Green Onion, Shallots, Scallions What exactly is the difference?

[Debra]

I will admit a lifelong weakness in my cooking skills and technique.
I have NEVER used anything other than green onions/spring onions, yellow, white, and red onions if it looked like they would be a good replacement flavor wise.
If the recipe call for shallots or scallions in go the green onions either the white end or white end and into and including the green stem.
Have I been missing something that would have improved my cooking?
Or is it just semantics?
Is there an actual difference?

[Attjack]

Green onions and scallions are the same things.




Shallots are like little red onions.

[fzxdoc]

Yup.
K.

[texastweeter]

Beat me to it. Exactly Attjack

[rickgregory]

shallots also are slightly garlicky to me. They're also useful if you want to fry them crispy as the rings are smaller. Good for topping sandwiches and the like.

[Attjack]

I put them on my salad every day. Sometimes I pickle them. I love shallots.

[Debra]

Thank you for the replies. The green onion/scallion being the same is nice to know.
I will be doing a bit of playing around with the shallots. Frying them sounds very good.

[Mark V]

Green onions/scallions are not usually cooked. Shallots usually are cooked.

[ItsAllGoneToTheDogs]

I use tons of recipes where green onions are cooked, although I always cook shallots

[shify]

Disagree re: green onion/scallions. Usually the white/light green part is added and cooked and the darker green is reserved and added at the end.

[Mark V]

I should have said that recipes and dishes I like usually do not cook the green onions. Pho, for a good example.

[BethV]

Shallots are wonderful when sliced thin and slowly caramelized.

[Mosca]

Shallots are like onions, but different. I remember reading somewhere, "Shallots are what makes restaurant food taste like restaurant food." I would use onions in chili or marinara, but shallots in braised short ribs or boeuf bourguignon. But, if you used onions in place of the shallots it would still work. But shallots don’t work in place of onions. Does that make sense?

Green onions and scallions are the same thing to me.

[bbqLuv]

I thought I would ask Booker T. Jones
Booker T. Jones -- Green Onions [Live from Daryl's House #44-04] - Bing video

[Spinaker]

I love shallots. Especially when I am making homemade hollandaise.

[FireMan]

I use em in scrambles or omelets & frequently in stir fry. Love em!

[troymeister]

Shallots have a high sugar content and are like a red onion but with a slight garlicky hint.They crisp up wonderfully and then have a nice sweet deep flavor. Green onions add that nice onion flavor without being too strong. When over cooked they tend to loose flavor. Give shallots a shot...You won't be disappointed.

[Caffeine88]

Crispy fried shallots, touched with a little kosher salt when out the oil are just amazing. No onion done this way can sompare (that I've found). Use them on burgers, mac-n-cheese, sautéed green beans and feta, caesar salad, any salad where you'd put croutons, anywhere that a salty, umami, crunch adds something. I eat em straight!

Shallots have more sugar in them, I think, just because they crisp up some much faster than similar onions. Perhaps less moisy ture, too.

Shallots are more intense than onions. You could use onions in place of shallots, but the other way round would be really overwhelming. They are flavor bombs, with a hint of garlicky as some above said, and I second the idea from Mosca that they are what makes restaurant food taste like restaurant food. I'm a big fan.

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[fzxdoc]

Ditto that. Also works for crispy fried capers.

Kathryn

[Caffeine88]

fzxdoc Yes! Haven't those in a while and they are awesome.

[JeffJ]

I like shallots in a dish where the flavors are a bit more mute and delicate. They are a bit milder than onions.