I love preparing a big batch of Indian Onion Masala because it makes it so easy to cook fresh and authentic Indian food. Thankfully, it also lasts for a long time in the freezer.
If you’re wondering how to make Indian onion masala, then I suggest you read this post which explains how to make the masala.
You can also watch this video to get an idea of the process:
Ok, is your masala ready? Let’s talk about how to store and use Indian onion masala in recipes!
How to Store Onion Masala:
You can keep this masala in an air-tight container in the fridge for 2-3 weeks but I typically freeze almost all of it and use it as I need it. It will last up to six months in the freezer (and truthfully, as I mentioned in my onion masala post – I once found some in the very back of my freezer that was a year old and still used it… judge me if you want to but it tasted perfect).
In the past, I used to freeze this masala in zip-top bags, then lay them flat in my freezer so that I could stack them in a large pile. The problem with freezing masala this way is that it’s hard to break off a frozen chunk of masala and it’s also hard to “eyeball” how much I’m going to need for a recipe.
Now, I use these silicone trays. I bought them a while ago when making this egg bite recipe and I can’t tell you how perfect it is for storing this masala! I love that each “well” in the tray holds ¼ cup of masala. Plus they are so easy to pop out!
Again, each “puck” or “cube” is ¼ cup of masala and that’s the minimum amount that I use when making a recipe, which is perfect. This is what they look like when you pop them out:
I store the pucks in a freezer-friendly zip-top bag, which I then label with a sharpie.
How Can I use Indian Onion Masala in Recipes?
Use this masala in any recipe calling for onions and tomatoes!
I am sharing recipes that call for exact amounts of this masala but feel free to experiment with any dish! Having this masala handy will allow you to make so many different Indian dishes!
Don’t worry about getting the exact quantity right when it comes to creating recipes that use this onion tomato masala. The great thing about this masala is that it’s already cooked down and full of flavor – so if you make something and decide that it needs more flavor, you can always toss in another cube of onion masala.
You can use this masala in SO many ways! Use this masala to give extra oomph (flavor) to pretty much anything you make. For example add some masala when making a stir-fry; use it as an Indian tomato sauce on pizza (or add Italian herbs to it!); mix it with pasta; spread it on a sandwich; stir it into your scrambled eggs, etc.
Want more guidance in adding this masala to recipes? Check out my Indian Onion Masala Headquarters where I share recipes that call for exact amounts of onion masala. Once you familiarize yourself with this Indian sauce, you’ll feel more confident in improvising and using it on your own.
How to Store and Use Indian Onion Masala in Recipes
How to Store and Use Indian Onion Masala in Recipes
Ingredients
- Indian Onion Masala find recipe here
Instructions
- Pour ¼ cup onion masala into each "well" in this silicone tray.
- Place the tray in the freezer for 3-4 hours or until frozen solid.
- Pop them out and place them into a zip-top bag and use as needed.
- You can store fresh masala in the fridge for up to 3 weeks or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Notes
- Make sure the onion masala is cold before putting it in the freezer. I store it in the fridge first, then once it’s cold I put it in the freezer. This helps to reduce freezer burn.
Karina Garbesi, PhD says
Hi Ashley, I enjoyed your Moong Dal recipe (in fact I plan on making it again tonight). But I notice that you are recommending storing it in silicon. That is likely to release toxins, endocrine disruptors, into the onion masala, particularly if put into the containers hot. (I am a professor of environmental studies and have tracked this issue for decades.). You can look it up your self online and in medical journals. Essentially all plastics are suspect at this point. But here is a summary from chatgpt on this particular material: Yes, recent studies show that silicone bakeware can release volatile siloxane chemicals (like D4, D5, D6) into food and the air when heated, which have been linked to endocrine disruption and reproductive toxicity in animal studies, though levels decrease with reuse, and quality matters (look for 100% food-grade, no fillers). While the FDA deems food-grade silicone safe and it doesn’t leach BPA/phthalates, newer research highlights potential concerns with these siloxanes, making quality and avoiding high temps key for safer use
Peter Kelly says
Hi, Ashley!
I signed up for your email “tricks” on cooking Indian food.
Originally from the UK but now residing in Canada, Indian food has always had significance for me. You could say it is the national cuisine of the UK and although I love it, I have always felt that it is too complex (spices, etc) and time-consuming to feature as a regular in my home cooking – until now.
Your insight in preparation and your wonderful recipes have changed all that.
Thank you so much for this wonderful website.
Peter.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Peter, happy to hear you signed up for my newsletter! Glad you are enjoying my site, thank you for the kind words 🙂
Lawana Seeman says
If I don’t have the onion masala made can fresh ingredients ie tomato, onion etc be substituted & in what quantities
Ketaki says
Hi Ashley,
Thank you for the masala recipe. It is a game changer indeed!! I tried this last weekend and my weekday cooking was a breeze. Never been this happy in the kitchen before 😃
My instant pot has gone kaput so I had to do it on stove top. I wasn’t sure how long it needs to cook – from the video it looked like the masala had left oil after the pressure cooking, so that’s how long I let it cook too. But that reduced the masala so much so that I ended up with only 9 pucks. Reading through the comments now I realized I should have got 21! Can you advise at what consistency should I stop cooking the masala?
Many thanks,
K
Astha says
Hi,
Awesome recipe!! I have heard it’s not healthy to cook tomato if we are storing the masala. Is this true? If yes, shall we add tomato after defrosting masala?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Thanks, Astha! I haven’t heard that – I cook tomatoes all the time 🙂