Chinese scallion oil (葱油, cōng yóu) is a fragrant 2-ingredient oil made by slowly cooking fresh scallions, or green onions, in vegetable oil. Use it for noodles, stir-fries, eggs, dressings, roasted vegetables, and more.
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Chinese scallion oil is an easy 2 ingredient recipe
Scallions are as ubiquitous in the Chinese kitchen as garlic and ginger, and this easy spring onion infused oil is a staple in Chinese cooking. It takes just a few minutes to make on your stove. Stash this jar right next to your Homemade Chili Oil in your fridge for all kinds of authentic quickie meals like the famously delicious and easy Shanghai scallion oil noodles. You’ll also use it to stir fry, or mix it into sauces and dressings…why not scramble your eggs in it? It also serves as a fragrant ‘finishing’ oil to drizzle over dishes just before serving.
what is scallion oil?
It’s really just an infused oil, made by simmering scallions in a pot with a neutral vegetable oil until they start to go golden and toasty. The oil is then strained.
Scallion oil, or cōng yóu (葱油), is probably best known for Shanghai scallion oil noodles, cōng yóu bàn miàn, where that fragrant oil is really the whole point of the dish.
key ingredients in scallion infused oil
THE OIL ~ I used a toasted canola (rapeseed) oil. It’s got a golden hue and has a nutty aroma and is the preferred oil in Sichuan cuisine. You can also use regular canola, peanut, grapeseed, soybean, or other neutral vegetable oil of your choice. I don’t recommend extra virgin olive oil because the flavor will overpower, but you could use one of the super mild olive oils on the market, if you like.
THE SCALLIONS ~ aka green onions or spring onions, the freshest you can find. Look for smaller sized scallions with bright green, firm greens.
simple process for making scallion oil
- Wash, trim, and dry scallions. Slice into 3 inch pieces. I like to slice some of the sections lengthwise, just to expose more surface area.
- Put the scallions and oil into a pot and simmer over low heat for about 10-15 minutes, until the scallions start to turn toasted and golden.
- Let the oil cool, then strain and bottle.
- Don’t throw away the toasted scallions, use them to top a bowl of freshly made noodles that you’ve tossed with some of your scallion oil.
variation ideas
I like to add fresh scallions to the jar with my oil for a little extra flavor. The oil will not last as long with the fresh scallions, so keep refrigerated and plan on using it within a few days.
You can add other aromatic ingredients to your oil while it simmers, such as shallot, ginger, or Sichuan peppercorns. I don’t recommend garlic because it can burn and make your oil bitter.
Another variation I love is a blended scallion oil. For this you simple take the cooled oil, with the scallions, and blend in a blender, then strain. The flavor is outrageous!
How to use this vibrant green oil
Now you’ve got your beautiful fragrant oil in the fridge, what to do with it?
Definitely use it to make salad dressings, you’ll get bonus flavor there. Try it in my Crunchy Chinese Coleslaw or my Japanese Cucumber Salad (Sunomono). Use it in place of the sesame oil in my Chinese Chicken Salad.
Use it to stir fry anything from simple baby bok choy to Easy Vegetable Chow Mein or Spicy Tangerine Chicken with Black Rice.
Use it in all kinds of sauces from Dan Dan Noodles to Weeknight Mapo Tofu.
Scallion oil is great for non Asian uses, too. use it to scramble or fry eggs, in dressings for bean salads, pasta salads, etc.
Why not use it as a simple bread dip?
Or drizzle it over roasted veggies, grilled chicken, steak, shrimp, or fish.
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Chinese Scallion Oil recipe
Ingredients
- 12 scallions or about 2 bunches
- 2 cups neutral vegetable oil such as canola, sunflower, soybean, or peanut. If you can get your hands on roasted canola oil, that's what I used., I bought my roasted canola oil here.
Instructions
- Trim the scallions and cut into 3 inch pieces.
- Put the oil and the scallions into a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- Once the oil is bubbling, continue cooking over very low heat for about 15 minutes, just until the scallions start to turn golden. Don't cook too far or they will become bitter.
- Let the oil cool completely off the heat, and then strain into a clean jar. You can add a few fresh scallions to the jar, if you like.
- Current extension food-safety guidance says homemade vegetable/herb-infused oils that haven’t been specifically acidified should be refrigerated and used within 4 days or frozen.
blended variation
- After the oil has cooled completely in step 4, you can blend the oil with the scallions. Strain, and bottle as above. Refrigerate and use within 4 days or freeze.
Nutrition
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