How to Use Every Part of Scallions and Green Onions

You've almost certainly eaten green onion at some point. And because they're so common and readily available, you've almost certainly cooked with green onion, too. That doesn't mean you haven't had to search the Internet to look up what part of the green onion to use while cooking. It can be confusing.

Some recipes specifically call for the white parts, some the green, and many don't specify (maybe that's when you reached out to the Internet with your question about which part of the green onion to use). The good news is you won't ruin any recipes with either part of the green onion (or scallion, the terms are used interchangeably). Both can be used, but there is a guideline for best results when making recipes with green onions.

Which Part of the Green Onion to Use

In most recipes that you will be cooking scallions or green onions, you'll use the white and the pale green portion of the onion that's just above the root. But the darker green leaves are a delicious garnish for everything from soups to casseroles without any cooking needed. Green onions or scallions can also stand in for fresh chives in any recipe.

Save Green Onion Roots

If you really want to use as much of your green onion as possible to reduce food waste (if you're not composting food), learn how to sprout green onions from your scraps. You may never have to buy green onions again.

Feel confident making recipes with both the white and green parts of green onions. As long as they've been properly washed and trimmed to remove any slimy or wilted parts, all of the green onion is edible.