How to Store Shallots: Curing, Mesh Bags, and Cool Dry Conditions

How to Store Shallots: Curing, Mesh Bags, and Cool Dry Conditions

ByKen

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Knowing how to store shallots keeps a harvest usable through the winter and into the following spring. Shallots are sold and stored like onions, but the bulbs are smaller and cluster in groups, which changes how they dry and how they should be packed. The steps below follow extension guidance from Iowa State University and Virginia Tech: harvest when the tops have dried, cure the bulbs in a warm and dry place, trim the foliage, and keep the cured bulbs in a mesh bag in a cool, dry location. Shallots that are cured and stored this way can keep for six months or longer.

Quick answer

  • Harvest when the tops have turned yellow and begun to dry, as described in Iowa State extension guidance.
  • Cure the bulbs in a warm, dry location for 1 to 2 weeks.
  • Cut off the dry foliage, place the bulbs in a mesh bag, and store them at 32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit and 60 to 70 percent relative humidity.
  • Iowa State states that properly cured and stored shallots can keep for 6 months or longer.

How we chose

Two university extension resources were opened and read on 2026-10-27. The Iowa State University Extension page answers the question of how to harvest, dry, and store shallots directly, and gives a timeline and storage conditions. The Virginia Tech publication, titled “Onions, Garlic, and Shallots,” covers the three crops together and includes a note on curing and storage life. Because the Virginia Tech publication covers onions and garlic as well as shallots, its statements are presented here as general guidance for the group rather than as shallot-specific figures. Commercial pages that offered storage times or shelf-life claims without a university citation were not used.

Harvesting shallots for storage

The Iowa State guidance starts with timing. Harvest mature bulbs in late summer, when the tops have turned yellow and started to dry. Dig carefully to avoid bruising. The Virginia Tech publication makes a related point for the onion group more broadly: bruising during handling can lead to storage rots, so gentle handling at harvest pays off later.

Harvest on a dry day if you can, because the curing step that follows depends on the bulbs drying out. The sources opened for this article do not give a rule about soil removal at harvest, so this article does not add one.

Curing the bulbs

Curing is the step that most affects how long shallots keep. The Iowa State page says to cure the shallots in a warm, dry location for 1 to 2 weeks. During curing the bulbs dry out. The Virginia Tech publication says thorough curing increases storage life for the onion group, which includes shallots. Use a warm, dry, ventilated location for this step, as the Iowa State guidance describes.

A practical check is whether the bulbs feel dry to the touch. Bulbs that still feel damp or soft are not ready for long-term storage. Use those first, and keep the fully cured bulbs for the cold months.

Trimming and packing

Once the bulbs are cured, the Iowa State guidance says to cut off the dry foliage, then place the bulbs in a mesh bag for storage. Trim the tops close to the bulb without cutting into it. Remove any loose skin that flakes off easily, but keep the papery layers that protect the bulb. The mesh bag allows air to move around the bulbs, which helps keep them dry.

Avoid storing shallots in sealed plastic. A closed bag holds moisture, and moisture encourages rot. A mesh bag, an open crate, or a basket with air gaps is a better choice. Keep the bulbs from touching each other where possible, so that one rotting bulb does not spread to the rest of the batch. Check the storage container every few weeks and remove any bulb that feels soft or smells sour.

Storage conditions

The Iowa State extension page gives the storage conditions as a cool location at 32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit, with relative humidity between 60 and 70 percent. Those figures are the ones this article uses. A basement, a cool closet, an unheated room that does not freeze, or a refrigerator set above freezing can be considered, although the sources here describe the cool, dry location in general terms rather than naming specific rooms.

Temperature and humidity both matter. Air that is too humid invites rot, while air that is too dry can cause bulbs to shrivel. The 60 to 70 percent range is a middle target that reduces both problems. A simple hygrometer placed near the storage container will show whether a space falls in the range.

The sources opened for this article do not discuss odor or sprouting in storage, so those questions are outside the guidance given here.

How long shallots keep

When properly cured and stored, Iowa State says shallots can be successfully stored for six months or longer. That range is the figure this article gives. Shallots stored for longer periods should be checked more often, because storage rots can develop late in the season.

Use the shallots that show early signs of softness first. Keep the firmest bulbs for the longest storage period. If you grow more shallots than you can store, the same curing and mesh-bag routine works for garlic and onions, and related guides on this site explain those crops in more detail. See how to cure onions for a comparison of curing steps, and how to store freshly harvested vegetables for general handling advice.

What we could not verify

The two university sources used here agree on the main steps: harvest when the tops have dried, cure in a warm and dry place, trim the foliage, and store cool and dry. They are less specific about some other points. Neither source gave a figure for how many days curing takes beyond the 1 to 2 week range from Iowa State, and the Virginia Tech publication does not give a separate shallot-specific storage duration.

Commercial pages often state that shallots last one or two months at room temperature, or give specific shelf-life numbers tied to research studies. These figures were not confirmed by the university pages opened for this article and are not repeated here.

What the sources do not say

The sources do not say how shallots perform in a refrigerator, and they do not describe a storage method for peeled or chopped shallots. They also do not provide a shelf-life figure for shallots held at room temperature in a kitchen, because that is a different question from long-term cool storage. Readers who need those answers should check current state extension material, because storage guidance may be updated and may vary with climate and variety.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to cure shallots?

Iowa State extension says to cure shallots in a warm, dry location for 1 to 2 weeks before trimming and storing them.

Should shallots be stored in the refrigerator?

The extension sources opened for this article give cool, dry storage at 32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit and 60 to 70 percent relative humidity. They do not give refrigerator guidance, so that question is not answered here.

What kind of bag is best for storing shallots?

Iowa State extension recommends placing cured bulbs in a mesh bag after trimming the foliage. Mesh allows air to move around the bulbs, which helps them stay dry.

How long can cured shallots be stored?

Iowa State extension states that properly cured and stored shallots can be stored for 6 months or longer. Storage life depends on curing and on cool, dry conditions.

Should shallots be washed before storing?

The two university sources opened for this article do not address washing shallots before storage. Their storage guidance centers on curing the bulbs dry, trimming the foliage, and keeping them in a cool, dry location.

Sources

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