FOOD NEWS
Chefs Agree That Frozen Pearl Onions Are Just As Good As Fresh
By Betsy Parks
You may have a negative opinion about frozen produce, but the truth is that it’s almost always flash-frozen on the day it’s harvested to lock in the nutrients, as opposed to fresh produce, which can lose nutrients quickly. Frozen produce is also often less expensive and longer lasting — and pearl onions are no exception.
Many professional chefs prefer frozen pearl onions because they save a lot of time. The tiny, orb-shaped alliums need to be peeled before they're turned into a pot of creamy pearl onions, so using frozen ones that have already been peeled can be a life saver in a commercial kitchen.
Frozen pearl onions taste similar to fresh ones, and you don't have to worry about texture, as the goal is to cook them through anyway. As chef Chris Dickerson puts it, "I love adding these to chicken pot pie, but I never want to peel them. The flavor of frozen pearl onions is almost as good as fresh."