Spring Onions

What is it?

Spring onions are small round to oval bulbs, attached to a straight, layered stalk of overlapping leaves. The bulbs are smooth, firm, crisp, and succulent, found in bright white to red hues, depending on the variety. Also known as scallions or green onions, spring onions are in fact very young onions, harvested before the bulb has had a chance to swell. Both the long, slender green tops and the small white bulb are edible.

What does it taste like?

Spring onions have a fresh, sweet, and subtly pungent flavor well suited for both raw and cooked preparations. The bulb and leaves are edible, and the leaves will contain a stronger flavor than the mild bulb.

What to do with it?

These hollow, tubular green leaves growing directly from the bulb are cooked or used raw as a part of salads, salsas, or Asian recipes. They are also used in soup, noodle and seafood dishes, sandwiches, curries and as part of a stir fry.

How to store it?

If your kitchen isn't too hot and you plan on using spring onions in the next day or two, leave them out on the counter. Otherwise, store them in your refrigerator's crisper drawer. They should keep for a week, though the greens will wilt and lose their vibe quicker than the bulbs.