I can remember having something like these Simple Chinese Scallion Pancakes as a kid. We used to eat this with a bowl of congee. Congee is a Chinese rice porridge that is generally eaten for breakfast. There were other small sides that were served with the congee, but I liked dipping the crispy scallion pancake into the hot congee.
Up until recently, it had been a long time since I’d had this style of Chinese scallion pancake. There are actually two different types of scallion pancakes that I have seen and made. This version I found here is much easier and just as good. I don’t like to fry mine in oil, so I usually just use nonstick spray. With the other version, you have to make a dough and roll it out. I don’t always feel like doing that or don’t have the time.
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Tim actually prefers this version and I do too, just because of the ease of making it! Sometimes I will even make a double batch so I can freeze some for later. It doesn’t take that much extra time to make a double batch and it’s a good way to use up lots of scallions.
I actually started growing my own scallions in a pot. They are so easy to grow and I like that I can extend the life of something that I’ve already purchased! The scallions don’t grow forever, but I can usually get a couple of good harvests out of my pot. I like the fact that I can use what I need. Plus I don’t have to worry about leftover scallions going bad and having to throw them away.
2. Add chopped scallions (green onions), salt, and Chinese five spice powder
3. Add the water
4. Mix until combined, it should be thinner than pancake batter
Serving suggestions
You can serve the pancakes whole or cut them into triangles. Depending on the size and what I’m using them for, I don’t always cut them up. If you do cut them up, I highly recommend using some kitchen shears. I find that cutting things with kitchen shears can be so much easier at times!
These scallion pancakes are great on their own. They don’t need a dipping sauce and sometimes we just have them fresh out of the pan as a snack. Like I mentioned before, we used to eat this with a bowl of congee. I only know how to make a simple version that’s just rice and water or broth but these would still pair well!
If you want a simple dipping sauce, I used equal parts soy sauce and Chinese black vinegar. A shake of sesame seeds and hot sauce if you want it spicy. I bet the sauce would be great with a spoonful of Spicy Chili Crisp. I highly recommend this stuff if you’ve never tried it!
You can also serve this alongside some kind of meat. I usually like to serve the scallion pancakes with beef, but pork or chicken are also a good options. You could even pair this with my Cilantro Lime Chicken. Really, these Simple Chinese Scallion Pancakes would pair well with anything!
Simple Chinese Scallion Pancakes
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup scallions (green onions), finely chopped
- 1/8 tsp kosher salt
- 1/8 tsp Chinese five spice powder, optional but highly recommended
- cooking spray or vegetable oil for cooking
Instructions
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In a medium bowl, mix everything together with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Your batter should be thinner than a normal pancake batter consistency. This will help with spreading out the pancake.
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In a large pan on medium high heat, spray with cooking spray or add 1-2 tsp of vegetable oil.
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Once the pan is hot, add 1/4 cup of batter and spread out with the back of the measuring cup, you want your pancakes to be fairly thin so they will cook evenly. Add more 1/4 pancakes as your pan allows. I was able to fit 3 pancakes at a time in my pan but it will depend on how large your pan is.
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Cook until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Flip the pancake over and cook for another 2-3 minutes. I like to use my spatula to flatten the pancake to make sure it's an even thickness once I do the first flip. If you like your pancakes crispier, you can cook them longer on each side.
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Repeat until you have used up all of your batter.
Notes
- I wanted my scallion pancakes to be on the smaller side, but you could easily make them any size you’d like. You just want to make sure that your pancakes are not too thick.
- You can freeze any leftover pancakes. I like to wrap 3-4 pancakes in plastic wrap and then place into a freezer bag. That way I can just pull out a couple when I want them. You can let them thaw in the fridge and then reheat on the stove.
- I would not recommend reheating the pancakes in the microwave as they will get soggy. We always reheat in a dry pan on the stove top and they get crispy and are just as good as they were fresh.
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Sounds super yummy, can’t wait to try this!
Thanks, Meg! I’d love to know what you think after you give this a try.