In case you’ve been cooking for a long time, you would know that onions are essential. Ranging from onion rings to onion soup, this root is important for the majority of dishes. Similarly, scallions have become a food staple with their green appearance. In this article, we are sharing the scallion substitutes for people who cannot find scallions!
Scallion Substitute
Scallions are green onions with a pear shape and small diameter. The scallions tend to have long stems. It is often named spring onion in Britain and is also named green onion. The scallions are widely used in kebabs, soups, stir-fry dishes, salads, and other veggie recipes. Scallions have a combination of mild garlic and onion flavor.
In addition, the scallions have a fresh taste and tend to add color. Scallions are often used as garnishing for tofu and egg and even enhances the flavor. On the other hand, if you cannot find scallions, we have outlined the easy substitutes with similar flavor and aroma. So, let’s check out the details!
1. Chives
For people who need to substitute the green part or stems of the scallions, chives will make a fine choice. In addition, chives can be used in place of scallion in case of garnish. As far as the flavor is concerned, chives have a milder taste as compared to scallion, so you might need to add more chives to achieve the right flavor and aroma.
That being said, chives will deliver a similar flavor and appearance. On the other hand, the crispiness and crunchiness won’t be as good as scallions. Chives make a perfect substitute for scallion for salads, soup, or scrambled eggs. However, they tend to bruise, so use a sharp pair of scissors and be careful. The chives are great for one more reason; you can keep them fresh in the fridge.
2. Spring Onions
In case your dish demands the proper flavor of scallions but cannot find it, you can opt for spring onions. To be honest, spring onions are often confused as scallions, but spring onions are different. Still, scallions and spring onions are still very similar, which makes them a perfect substitute. As far as the appearance is concerned, spring onions tend to have smaller bulbs as compared to scallions.
Similarly, the flavor is amazing. It’s essential to note down that spring onions are grown deeper into the ground, which makes the flavor stronger. The green part is literally the perfect alternative to scallions’ green. The spring onions can be used in every recipe where you need to use scallions, but the taste will be stronger, so keep that in mind.
It’s suggested to use the younger spring onions because they have better texture. On the contrary, the bulb section is usable for a frittata, stir-fry recipes, and ragouts. Even more, it makes a fine substitute for savory dishes. Also, the thick cuts tend to pacify and sweeten up when it’s sauteed.
3. Leeks
For everyone who needs a substitute for scallion’s bulb, leek can be used for this purpose. From the appearance point of view, leeks tend to have over-sized scallions and have the optimal replacement. Leeks deliver the clean yet savory flavor and aroma. People often make the mistake of adding the green part, but it can result in an unimpressive texture.
Again, the leek isn’t a good choice for you if you need something that slices in a fine manner. However, you will need to cook the leek to make sure the sting is toned back, and the sweetness level will be cut down. For cooking leeks, you can use boiling, sauteing, and frying methods.
4. Shallots
In case you need the substitute for scallion for the sweetened taste, shallots are a promising choice. The shallots tend to have a sweet taste and mild flavor. In addition, the pinch of garlic is there in shallots. When it comes down to salads, shallots need to be sliced and make an extra bite for sure. For improving the sweetness profile, it can be roasted or cooked until they caramelize.
Similarly, shallots make a great substitution for scallion if you are making soups and stews. In addition, there is a brown onion profile in taste, so using it as garnishing isn’t the right choice
5. Scapes
If your recipe demands the hint of garlic flavor but doesn’t have scallions, you can opt for scapes. Scapes are the green shoot parts of the garlic plant and have a delicate flavor. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that scapes are a combination of scallions and garlic. The flavor is pretty mild, but still, the garlic profile is still there.
The scallions can be chopped finely and can be sauteed with butter. Once sauteed, scapes can be added to the stir-fry dishes or pizza. However, the scapes are season-based, so bear that in mind!
6. Brown Onions
For everyone who needs scallions in the pinch amount but doesn’t have it, you can opt for brown onions. It’s essential to note down that brown onions tend to have higher pungency as compared to scallions. In case you need to substitute scallion for making stir-fry, you must add brown onions earlier because it will promise proper taste and flavor development.
For the same reason, brown onions cannot be added to raw food like salads because they can overpower the flavor.
7. Ramps
To begin with, ramps tend to have a delicate flavor profile and have a smaller shape as compared to scallion. There are pungent garlic flavors associated with ramps. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that the flavor is stronger as compared to scallions, but it’s still on the low scale if compared to garlic and onion. In case your recipe demands raw scallions, ramps can be used because they taste good in raw form.
However, ramps can be pretty hard to find, which means you will need to visit the farmer’s market. If you are too fond of it, grow them yourself! The bottom line is that when you need to replace scallions for some other edible, replace the bulbs part with bulbs and replace leaves with the leafy part.