Spring onions are also known as scallions or green onions. Spring onions are in fact very young onions, harvested before the bulb has had a chance to swell. Both the long, slender green tops and the small white bulb are edible, and are good either raw or cooked. They have a similar flavour to onions, but are much milder.
Availability
All year round, and easy to grow in a vegetable patch from seed.
All year round, and easy to grow in a vegetable patch from seed.
Choose the best
Go for spring onions with firm, unblemished bulbs and bright green perky leaves. Avoid those that are slimy or wilting. The skin covering a spring onion bulb can be either white or deep red fading to white at the roots - there's no significant difference in taste. Similarly, the bulb can be quite pronounced or more like a leek in shape, with no noticeable swelling; again, this has no impact on flavour.
Go for spring onions with firm, unblemished bulbs and bright green perky leaves. Avoid those that are slimy or wilting. The skin covering a spring onion bulb can be either white or deep red fading to white at the roots - there's no significant difference in taste. Similarly, the bulb can be quite pronounced or more like a leek in shape, with no noticeable swelling; again, this has no impact on flavour.
Prepare it
Wash, then trim off the root as well as any ragged ends at the top. Slice the bulb into rounds. Cut the green tops across (kitchen scissors are good for this) or lengthways with a knife, then lengthways again, according to what shape you'd like. If you want to make the tops into a garnish, cut into slim lengths, as above, then stand in ice cold water for 30 minutes.
Wash, then trim off the root as well as any ragged ends at the top. Slice the bulb into rounds. Cut the green tops across (kitchen scissors are good for this) or lengthways with a knife, then lengthways again, according to what shape you'd like. If you want to make the tops into a garnish, cut into slim lengths, as above, then stand in ice cold water for 30 minutes.
Store it
In a perforated bag in the fridge. Spring onions don't last as long as onions, so use within four or five days.
In a perforated bag in the fridge. Spring onions don't last as long as onions, so use within four or five days.
Alternatives
Try shallot.
Try shallot.
Recipe suggestions using spring onions / scallions
If you haven't been fully converted to cauliflower rice yet, why not try this
INGREDIENTS
½ head of small cauliflower
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic cloves
1 scallions, diced
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 fresh lime
Handful fresh chopped cilantro
METHOD
1. For the cauliflower rice, roughly chop cauliflower into florets, then place cauliflower in a food processor and pulse until the cauliflower is small and has the texture of rice or couscous – don’t over process or it will get mushy.
2. In a pan over medium heat, add olive oil, scallions and garlic and sauté about 3 to 4 minutes, or until soft.
3. Add the cauliflower “rice” to the pan and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
INGREDIENTS
½ head of small cauliflower
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic cloves
1 scallions, diced
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 fresh lime
Handful fresh chopped cilantro
METHOD
1. For the cauliflower rice, roughly chop cauliflower into florets, then place cauliflower in a food processor and pulse until the cauliflower is small and has the texture of rice or couscous – don’t over process or it will get mushy.
2. In a pan over medium heat, add olive oil, scallions and garlic and sauté about 3 to 4 minutes, or until soft.
3. Add the cauliflower “rice” to the pan and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
4. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and place in a medium bowl and toss with fresh cilantro and lime juice.
This colourful salad is simply delicious.
INGREDIENTS
Serves Six
(5g carb per serving)
1.8kg roasted chicken, at room temperature
2 hearts romaine lettuces
4 tomatoes
3 spring onions
2 ripe avocados
3 tbsp lemon juice, plus extra for squeezing
200g packet feta cheese
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp dried mint
half a bunch of flatleaf parsley
5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp black kalamata olives
METHOD
1. Pull the meat from the chicken and shred it roughly. Trim the base from each lettuce, wash and dry the leaves, then roughly shred them. Cut the tomatoes into wedges. Finely slice the spring onions (using both white and green parts). 2. Cut the avocados in half lengthways, remove the stones and peel. Cut crosswise into slices, and squeeze with lemon juice. Crumble the feta cheese with your fingers and toss it with the dried oregano and mint. Pick the leaves off the parsley and set aside.
3. Whisk the 3 tbsp of lemon juice with the olive oil, sea salt and pepper. In a large bowl, toss the chicken, lettuce, tomatoes and spring onion, then fold through three quarters of the dressing with the avocados (carefully, so the avocados don’t break up). Season with salt and pepper, then scatter over the feta, olives and parsley, and drizzle with the rest of the dressing. Squeeze extra lemon juice on top.
INGREDIENTS
Serves Six
(5g carb per serving)
1.8kg roasted chicken, at room temperature
2 hearts romaine lettuces
4 tomatoes
3 spring onions
2 ripe avocados
3 tbsp lemon juice, plus extra for squeezing
200g packet feta cheese
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp dried mint
half a bunch of flatleaf parsley
5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp black kalamata olives
METHOD
1. Pull the meat from the chicken and shred it roughly. Trim the base from each lettuce, wash and dry the leaves, then roughly shred them. Cut the tomatoes into wedges. Finely slice the spring onions (using both white and green parts). 2. Cut the avocados in half lengthways, remove the stones and peel. Cut crosswise into slices, and squeeze with lemon juice. Crumble the feta cheese with your fingers and toss it with the dried oregano and mint. Pick the leaves off the parsley and set aside.
3. Whisk the 3 tbsp of lemon juice with the olive oil, sea salt and pepper. In a large bowl, toss the chicken, lettuce, tomatoes and spring onion, then fold through three quarters of the dressing with the avocados (carefully, so the avocados don’t break up). Season with salt and pepper, then scatter over the feta, olives and parsley, and drizzle with the rest of the dressing. Squeeze extra lemon juice on top.
Have you got any favourite recipes that use spring onions/scallions?
We bring a variety of articles and recipe ideas to this blog, and not all may be suitable for you. If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter.
All the best Jan
27 comments:
Very interesting recipes. In south Georgia, there is a city named Vidalia, which is famous for sweet onions and spring onions. They are very delicious and usually available in May.
I don't really care for onions or peppers for that matter
I love onions in any shape or form and spring onions are so easy to grow, even if you've only got room for a container to grow them in.
I will be giving the Greek salad a try when we get back from our trip. Love onions in all forms.
I love spring onions, so this is really something for me. Hugs, Valerie
Onions and cabbage are two stables in my kitchen. Your recipe sounds delicious.
Love salads and green onions too!
the rice recipe sounds particularly good!
My mom loved these and grew her own...I'm not a fan but they always looked tasty~
I just had rice meal topped with cauliflower,and it's so healthy. :)
The salad looks so yummy! Thanks always for sharing your healthy tips and recipes.
Godspeed!
Very nice recipes! I especially like the salad. Very refreshing.
I call them green onions and use them often.
I use these in a soup dish :)
I am definitely making the Cauliflower rice with the lime recipe this coming week! Thank you so much for sharing the recipe. Oh...and we call them green onions. :)
Both of these recipes look attractive and delicious, Jan! And here in Montreal we call them shallots or green onions. I really love them in a salad, but I also sometimes use red onions. However, shallots are less expensive, attractive and easier to add into a salad.
Hi Jan,
Enjoy using both spring onions and shallots.
The salads look delicious and thanks for sharing.
Hope you have a lovely weekend
Hugs
Carolyn
i think green onions are my favorites, shallots next - and if i need an onion, i only use sweet!!!!
Your photos say SPRING. I always forget avocado - I love spring onions & chives. Enjoy your weekend.
I like them cooked but I don't tolerate them raw. Ow, ow, ow! The gas pains are almost unbearable!
I love spring onions, but only when they have grown fat, lovely.
Spring onions say Spring almost like the tulips and primroses. :)
Very nice suggestions, thanks for the recipes :D)
It was interesting to learn about spring onions, thank you!
The Cilantro Lime Rice looks amazing! I'm vegetarian (nearly vegan) but looks like there are many of your recipes that would work well, with just a few adaptations. Lots of diabetes in my family. So far, I only had it during my pregnancies, but I try to eat as if I am diabetic, in order to avoid actually becoming so. Does that make any sense?
Thank you for visiting my Quiet Country House blog, Jan. I'm glad I returned the visit. This looks like a very helpful blog.
We love spring onions and use them often! Really love both these recipes! Thank you!!!
my hubby loves these, his body tolerates them better than red onions that I love
Nice work guys. I agree that everyone should try to eat lots of the onion family. This weekend we made a huge pot of leek and potato soup very easily with leeks, a couple of potatoes, a clove or two of garlic and a few blobs of double crea. So quick and simple yet so healthy.
Today is slow cooked shoulder of lamb hotpot with carrots, potatoes, leeks and garlic. Yum!
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