When to Use the White vs. Green Parts of a Scallion in Cooking

For such a small veggie, scallions show a lot of range. Also known as green onions, these versatile alliums are like herbs and onions in one, adding their grassy, slightly sweet flavor to dishes that include classic scallion pancakes, chilled sesame soba bowls, and honey-garlic shrimp. 

Though they’re available year-round, scallions are especially enticing in the spring when they start showing up at farmers markets. Aside from the root at the end, the entire scallion is edible, but you might’ve noticed that some recipes call for separating the dark and light parts. Unsure of which to use? Let’s break down the white and green parts, as well as the gray (er, light green) area. 

When to use the white and light green parts of a scallion

Scallion whites have a sharper, onion-like flavor (though less sharp than mature onions), and are often briefly cooked. You can generally substitute these for other delicate alliums, such as shallots, spring onions, and leeks, in recipes. Sauté them in oil to help build flavor in soups, stir-fries, and other dishes, or fold them into dipping sauces or condiments. You can use the white parts as garnishes too, but they’ll deliver a little more of an oniony punch. 

When to use the green part of a scallion

The green part of the scallion has a mild, peppery, and chive-like flavor, and is best showcased as a raw garnish for soups, stir-fries, dumplings, salads, and more. You can also use the green part as an aromatic, but we recommend adding it to the sauté pan right at the end of cooking, since it barely needs any time to soften.

How to tell when the green part begins

There’s not a definitive line between the white part of the scallions and the greens, and using both as an ingredient or garnish is certainly not going to make or break your recipe. However, an easy way to differentiate is the shape — the lighter part has layered rings while the darker, green part is hollow.

When to use the entire scallion  

You can use the entire scallion in any recipe, keeping in mind that the white part will deliver a more pungent bite and the green part a subtler, grassy flavor. However, a particularly delicious way to enjoy an entire scallion is grilling the whole thing. Heat a grill to medium-high, drizzle whole scallions with oil, and sprinkle with salt, then grill, turning often, until lightly charred, one to two minutes. 

How to buy and store scallions

Look for scallions that have firm bulbs and bright-green tips, and avoid ones that are slimy or withered at the top. If an outer scallion green looks a bit wilty, simply pull it off and continue using the firmer inner stalks. Ideally, store scallions in a jar, root side down, with about an inch of water at the bottom to cover the roots, and place a plastic bag over the top; they’ll last this way in the fridge for about four days.