Scallion pancakes are crispy, flaky savory pancakes that is one of the tradition Chinese street food. Scallion pancake is an ideal Chinese breakfast that is made using flour, salt and water along with scallion and Chinese five spice.
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Ingredients Needed
Here’s what you’ll need:
For pancakes-
- 2 cups plain flour
- ¾ cup warm water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 2 cups scallion (green onion or spring onion)
- 1 tablespoon Chinese five spice
For dipping sauce-
- 2 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon chili oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon green onion
- 2 teaspoon cilantro
Scallion pancakes are savory pancakes as opposed to the Western sweet version of batter pancakes. It is made of flour. If you want to make it gluten free, use gluten free flours instead of plain flour.
Scallion or green onion is main ingredient used in stuffing. You can’t substitute green onion with anything else!
Scallion pancakes are ideal Chinese breakfast that is served with scallion pancake sauce for dipping. Light soy sauce based dipping sauce is most common, but there numerous other dipping sauce served in different parts of China.
Chili oil can be substituted with fresh cut spicy red peppers or Asian red chili sauce.
How to make scallion pancakes
Use a stand mixer or your hand to make the dough. If you are making a large batch, use a stand mixer to make the dough.
To slice scallions thin, halve the scallions lengthwise. Then slice them really thin. I prefer to use only green part of scallions for stuffing.
- Take flour in a wide bowl. Add salt, oil and luke warm water to dough. Using a wooden or rubber spatula start mixing the flour. Dough flakes will form as dough absorbs water. Start to press everything together with your hand.
- If too much dry flour is left, add a bit more water and if dough is too sticky, add one or two tablespoon of plain flour. Once all the dough flakes together, knead until dough for 5 minutes until it turns soft.
- Cover dough and allow it to rest for minimum 30 minutes. Don’t skip resting dough.
- Knead the dough briefly again. Transfer on to a clean dry counter.
- Divide dough into 4 or 6 equal parts.
- Take a part of dough and form a ball shape. Keep rest of the dough covered all the time with cloth.
- Roll the dough. Dough should be rolled into very thin rectangle.
- Spread oil depending on it. Rub oil evenly.
- Add the green onions around the rectangle leaving ¼ inch gap on the edges.
- Sprinkle Chinese five spice evenly.
- Gently roll the dough as tight as you can to form a cylinder.
- Further roll into the shape of the snail (watch video to get clear idea).
- Set this aside covered.
- Work on rest of the dough.
- Roll, stuff, roll into cylinder and further roll into snail shape.
- Roll out each pancakes to large round circle.
- Heat a cast iron griddle. Brush some oil on the pan.
- Place rolled scallion pancakes on the pan. Cook on medium flame until surface becomes golden brown. Use a spatula to press from time to time to ensure pancakes brown evenly all around. Flip pancake. Drizzle oil on the other side. Cook until brown.
- Remove pancake on to a plate.
- Repeat with left over pancakes.
Make the dipping sauce-
Mix light soy sauce, sesame oil, pinch of salt, chili oil, green onions and cilantro.
Serve scallion pancakes immediately hot with dipping sauce.
Tips for crispy, flaky scallion pancakes
- You need warm water to make the dough. It’s highly recommended.
- Always rest dough for atleast 30 minutes before touching it.
- A generous amount of oil spread on the rolled dough will help form layers on flatbread (and layers not sticking to one another) making it flaky.
- You can flatten the bread with hands after stuffing and rolling into cinnamon bun shapes rolls so you don’t destroy the layers. I used rolling pin and used it gently to roll the pancakes.
- Always use high quality light soy sauce and premium brand sesame oil for dipping sauce.
FAQS
Scallion pancakes are unleavened savory flatbread stuffed with green onions or scallions. This crispy, flaky flatbread is one of the tradition Chinese street food ideally served for breakfast. It’s made using flour, salt and water along with scallion and Chinese five spice.
Use gluten free flour instead of regular plain flour to make scallion pancakes.
Yes scallion pancakes are vegan. There is no use of any diary used in the preparation.
Chinese scallion pancakes are best served for breakfast or as an appetizer with a dipping sauce. Light soy sauce based dipping sauce or chili dipping sauce will work best.
Scallion pancakes can be made ahead and stored before cooking or cooked.
Before cooking:
Once you roll them out, stack them up carefully with a piece of parchment paper in between. Transfer to large zip lock bags, press out as much air as possible and seal the bag. Store in freezer for up-to 3 months.
To cook frozen pancakes, thaw them at room temperature for 10 minutes. Then cook of hot cast iron pan by brushing oil on both sides and cooked until brown.
Cooked pancakes:
If you have any leftovers of cooked pancakes, put them in zip lock bag and store refrigerated for for few days.
Reheat pancakes in microwave or on stove top on a cast iron pan.
Reheating pancakes will make it crispier and will turn a bit chewier.
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📋Scallion Pancakes (葱油饼)
Ingredients
For pancakes-
- 2 cups plain flour
- ¾ cup warm water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 2 cups scallion green onion or spring onion
- 1 tablespoon Chinese five spice
For dipping sauce-
- 2 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon chili oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon green onion
- 2 teaspoon cilantro
Instructions
- Take flour in a wide bowl. Add salt, oil and luke warm water to dough. Using a wooden or rubber spatula start mixing the flour. Dough flakes will form as dough absorbs water. Start to press everything together with your hand.
- If too much dry flour is left, add a bit more water and if dough is too sticky, add one or two tablespoon of plain flour. Once all the dough flakes together, knead until dough for 5 minutes until it turns soft.
- Cover dough and allow it to rest for minimum 30 minutes. Don’t skip resting dough.
- While dough is resting, chop scallions. To slice scallions thin, halve the scallions lengthwise. Then slice them really thin. I prefer to use only green part of scallions for stuffing.
- Make the dipping sauce-Mix light soy sauce, sesame oil, pinch of salt, chili oil, green onions and cilantro. Keep it aside to until use.
- Knead the dough briefly again. Transfer on to a clean dry counter.
- Divide dough into 4 or 6 equal parts.
- Take a part of dough and form a ball shape. Keep rest of the dough covered all the time with cloth.
- Roll the dough. Dough should be rolled into very thin rectangle.
- Sprinkle ½ to 1 teaspoon of oil depending on the size.
- Rub oil evenly.
- Add the green onions around the rectangle leaving ¼ inch gap on the edges.
- Sprinkle Chinese five spice evenly.
- Gently roll the dough as tight as you can to form a cylinder.
- Further roll into the shape of the snail (watch video to get clear idea).
- Set this aside covered.
- Work on rest of the dough.
- Roll, stuff, roll into cylinder and further roll into snail shape.
- Roll out each pancakes to large round circle.
- Heat a cast iron griddle. Brush some oil on the pan.
- Place rolled scallion pancakes on the pan. Cook on medium flame until surface becomes golden brown. Use a spatula to press from time to time to ensure pancakes brown evenly all around. Flip pancake. Drizzle oil on the other side. Cook until brown.
- Remove pancake on to a plate.
- Repeat with left over pancakes.
- Serve immediately hot with dipping sauce.
Video
Notes
- You need warm water to make the dough. It’s highly recommended.
- Always rest dough for at least 30 minutes before touching it.
- A generous amount of oil spread on the rolled dough will help form layers on flatbread (and layers not sticking to one another) making it flaky.
- You can flatten the bread with hands after stuffing and rolling into cinnamon bun shapes rolls so you don’t destroy the layers. I used rolling pin and used it gently to roll the pancakes.
- Always use high quality light soy sauce and premium brand sesame oil for dipping sauce.
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