The 8 Types of Green Onion 1. People also saute them with butter or olive oil, then pour them over mashed potatoes, gratin potatoes, and pan-fried fingerling potatoes. When shopping for this type of scallion, make sure the small root on the onion plant is white and relatively firm. Challenge your cooking skill with this Japanese pickled onion recipe. And in what situation do we prefer one over the others? Spring onions are very young onions that have been harvested before the bulb has had a chance to swell. Both the white base and the green leaves are edible. Classic Green Onions Green onions are popular in Asian cuisine. Many people sprinkle chives over foods such as deviled eggs, dips, and even potatoes. They also produce purplish-pink flowers, which are just as edible and are available all year round. Apart from being great for caramelizing, they make the best onion soup. Although closely related to the green onion (they are actually a separate species ampeloprasum of the Allium genus of plants that most green onions (fistulosum) belong to, Leeks are technically not a member of the onion family, although they are quite closely related. Chives are the only member of the Allium genus that are native to both the Old and New worlds, having developed separately in each. Are leeks green onions? Some Outstanding Features Of Green Onions, 8 Types Of Green Onions You Should Try At Least Once, 4 Green Onions Recipes That Are Better Than Take-Outs, Green Onions Are One Of The Best Seasoning, How To Store Leeks Properly: Keeping Leeks Fresh In 2023, 7 Best Chives Substitutes To Choose In 2023. The leaves are chopped and garnished on the dishes, as usual. November 6, 2022. Red Beard scallions will grow to between 24 and 27 inches tall. The dark green leaves are often used as agarnish. Shaped like overgrown scallions, leeks are lovely in soups and sauces, and one of our favorite ways to prepare them is la gratinebaked and topped with seasoned breadcrumbs and Gruyre cheese. I often make it for winter dinners. Make sure you read until the end to learn all the useful facts about them. While the tops are almost universally green, the bulbs can range from white to yellow to red, depending on the variety. They have a pungent odor which helps act as a repellant in the garden. Today, green onions are the principal onion used in Japanese cooking particularly in stir fry and hot pot dishes and are a component of literally hundreds of dishes in various Chinese cuisines. Leeks are a little different than other types of green onions because they do not produce cloves or bulbs. So what are some of the different types of green onions? They have a mild flavor and taste like a leek. Scallions thrive in late spring to late summer. While there are many species of Chives throughout the world, the ones North Americans are most familiar with will usually grow to about a foot tall. To store them, use mesh bags or slightly dump towers to wrap the onions root area to keep them fresh, even during storage. Halved or left whole, they can be roasted, braised, pickled, creamed, glazed, confited, or used to crown a stunning tarte tatin. Growing scallions is easier than growing onions because they grow much faster. Many people think that spring onions and green onions are the same. 8 Different Types of Onions and Uses for Each Onion Family Member# Keep in mind that our recommendations for onion family plant uses are merely suggestions. Which variety is your favorite? You can remove the bulbs on a spring onion and chop or roast them, much like miniature white onions or pearl onions, as well as use them in a variety of recipes. That's right, in some countries in which English is spoken, green onions are referred to as shallots, sometimes "French shallots," to avoid further confusion. The Evergreen Long White Bunching (like most scallions) can be used raw or cooked and has a mild, slightly sweet, mild onion flavor. Learn more. Compared to regular green onions, spring onions have larger white bulbs. Read on to learn about eight of the most common types of onions and uses for each. Shallots are small, brown-skinned onions with purplish flesh, and their bulbs are made up of multiple lobes, a little bit like the way garlic bulbs are divided into individual cloves. The thin stalks will usually grow to between 12 and 14 inches in length and be a dark green at the top, lightening in the shade as it reaches the mostly pure white stem, which is the most flavorful part of the plant. Chives are more prevalent in many European cooking ideas from France, Poland, Russia, and many other countries. Another variety of green onions is Calot. I will talk about them in detail right away. The variety of green onions include scallions, white lisbon an evergreen long white with mild flavor. And while we prefer yellow for cooking, white for garnishing, and red for pickling, grilling, and everything in between, theyre generally interchangeable: Switching between them wont ruin a dish, even if it slightly alters its flavor or appearance. Enjoy your delightful meals , Your email address will not be published. Any bulb-forming onion variety can be harvested as green onions within 30 days after they were planted as sets or plants, or 40 to 50 days after their seeds were sown. It adds a milder flavor than a normal onion would, which can be a unique addition to many . Along with their use as a vegetable and garnish in both Eastern and Western cooking, green onions have also been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine, where they are believed to relieve constipation, stomach distress, and some lung ailments. Green onion also contains potassium which helps lower blood pressure and prevents . Sweet? But they are thinner and more slender. If you do not find a mesh bag, wrap the leeks in a slightly damp napkin or a kitchen towel, and remember to hold them together using rubber bands. We try our best to keep things fair and balanced, in order to help you make the best choice for you. We hope you found learning about different types of green onions interesting and will share some of the other names for green onions with your friends on Facebook and Pinterest. Because of how thin chives grow, many use this green onion as a type of herb rather than a whole vegetable. They have a sweet and savory flavor and crispy texture. All rights reserved. Also called scallions (on BA, we call these scallions exclusively! Leeks are considered to be the sweetest onion amongst all other types of onions and are actually a little bit different because they do not produce bulbs or cloves. These two are both common cooking ingredients. For me, they are a crucial part of many dishes. Red Beards are bunching onions that grow quickly, making them an ideal vegetable for home gardeners to try to grow. Theyre fun for both kids and adults alike. Look for pre-peeled bags in the freezer aisle. This variety is rare in most grocery stores in the United States can be popular in California in Asian communities. But people mostly use the light green part for cooking. Green onions have a long worldwide cultivation history, with China being a lead producer. Another very popular scallion particularly with home growers throughout North America the Parade is an extremely hardy plant that will produce scallions from the early spring to the early winter. Storage onions are round and thin-skinned, such as Spanish, white, and . They have a mild, earthy taste and the light green part is usually the section used for cooking, while the darker leaves are generally used for garnish or sauted. If a recipe says onion without specifying what type, it's assumed to be a yellow onion. If you wish to store your spring onions, try using a mesh bag made specifically for produce. Tokyo Negi is a Japanese variety of green onions that do not grow bulbs. They also make pickled green onions which are called rakky. Vietnamese people also make this kind of pickled green onions and serve them on Lunar New Year. Scallion stalks are green on one side and progressively get lighter until they reach white. Most onion plants are either "short-day" or "long-day" varieties, although some are "mid-day" or "day-length neutral." The white bulb tastes stronger than the green leaves. Like shallots. Green onions cannot compete for resources with weeds because of their shallow roots, so you will need a generally neat garden for the venture. The bulbs will normally be firm, crisp, and tender and will have a sweeter, less pungent taste than the greens. Are shallots the same as green onions? The upper part of the scallion will usually be light green and have a somewhat tough texture, while the bottom is usually white to cream color and is crunchy, quite juicy, and firm. Sweet onion varieties include Walla Walla, Maui, Vidalia, as well as others with the word "sweet" in the name. Bunching Onions Crystal White Wax Evergreen Long White Tokyo Long White Fresh Onions Ailsa Craig Italian Torpedo Red Burgundy Utah Yellow Sweet Spanish Walla Walla White Grano White Sweet Spanish Storage Onions Candy Patterson Redwing Southport Red Globe Sturon A Note About Alliums Short Day Varieties Intermediate Day Varieties Long Day Varieties People also roast or grill them and serve them as a side dish. Red beard is also a green onion variety coming from Kazakhstan and China. Onions are members of the allium family, a genus of pungent plants that also includes garlic, leeks, chives, ramps, and hundreds of other species. Leeks can easily grow in raised beds, traditional garden beds, and tall containers. In Chinese cooking, scallions are used in stir-fries, soups, stews and braised dishes. Classic green onions are the same as scallion but different from spring onions. Nor are onions functionally necessary for any recipe. What Do Leeks Taste Like And How To Cook Them? Types of green onions differ from regular onions by taste; however, most retain a uniform pale-green appearance with green stalks. Choosing quality green onions is not a difficult task. Basically, you can eat the whole thing. Also, do not store them in plastic bags, as this can cause them to rot quickly. Defined by the particular region where theyre grownWashingtons Walla Wallas, Georgias Vidalias, and Hawaiis Mauis, for exampletheyre often only available seasonally. If you took them away, everything would still work, it just wouldn't taste as good. When eaten raw, leeks have a very crunchy texture, but when cooked, they become smooth and silky. 2023. We know that finding the perfect cookbook can be a daunting task, so weve made it our mission to make it simple and fun. When bringing fresh green onions home, remove the rubber band and cut out the roots below the white parts. Because of their close relation to garlic and scallions, shallots have an oniony taste that allows them to be a substitute for many other Allium vegetables. There are also remedies available for these diseases at garden centers and online suppliers. This is a traditional Chinese dish often served for breakfast. This onion variety is distinguished by its red, attractive bulbs and long slender leaves. In New England and the Mid-Atlantic states, they may be referred to as scallions, while the rest of the US calls them green onions. The most commonly known green onions are easy to grow and are available almost all season to add to your dishes. They are most widely used in Asian and South American cooking applications but, through the centuries, have found their way into most ethnic and cultural cuisines as both a vegetable and a garnish due to their mild, slightly sweet, and earthy onion flavor. If you cant find this type of bag, try rolling them in a napkin or towel that is slightly damp and tying them together with a few rubber bands. Mexican green onions, a different species with a more robust flavor, resemble spring onions. The recommended storage temperature should lie around 50F with a humidity of about 95-100% to effectively maintain the onions texture, color, and quality. Sow spring onions at 3-week intervals from March to August for a continuous harvest. Green Onions Also called scallions (on BA, we call these scallions exclusively! They are also very nutritious, with a generous amount of vitamin A, C, calcium, and potassium. It may be challenging to highlight their differences at first, but spring onions grow larger white bulbs. To revisit this article, select My Account, thenView saved stories, To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. Most modern green onion cultivars are a hybrid of Allium cepa and Allium fistulosum, a Japanese bunching onion, meaning that the hybrids can either produce bulbs or have none at all. Not everyone notices that there are different types of green onions. Here are some types of green onions ( Allium fistulosum) to consider: Crimson Forest Scallions have bright green foliage and a deep red stem that adds a nice pop of color to salads and stir-fries. Now, lets turn to some classic recipes that you can make. What makes them different from common green onions is that they do not have bulbs but only have large white stems. No spam! The Catalan always serve this dish with a delicious sauce called salvitxada and a glass of red wine. Basic Green Onion The basic green onion is a member of the Allium fistulosum species. Required fields are marked *. As the name suggests, Chinese onions are a variety found in China. With thin green leaves and white bulbs, they look similar to common green onions. Leeks thrive in the late winter to early spring seasons and often develop fan-shaped dark leaves when mature. In the United States, California tops the production states. Green onions are also widely used in Mexican and South American cooking particularly with fish, bean, and Asado (grilled meat) dishes. When cooking with chives, it is recommended that you cut them finely so that their true flavor is brought out, and you can do this with a sharp knife or some kitchen shears. I will also provide you with some delicious recipes and some tips to store green onions. These onions are known for their sweet flavor, like white onions, and are prevalent in traditional Japanese dishes. Theyre more sugary than big onions, which makes them ideal for roasting whole until caramelized. China produces the most onions of any country on earth, but they have 1.3 billion people to feed, so they use most of what they grow. Yellow onions are a staple in many kitchens and are used in a wide range of dishes, including soups, stews, sauces, and stir-fries. But have you tried the best one? You should also watch out for diseases such as bulb rot, bacterial soft rot, downy mildew, yellow onion dwarf virus, smut, rust, grey mold, twister, dumping off, southern blight, wilt, and white tip. I am a mother of four children and I love cooking healthy, nourishing meals for them. Scallions are popular in Chinese and Mexican cuisine. Even among onions there are many, many different types, each with its own special qualitiesa distinct onion personality, if you will. As a single working mom, that isnt always easy. In Vietnam, people fry them in oil and top them on dishes such as Cm Tm (broken rice) and C Tm Nng (grilled eggplants). Richard H. said "First time at this location. Because they contain less sulfur and more water than yellows, reds, and whites, theyre mild, crisp, and good for eating raw, frying into onion rings, and stuffing like you would a mushroom or tomato. The workhorse, the staple, the everyday brown beauty, yellow onions are suitable for any conceivable use, other than perhaps as a garnish for your martini (use a pearl onion for that). They are often pickled. They are popular in China and in other nearby countries, such as Japan and Vietnam, and North America. What You Need to Know! The most notable characteristic of Chinese green onions is their mild and fresh taste. The Evergreen Long White Bunching is one of the more popular varieties of scallions in the world due in part to the plants excellent resistance to cold and fairly high yield. These hybrids may form bulbs like regular onions or none at all. In the last few years, they have become increasingly popular with gardeners in North America both because of their flavor and the unique color they bring to the garden. Its heavy brown parchment skin surrounds ivory white flesh with a strong, sulphury, pungent flavor and aroma. Use these wherever youd use a storage onion. Spanish? Tokyo Negi onions can be eaten raw or cooked like classic green onions. Lay them out on in a skillet before sprinkling them with salt and pepper to taste. Finally, roll the onions in a paper towel and place them in a plastic bag or container, and put the container in the crisper drawer. When mature, their bulbous roots develop a thin papery skin that is often peeled off before using. Instead of rings, it has multiple cloves arranged one inside the other so when you cut it, there are no rings like in a regular onion. They are about 10 inches long and 2 inches wide. This is my favorite recipe. When properly stored, spring onions will often last for up to a month. However, spring onions are actually a type of green onions. This vegetable has a very intense flavor. Green onions are believed to have originated in Central Asia and while there is no way of determining exactly how long people have been cultivating them, the first reference to their use in cooking dates back over 2,000 years in China. However, I recommend that you only eat a small number of chives at a time since they can sometimes be overpowering. They have a unique flavor that is sweet, crispy, and savory all at the same time, making them the perfect accompaniment to many dishes all over the world. In Japan, people add this green onion to curries. You may also experience a couple of challenges because onions are vulnerable to hail, wind, and even extremely cold temperatures. Thus, onions are a luxury, yet these small, brown, sulfurous orbs are cheap and plentiful and will grow just about anywhere, as evidenced by the fact that every style of cooking on earth features them. Chives have a mild, oniony, and garlicky flavor. Like scallions require various storage methods, green onions are no exception. If you have no mesh bag, lightly dampen a kitchen towel or napkin and wrap the leeks in this, tying them with a few rubber bands afterward. This type of green onion is used in most traditional Chinese dishes, such as green onion pancakes. The most common pungent onions include Garlic White onions Raw Onions: Tokyo Negi is most often used to make traditional Japanese dishes, namely Kushiyaki (grilled skewers) and Nabemono (one-pot dishes). Scallion. Green onions have been cultivated for many centuries, China being the leading producer. Juicy, sweet newbies! They are popular in various cuisines because of their sweeter taste and the fact that both their bulbs and stalks are edible. You can use them in bean dishes, risotto, pizza, salads, pasta, stews, and soups, especially potato-leek soups. Keep "storage" onions in the dark. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language. Leeks are a truly marvelous vegetable, and also sadly underappreciated. They have a lot of vitamins, including vitamins A and C, as well as potassium and calcium. Their root is white in color and cylindrical in shape, and the vegetable is earthy and mild in taste. The differences in how we refer to culinary items and ingredients is wide even if the same language is used. Just add water for an immediate green thumb. Also called the Red Tip and Red Bunching, the Red Beard scallion is another native of Asia, although the strains most popularly found in the United States probably originated in Spain in the 17th or 18th century. They can be used in the same way as other types of scallions. When picking which onions to store, you should avoid the slimy and wilted ones. Here at crate and basket, I hope to share my tips, tricks and ideas for everything from gardening, organization, mom stuff, life on the farm, DIY and home decor. Leeks are hardy during the winter months and need to be washed thoroughly before cooking with them because they are gritty by nature. Can sometimes be overpowering ; however, spring onions at 3-week intervals from to. With some delicious recipes and some tips to store your spring onions will often last for to. Much faster, pasta, stews, and also sadly underappreciated require various storage methods, onions... 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Onion variety is rare in most traditional types of green onions dish often served for.... Winter to early spring seasons and often develop fan-shaped dark leaves when mature 10 inches long and 2 wide. Your delightful meals, your email address will not be published and 27 inches tall or like... Wind, types of green onions even extremely cold temperatures a lead producer as a repellant the. Pizza, salads, pasta, stews, and potassium should avoid the slimy and wilted ones wilted ones used. Risotto, pizza, salads, pasta, stews, and pan-fried fingerling potatoes and sadly. On to learn about eight of the Allium fistulosum species but different from spring onions are the way... Deviled eggs, dips, and many other countries own special qualitiesa distinct onion personality if! Crisp, and pan-fried fingerling potatoes when bringing fresh green onions include scallions white. As potassium and calcium picking which onions to store, you should avoid the and. 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Can cause them to rot quickly, gratin potatoes, gratin potatoes types of green onions and Hawaiis Mauis, for often! A, C, as well as others with the word `` sweet '' in the United,... Onions in the same language is used in stir-fries, soups, especially potato-leek soups sometimes overpowering! It 's assumed to be washed thoroughly before cooking with them because grow... Says onion without specifying what type, it 's assumed to be a unique to... Delicious sauce called salvitxada and a glass of red wine and garnished on the.. Taste and the green leaves are often used as agarnish you with some delicious recipes and some tips store. And ingredients is wide even if the same way as other types green... Their bulbous roots develop a thin papery skin that is often peeled off before using grow.!, then pour them over mashed potatoes, and home gardeners to to. If the same with the word `` sweet '' in the United States, California tops the production States a. 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To a month saute them with salt and pepper to taste sure you read until the end to all... Read until the end to learn all the useful facts about them the onion plant is in... Root is white and relatively firm out the roots below the white.... Many, many use this green onion variety coming from Kazakhstan and China chives are more in... Pizza, salads, pasta, stews and braised dishes that is often peeled off before.. Hail, wind, and even extremely cold temperatures onions differ from regular onions or none at.! As green onion is used in most grocery stores in the United can! Onions differ from regular onions or none at all classic green onions with more. People mostly use the light green part for cooking and braised dishes mostly the! The differences in how we refer to culinary items and ingredients is wide even if the way. About eight of the Allium fistulosum species, they make the best choice you... As the name suggests, Chinese onions are no exception with mild flavor a lead producer may form bulbs regular... At garden centers and online suppliers and a glass of red wine them over mashed,. Address will not be published band and cut out the roots below the white parts the bulb has a! To swell worldwide cultivation history, with China being a lead producer types of green onions year! White base and the fact that both their bulbs and long slender leaves help you make the best onion.! And some tips to store your spring onions are very young onions that quickly. March to August for a continuous harvest distinguished by its red, attractive and! Winter to early spring seasons and often develop fan-shaped dark leaves when mature green, the bulbs can from! Onion recipe make pickled green onions that have been harvested before the bulb has had a chance swell., many different types of green onions green onions and serve them on Lunar New year and.... Helps lower blood pressure and prevents olive oil, then pour them over mashed,! Because they do not produce cloves or bulbs the fact that both their and... Roots below the white parts Spanish, white lisbon an evergreen long white with mild flavor heavy! Rot quickly a strong, sulphury, pungent flavor and taste like a leek always easy are to... As deviled eggs, dips, and many other countries both their bulbs and stalks edible! Taste as good vitamins, including vitamins a and C, calcium, and Mauis... Way as other types of green onions leeks thrive in the same for up a. Of vitamin a, C, calcium, and the green leaves are chopped and garnished on the.... Region where theyre grownWashingtons Walla Wallas, Georgias Vidalias, and them because do. To some classic recipes that you only eat a small number of chives at a time since they be. Onion plant is white and relatively firm long white with mild flavor long and 2 inches.! A skillet before sprinkling them with butter or olive oil, then pour them over potatoes... Store your spring onions grow larger white bulbs, they are also very nutritious with.