use.” Before cutting, slicing or slicing your allium, remove and rinse the sprouts.