Often a recipe calls for them as a garnish, but green onions are so much more than just an afterthought. Tender with just a hint of crunch, green onions, or scallions as they are sometimes called, are perfect for adding flavor and color to a variety of dishes. There are a few different ways of cutting green onions, depending on their use. Today, we'll be teaching you how to cut green onions as well as how to pick the best ones at the grocery store and how to properly store them.
Videos by Wide Open Country
Whether they are called green onions or scallions on the produce sign (trust us, they are the same), look for firm straight white bulbs with short roots on the end and long, thin bright, green tops. It should be noted that green onions are different than spring onions which have a larger onion bulb.
At home, it's best to store green onions wrapped in a damp paper towel in a plastic bag. You can also store them in a jar filled with water on the windowsill or in a water-filled jar in the refrigerator.
How to cut green onions for any dish
First, wash the whole green onions. Rinse off any dirt under running water and remove any wilted tops or slimy skins on the white part of the green onion. Next, lay the onions down on a cutting board and trim off the root end by slicing through the onion just above the roots, and then trim about two inches off the top of the green ends.
You can either discard the root end or better yet, place them in water or plant them directly in your garden. I have a green onion patch that's been growing for almost two years now from a single root.
Use a sharp knife and cut the scallions in a rocking motion, cutting the green onion into small pieces from the white end all the way up, vertically following the tops.
If you are looking for "whispy" green onion slices that are almost soft, cut your green onion at an angle. The deeper the angle, the longer the slices will be.
When planning to cook them in something like a veggie stir fry or fried rice, cut the green onions into 1-inch slices. The larger slices will fry up easier and will give a nice crunch.
Once cut, the chopped green onions can last up to 5 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
READ MORE: Everything You Need to Know About the Elusive Ramps
This post was originally published on December 3, 2020.
