Shallot in season in Australia
Shallot is in season in Australia from all year, and at its peak from January to March. This is the cooler south; the tropical north has its own calendar.
At its best
Shallots keep like onions, so stored bulbs are available most of the year.
At the shop
Choose firm bulbs with dry skins, and leave behind any with mould, which spreads to the rest.
Keeping it
Treat them like onions: whole bulbs go in a ventilated container in a cool, dark cupboard, ideally between 4 and 10°C, and apart from potatoes. Peeled shallots go in a sealed container in the fridge.
Three dinners
- Steak with red wine and shallot sauce Sweat the shallots in the pan after the steak comes out.
- Roast chicken thighs with whole shallots In the tin, with thyme.
- Leeks vinaigrette with minced shallot Raw shallot in the dressing, over warm leeks.
How we decide. Each item carries a score from 0 to 20 for every month of the year. We call 16 or more “at its peak” and 8 to 15 “around”. The scores were checked against Australian growers’ bodies, state government pages and the Sydney and Melbourne markets, and last reviewed on 9 October 2026. Seasons shift a few weeks with the weather and the state, so treat the edges as guides. Spotted something wrong? Tell us at [email protected].
General information only. These guides are not advice about how you should prepare, store or eat any food. Please follow the packaging and the official food-safety guidance from Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) and your state or territory food authority.