Spring is upon us and so are spring onions.
Spring onions are a variety of the green onion or scallion. Although they look similar, don’t confuse the two. Spring onions are more petite than leeks and different from scallions because of the larger bulge at their root. The spring vegetable is a young onion that has been pulled before it developed into a regular ‘ol onion. Generally their flavor is milder than a fully matured onion, but still packs a distinctive, zippy bite.
The tender greens are low in calories and bursting with vitamins and minerals. An extra boost of immunity to get us through the last few days of winter is a good thing! Like other onions they are also chock full of sulfur which helps control your blood pressure. Being so nutrient-rich gets two thumbs up in our book!
Spring onions won’t last as long as a regular onion and, like scallions, will become slimy if not used right away. Select a bunch that has a vivid green color, a firm bulb and crisp leaves. They should last in the fridge for several days. Once you have your hands on the spring onion wash them and peel away the outer layers of the bulb to access the crunchy interior (aka onion heaven). The bulbs can be white or purple.
Spring onions have a mild flavor that makes them very versatile. Similar to scallions, you can enjoy them raw in salads or cook them up in one of these dishes:
Are you excited for spring fare? Have you ever tried a spring onion?
OMG I WAS RIGHT! It is scallions/onions! Ha! Someone on FB convinced me otherwise, but this is why I need to stick with my guns – ah ha ha! 😉
Aha! The perfect ingredient to use when a recipe calls for raw onions. I often will leave raw onion out if I’m not feeling like having onion breath but milder forms of alliums are a great sub:)