Overview

Green onion, also called scallion, spring onion, or salad onion, is a vegetable from several Allium species harvested before the bulb fully develops. It has a milder, less pungent taste than mature bulb onions, with white roots and green tops that are both edible. The plant is used worldwide as a fresh garnish, a cooked aromatic, and a primary ingredient in sauces and broths.

Origin and history

Allium species have been cultivated across Asia and the Mediterranean for thousands of years. The species most commonly sold as green onion in East Asia, Allium fistulosum (bunching onion), originated in northern China or Siberia and was domesticated by at least 2000 BCE [1]. In Europe and the Americas, green onions are often immature bulbs of the common onion Allium cepa, harvested early. The distinction between scallion and spring onion is not botanically fixed; in many English-speaking markets, “scallion” refers to any slender, immature onion with a small or absent bulb [2]. The plant spread globally through trade routes and colonial agriculture, becoming a universal kitchen staple.

Varieties and aliases

  • Scallion (common English name, especially in North America)
  • Spring onion (common English name, especially in the UK and Australia)
  • Bunching onion (Allium fistulosum, the primary species for scallions in East Asia)
  • Welsh onion (historical English name for Allium fistulosum, unrelated to Wales)
  • Chinese onion (common name in some English-language contexts)
  • Daepa (대파) (Korean thick green onion, often a leek-onion hybrid)
  • Jjokpa (쪽파) (Korean slender scallion, closer to Allium fistulosum)
  • Hành lá (Vietnamese)
  • Cong (葱) (Chinese)
  • Pa (파) (Korean generic term for scallion/leek)
  • Cebollín (Spanish, though also used for chives)
  • Zelyony luk (Зелёный лук) (Russian)

Culinary uses

Green onions are used both raw and cooked. The white and pale green parts are often cooked as an aromatic in stir-fries, soups, and braises, while the dark green tops are typically sliced and used raw as a garnish. In Chinese cuisine, scallion oil (cong you) is made by slowly frying green onions in neutral oil and used to dress noodles, as in Shanghai’s cong you ban mian. In Russian cooking, sliced green onion is scattered over potatoes, eggs, soups, and salads, and used in spring/summer ferments.

Cross-cuisine context

Green onion is a cross-culturally ubiquitous ingredient, appearing in many cuisines worldwide. In Mexican cuisine, the closest analogue is cebolla cambray (spring onion) or cebollitas asadas (grilled whole scallions), which are served as a side with carne asada.

Notes for cooks

  • The white and light green parts are more pungent and hold up to cooking; the dark green tops are milder and best used raw or added at the very end of cooking.
  • Green onions can be stored upright in a glass of water in the refrigerator, with the roots submerged, for up to a week. Alternatively, wrap in a damp paper towel and place in a plastic bag.
  • For substitutions: chives can replace the green tops in raw applications; leeks (white and light green parts only) can replace the white parts in cooked applications, though leeks are thicker and require longer cooking.