What are Scallions: Are they Same as Green Onions?
There are many culinary ingredients that can be confusing to some people. One of them is scallions. Some people are having a difficult time distinguishing scallions from spring onions and green onions. Both can provide your dish with a more subtle oniony flavor. So, are scallions and green onions the same?
Scallions
Let us first begin by addressing the question, what are scallions? This is a type of vegetable that belongs to the Allium family. Some cultures call them salad onions, spring onions, or green onions. It is for this reason that scallions and green onions are one and the same.
The main characteristic of scallions that differentiate it from other types of onion is that it does not have a bulb at the base. What you see is a leek-looking onion that comes with a white stem. The stem gives way to dark green leaves at the top.
One can consider green scallions as very young onions because they do not have the characteristic onion bulb at the stem. It is either farmers harvest the onions early in their lives or they harvest onion varieties that do not produce bulbs.
Either way, scallions have a very mild flavor and a slender shape. The dark green leaves have a fresher, almost grassy flavor. The white stalk or stem tastes like any other allium, except that it does not have much “bite” to it.
Freshly harvested scallions have an earthy and bright smell. You might even notice hints of apple and garlic from fresh scallions. They have a stronger flavor than chives. Scallions are best used raw as an addition to salads and for garnishing different spicy dishes. They can also be cooked.
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Green Onions
What are the green onions? They are the same as scallions. A green onion also has long and tender, dark green leaves. It also has a stiff, white, bulb-less stalk or stem. The diameter of the stalk is less than half of an inch. The roots are white and stringy, too. You might also hear some people calling it the bunching onions. This is because green onions or scallions always grow in bunches. This allows farmers to harvest them a lot easier while the onions are still young.
Are scallions green onions? Yes, they are. However, if you look closely, you will notice that the tip of the stalk has a slight bulge. The stalk of scallions is straighter. They have the same width as the rest of the stem and the scallion leaves.
Green onions, on the other hand, tend to have a curved stalk that looks like it is already on the verge of forming a bulb. The base of the stem is wider than the leaves. It would be safe to assume that green onions are slightly more mature versions of scallions. They do not have bulbs. However, they have a more defined stalk.
Spring Onions
There are some people who also think that scallions are the same as spring onions. This is not at all surprising since different cultures have different naming conventions for different Allium species. For example, many of those in the UK, Canada, Australia, India, and other countries call scallions, spring onions.
When these people travel to other countries or if people from other nations travel to these countries, they often get confused with the naming. In a way, they are not wrong.
Spring onions are different from scallions or green onions because of the presence of a small onion bulb at the base of the stem or stalk. However, they do come from the same plant. Farmers harvest spring onions in the spring, allowing the plant to form and develop the small white bulb at the tip.
If we are to follow the growth of the onion plant, you will see that scallions and green onions are the very young versions of the plant. If you do not harvest these vegetables right away, you will allow them to grow and produce the onion bulb. One can think of this stage as the spring onion. Allowing the plant to develop further will lead to the growth of the bulb into an onion.
Unfortunately, this is a very simplistic way of explaining things. What you have to remember is that there are many cultivars of onions. As such, the cultivars that produce green onion or green scallions are different from the cultivars that produce spring onions.
Nutrition Profile of Scallions
Scallions and green onions contain nutrients that can complement the nutritional profile of other ingredients in a dish. It is rich in Vitamin K, a nutrient that is important in promoting the health of bones and muscles. It is also critical in the formation of blood clots, preventing bleeding.
Green onions also contain potassium, calcium, and iron. There is also riboflavin and Vitamin C. These can provide different health benefits. It can include stronger teeth and bones and more efficient production of red blood cells. You also get to maintain the optimum health of the nervous system, the heart, kidneys, and muscles.
Green scallions or the tops of scallions contain Vitamin A, thiamine, and Vitamin B6. They also contain antioxidants that can further improve one’s health by negating the action of free radicals in the body.
Substituting Scallions
The mild flavor characteristics of scallions or green onions make it quite tricky to find a suitable substitute. These are very young onions that do not have the intense flavor of mature onions. One good rule to follow is to always substitute leaves for leaves and bulbs for bulbs.
You can try substituting scallion stalks with the white stem or stalk of a leek. This is ideal when cooking. You can also use a small onion bulb or the white part of spring onions. If using spring onions, make sure to cut the amount called for in the recipe in half as spring onions have a stronger flavor. Spring onions and fresh chives can make good substitutes for the leaves of scallions.
Scallions and green onions are the same. They only differ in age, with scallions being younger than green onions.
Sources:
- Scallions vs Green vs Spring Onions: What’s the Difference? – Health Line
- Scallions Vs. Green Onions – Tastessence
