Spring Onions
These sweet, tender young onions are harvested in the spring before they size up and come with an abundance of rich edible greens.
What is a Spring Onion?
Spring onions are just young bulbing onions that are harvested before they size up. They tend to have a more mild, sweet flavor than larger onions that have developed more of that sharp onion punch. Their greens are also mild and rich much like scallion tops but more substantial.
Anytime a farmer plants their onion crop for the season, they usually need to thin out the patch in the spring to allow space for the other onions to bulb out to full size. Those thinnings are spring onions, a prequel to the onions that we’ll get in early summer. There’s only a short window of time when onion tops are vibrant, green, and delicious, before the onions start drying out, which makes fresh spring onions a fleeting treat to enjoy.
Are spring onions the same as green onions?
In short, no. Spring onions are not just big scallions, which will never bulb up to size no matter how long they stay in the ground. They are also not pearl onions, which are a specific variety of bulbing onion that makes a small round bulb when at full size. And while they are quite similar to calçots, the beloved spring onion of Spain, calçots are spring onions which have been hilled up with soil multiple times throughout the winter and spring so that they grow a much taller white stalk similar to a leek.
How do you cook with Spring Onions?
Spring Onions are wonderful sliced raw into salads, cooked in any dish that you’d use regular onions for, or roasted whole until caramelized much like calçots. Spring onion greens can be used just like scallions, blended into pestos with other greens, or chopped up into any stir fry, breakfast scramble, or frittata. Just one bunch of spring onions makes for a whole lot of food! The greens also are a great addition to broth or stock.
How do I store Spring Onions?
Any bunched root vegetable that still has its tops on wants to be stored in a mostly airtight container or bag that keeps the leaves from pulling moisture out of the roots and into the air (they are still breathing after you pull them from the soil).
Are Spring Onions healthier than onions?
While the onion bulb itself is similar in nutrient content to full-sized onions, spring onions and their greens are packed with early season nutrition. Just 100 grams of the greens alone provide well over your daily recommended value of both Vitamin A and Vitamin K, as well as providing a good source of dietary fiber and other nutrients.
