Many months, moons, and news cycles ago, one of my (and many others’) main concerns was “running out” of food before the pandemic was “over.” Honestly, were we ever so young? The idea that a single, ambitious trip to Costco would be enough to last us through the pandemic seems laughable now, but having that as a goal helped me learn how to shop more efficiently and cut down on waste.
For many of us, part of “cutting down on waste” meant using scallion butts to grow more scallions. Some of us took to it better than others. I regrew a bunch or two, but I am terrible at caring for plants, so my windowsill green onions eventually withered from neglect. But A.A. Newton is a better plant parent than I, and her scallions grew prolifically, all healthy and strong, to the point that she had to offload some on me.
By “some,” I mean “a butt-load”—so many that relegating them to “garnish only” would result in them wilting and withering before I got through them all. Luckily, a butt-load of scallions is exactly what’s needed to create a very delicious, three-ingredient sauce. (The other two ingredients are oil and salt.)
Scallion sauce (which can be riffed on to make ginger scallion sauce or garlic scallion sauce), is so fast and so easy, it’s hard to claim there’s a “recipe” involved. All you have to do is chop a bunch of scallions, mix them with a little salt, then pour smoking-hot oil on top to briefly cook them and flavor the oil. If you want ginger scallion sauce, add a spoonful of microplaned ginger before you add the oil; if you want garlic scallion sauce, add some microplaned garlic. Once the oil has cooled, give your sauce a taste and season with a little more salt (or anything else you want) if needed. A splash of soy sauce and seasoned rice vinegar (and maybe a little pickled ginger brine) makes a really excellent dipping sauce. You can also use it as a base for a scallion vinaigrette.
I know I said there wasn’t a “recipe,” but there is a ratio and some instructions, which I guess is what a recipe is. (Where are the lines?) To make super easy scallion sauce, you will need:
Slice the scallions super thinly, then run your knife though them to chop the rings into bits. Don’t worry about it being super uniform. Place the scallions in a heat-safe bowl, coat them with salt, then heat the oil in a pan until it’s smoking hot. (It should sizzle and sputter when you place a slice of green onion in it.)
Drizzle the very hot oil over the scallions, stirring constantly. You may not need to add all of the oil; a full 1/2 cup will result in some oil pooling in the sauce, which isn’t bad, but back it off to seven tablespoons if you want a dryer sauce. Give it a taste. Adjust the seasoning if you desire, then drizzle on anything that needs a savory, allium-y, green onion boost. Latest
Claire is Lifehackers Senior Food Editor. She has a B.S. in chemistry, a decade of food journalism experience, and a deep love for mayonnaise and MSG.
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I had a square foot of scallions left in my garden that were starting to bolt, so I just decided to pull them. I figured I would give them away but then I remembered this handy Foodpickle feature and thought I might give it a try. So, does anyone have suggestions or ideas for what to do with a very, very large bunch of scallions? Thanks!
Lifehacker is a federally registered trademark of Ziff Davis and may not be used by third parties without explicit permission. The display of third-party trademarks and trade names on this site does not necessarily indicate any affiliation or the endorsement of Lifehacker. If you click an affiliate link and buy a product or service, we may be paid a fee by that merchant.
I know I said there wasn’t a “recipe,” but there is a ratio and some instructions, which I guess is what a recipe is. (Where are the lines?) To make super easy scallion sauce, you will need:
For many of us, part of “cutting down on waste” meant using scallion butts to grow more scallions. Some of us took to it better than others. I regrew a bunch or two, but I am terrible at caring for plants, so my windowsill green onions eventually withered from neglect. But A.A. Newton is a better plant parent than I, and her scallions grew prolifically, all healthy and strong, to the point that she had to offload some on me.
By “some,” I mean “a butt-load”—so many that relegating them to “garnish only” would result in them wilting and withering before I got through them all. Luckily, a butt-load of scallions is exactly what’s needed to create a very delicious, three-ingredient sauce. (The other two ingredients are oil and salt.)
Scallion sauce (which can be riffed on to make ginger scallion sauce or garlic scallion sauce), is so fast and so easy, it’s hard to claim there’s a “recipe” involved. All you have to do is chop a bunch of scallions, mix them with a little salt, then pour smoking-hot oil on top to briefly cook them and flavor the oil. If you want ginger scallion sauce, add a spoonful of microplaned ginger before you add the oil; if you want garlic scallion sauce, add some microplaned garlic. Once the oil has cooled, give your sauce a taste and season with a little more salt (or anything else you want) if needed. A splash of soy sauce and seasoned rice vinegar (and maybe a little pickled ginger brine) makes a really excellent dipping sauce. You can also use it as a base for a scallion vinaigrette.
Freezing Green Onions ~ Money Saving Tips ~ No More Cash in the Trash! ~ Noreen’s Kitchen
What can I do with a lot of scallions?
They take minimal cooking time, and pair with most if not all foods. What Can I Do With Lots Of Scallions? If you have lots of scallions you can use them in a soup, stir-fry them, make them into a biscuit, pancakes, bread, sauce, add them to a salad, or even pickle them. There are no limits.
How are scallions different from green onions and shallots?
Scallions, also referred to as green onions, are simply immature bulbs that are harvested before an onion is fully formed, while shallots are fully matured onions that grow as bulbs and, much like garlic, are divided into cloves.
What do you eat with scallions?
The scallions add a great note to the steaming liquid. Biscuits and gravy meet loaded nachos. The scallions add a fresh note to this decadent brunch dish. Try these anywhere you’d use pickled onion, such as in grain bowls, on roasted carrots, or on a cheese sandwich. Guess what one of the onions is.
What can you do with Char scallions?
Make a big batch and use it to season meats, soups, rice, and more. As this pan-seared steak rests, char scallions in the same skillet, then toss with toasted walnuts, grated garlic, olive oil, and all manner of things bright and briny for an addictive condiment you’ll turn to again and again.