Chinese Scallion Pancakes (葱油饼)

Super crispy and flaky on the outside and slightly chewy inside, my dim sum favorite, scallion pancakes, make a wonderful snack that you’ll love! {Vegan}

Chinese scallion pancakes are always such a hit at dim sum. You’ve likely seen them as an appetizer or side dish to go with all those stir-fry dishes that you love. But did you know you can make an even tastier version at home? 

The secret to scallion pancakes is the crispy, flaky exterior that gives way to a slightly chewy interior of thin layers. When fresh-off-the-stove, it is extra crunchy and addictively fragrant. They are such a treat that you can enjoy them on their own, and they’re perfect for snacking. And your kids will adore them!

Once you’ve tried the homemade version, there’s no going back to takeout scallion pancakes. 

Why this recipe

I shared a recipe a few years ago and since then I’ve been perfecting the method. Today I want to share an updated version that uses even simpler ingredients to yield a better result.

• A dough that’s easy to work with and takes minimal time to prepare and rest. 
• Delightfully crispy and flaky texture with thin layers inside.
• Extra green onion stuffing, giving it a more aromatic flavor.
• Skipped the animal fat while maintaining the flavor and the texture of the dish.

After many tests, we found out the perfect flour-to-water ratio to create a dough that is elastic and not too soft. So you will be able to work in more layers and create a better texture. 

My previous scallion pancake used chicken fat. It was super delicious but it did require an extra grocery run. Plus, I’ve received many requests for a vegan/vegetarian version. Using this recipe, you can simply use regular vegetable oil with more green onion to create a very delicious result.

Ingredients

All you need are some basic pantry ingredients to make great scallion pancakes – all-purpose flour, water, salt, vegetable oil, and green onion. 

To further boost the taste, you could add some ground Sichuan peppercorns to the filling, but it’s totally OK to skip them.

Extra green onion

How you cut the green onion can greatly affect the outcome of your scallion pancakes. Instead of thinly slicing it into round shapes, I prefer to:

1. Halve the scallion lengthwise.
2. Thin slice them into very small half-moon pieces.

The smaller the green onion pieces, the easier it will become when you roll them up in the dough. This cutting method creates fewer air pockets and allows you to stuff more green onions. 

What oil to use

Traditional Chinese scallion pancakes use lard, which makes it easy to work in the layers, and it adds a fragrant taste. I used to enjoy using chicken fat, because it creates an even more fragrant taste.

Over the years, I’ve tried to make my diet healthier, so I’ve tried using plant-based oil instead of animal fat. I found out that many oils work. My favorite is peanut oil, which adds a nutty taste to the pancakes. Olive oil and coconut oil work great too, if you enjoy their unique taste. If you use a neutral vegetable oil, you can blend in 1 tablespoon sesame oil to add fragrance.

Cooking process

Cooking scallion pancakes might look daunting at a glance. My detailed step-by-step photos will help walk you through how to prepare the dough and shape the pancakes like a pro. 

Part 1 – Prepare the dough

If you’re making a big batch of scallion pancakes, you can use a stand mixer to make the dough. But I found it easy enough to knead the dough by hand.

1. Slowly add the hot water to the flour and mix it at the same time.
2. Mix until the hot water is fully absorbed
3. Slowly add the cold water and continue mixing
4. Dough flakes should form once all the water is added
5. Start to press everything together with your hand
6. You can add a bit more water if there’s too much dry flour left. Or you can slightly add a bit more flour if the dough is very sticky. Once you’ve pressed all the dough flakes together, you should have little or no dry flour left.
7. Knead about 5 mins until a tough dough is formed.
8. Let rest for 20 mins, then knead for 1 minute to form a smooth dough.

Part 2 – prepare the filling

The best way to make the scallion pancake filling is to make an oil flour paste (not simply brushing oil onto the dough). This way you can work in layers easily without pressing out the oil as you roll out the pancakes.

To make the filling, simply mix the dry ingredients with the oil until it forms a smooth paste.

Part 3 – Forming the scallion pancakes

1. Cut the dough into 6 pieces and work on the pieces one at a time. Use your hands to shape the dough into a rectangular shape.
2. Roll the dough
3. The dough should form a very thin rectangle.
4. Add the flour oil paste
5. Spread out the paste, leaving about 1” (2.5 cm) on both a long and a short end without the filling (your top and left)
6. Add the green onion, concentrating most of it towards a long and short end with the filling
7. Gently roll up the dough, as tightly as possible
8. Press the air bubbles out of the dough strip
9. Further roll up the long dough strip
10. Tuck the end on the bottom
11. Gently press the tall pancake
12. Let it rest while you work on the rest of the pancakes

PS. I prefer to rest the formed pancakes for a few minutes before rolling them out, to let the gluten relax, so you can roll them out easily.

NOTE: the photos were shot on the opposite side of the table from where the pancakes were made. If the recipe description looks upside down or confusing, check the video at the bottom of the recipe so you can get a better idea.

Part 4 – Roll and cook the pancakes

1. Roll out the pancakes when you’re ready to cook
2. Heat up a pan with a layer of oil on the bottom, add the pancake, and wiggle the pancake a few times so it won’t stick
3. Let the pancake cook covered first
4. Flip the pancake and cook covered again
5. Then cook uncovered, until both sides of the pancake are browned
6. You can use a spatula to press the pancake, to help with even browning

NOTE: 

1. You can either use a cast iron skillet or a nonstick pan. Either will work. If you use a cast iron pan, you will need a generous amount of oil to prevent the pancakes from sticking.
2. It’s possible to use less oil to cook the pancakes. But for the best result – golden brown surface and extra crispy texture, you will need a thin layer of oil to cover the bottom of the pan (not just a few drops).
3. It’s important to cook the pancakes covered at first, to cook through the interior.

How to store scallion pancakes

The best thing about these pancakes is that they can be stored raw or cooked.

If you’d like to get the best fresh result, freeze the scallion pancakes raw after you roll them out. Carefully stack them with a piece of parchment paper in between, then transfer everything to a large ziplock bag. Press out as much air as possible and seal the bag. Freeze the pancakes for up to 3 months.

To cook the frozen pancakes, simply let them thaw at room temperature for 8 minutes and cook them using the same method.

If you cook all the pancakes and have leftovers (very unlikely!!), you can put them in a bag and store them in the fridge for a few days. You can either reheat them in the microwave or on the stovetop. Note, if you reheat a cooked pancake, it will still be quite crispy but the texture will turn a bit chewier.

Afterthought

Chinese scallion pancakes do take a little time to prepare and the recipe might look ridiculously long. But compared to other classic Chinese dim sum, this one is actually easier to make. If you’re new to dim sum making but love bread, this is a great place to start.  

These scallion pancakes taste so good that I would refrain from making them often, because I’ll just eat them all (lol). But these are my favorite and they taste so much better when you make them at home. Since you can make them ahead and freeze them for later, they are perfect when friends or family come by. If you’ve never had them before, you’re absolutely going to be in love at first bite!

Dishes to serve with

Complete your Chinese restaurant style dinner with these dishes below:

• Mapo Eggplant
• Salt and Pepper Pork Chops
• Chinese Egg Drop Soup
• Chicken Fried Rice
• Sweet and Sour Pork
• Chinese Chili Garlic Shrimp

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Chinese Scallion Pancakes (葱油饼)

4.88 from 105 votes

Super crispy and flaky on the outside and slightly chewy inside, my dim sum favorite, scallion pancakes, make a wonderful snack that you’ll love! {Vegan}

Author: Maggie Zhu

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Chinese

Keyword: restaurant-style

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Resting time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour

Servings: 12 servings (6 pancakes)

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Ingredients

Dough

• 2 cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1/4 cup cool water

Filling

• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (50 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup peanut oil (or your favorite oil like olive oil, melted coconut oil, melted butter, or melted chicken fat etc.)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 to 10 green onions , split down the middle and chopped (yield 1 cup)

Cooking

• Vegetable oil for pan frying

Dipping Sauce (Optional)

• 1 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Chinkiang vinegar (or rice vinegar)
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar

Instructions

Make the dough

• OPTION 1 – USING YOUR HANDS: Combine the flour and salt in a big bowl. Stir to mix well. Slowly drizzle in the hot water while mixing it with a pair of chopsticks (or a fork), until the water is fully absorbed. Slowly drizzle in the cool water, continuing to stir until many dough flakes form. Press the dough together, and try to combine the wet dough with the dry flour. Drizzle in a little extra water if there is any dry flour remaining. Knead until a firm ball is formed, about 5 minutes. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes.
• OPTION 2 – USING A MIXER: Combine the flour and salt in the mixer bowl with the dough hook attachment. Turn it to the mix setting and slowly drizzle in the hot water followed by the cool water. After a minute of mixing, drizzling in a little extra water if there is any dry flour remaining. Turn to setting 4 and knead until a ball of dough is formed, about 3 minutes. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes.

Make the filling

• While the dough is resting, combine the flour, oil, and salt in a small bowl. Mix until a smooth paste is formed.
• If making the dipping sauce, combine all the ingredients with 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl and mix until the sugar is dissolved.

Form the scallion pancakes

• When the dough is done resting, knead for another minute until it is smooth. Cut the dough into 6 even pieces, about 76 grams per piece. Form the dough into balls using your hands.
• Work on one dough ball at a time, covering the rest with plastic wrap to prevent drying out. Roll each dough ball into a thin rectangle with a rolling pin, aiming for around 6×10” (15×25 cm). Lift and turn the dough regularly as you roll it to prevent sticking. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the filling onto the dough and spread it evenly with the back of a spoon, leaving about 1” (2.5 cm) on top and the left end without the filling. Sprinkle 2 heaping tablespoons of green onions onto the paste, concentrating most of it towards one side of the length and one side of the width, creating a loose L shape (see the blog post above for the step-by-step pictures).
• Begin rolling the dough from the longer side of the dough where the green onions are concentrated, until you have one long tube. Lightly flatten the tube using your hand. Pinch the side with more green onion to seal it. Take the sealed side and gently pull and roll it towards the unsealed side, using your hand to smooth out the dough to push any large air bubbles out. Tuck the loose end under the rolled bun. Gently press down on the round disk with your hand to seal the pancake.
• Set the formed pancake aside and cover it with plastic wrap. Repeat steps 4 and 5 until each pancake is ready.

Roll out the pancake

• Roll each prepared pancake into a circle, about 7-8” (17-20 cm) wide. Flip and move it as you do to prevent sticking. Don’t worry if air bubbles burst through or some green onions fall out.
• If you plan to store the pancakes and cook them later, place each pancake onto a piece of parchment paper and stack them. Transfer the pancakes to a large ziplock bag, squeeze out as much air as possible, and seal the bag. You can freeze the pancakes for up to 3 months.

Cook the pancakes

• Heat a 9” (23 cm) cast iron pan (or a nonstick skillet) over medium-high heat and add enough oil to fully coat the bottom. Once the oil is hot, add a pancake. Use a pair of chopsticks (or a spatula) to swirl the pancake around to spread the oil and prevent sticking, for a few seconds. Cover the pan and turn the heat down to medium. Let the pancake cook, covered, for 1 minute. Remove the lid and flip the pancake, cover, and cook for another minute. Remove the lid. Use a spatula to press the pancake, to ensure even browning. Continue to cook, flipping regularly, until both sides are crisp and browned, about 3 minutes. Turn to medium-low heat if the pan gets too hot. Transfer the pancake to a cooling rack or a cutting board to cool. Repeat to cook all the pancakes you plan to serve.
• Once the pancakes are slightly cooled enough to handle, cut into 6 pieces and transfer to a serving platter. Serve hot with the dipping sauce as an appetizer.

Cook frozen pancakes

• Let the frozen pancakes thaw for 10 minutes then proceed from step 8.

Store and reheat cooked pancakes

• Place the leftover pancakes in a ziplock bag by stacking them together. Store in the fridge up to 3 days. To reheat, add a pancake to a pan and heat over medium heat, cook, flip occasionally until the pancakes turn warm throughout.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 202kcal, Carbohydrates: 25.7g, Protein: 3.6g, Fat: 9.3g, Saturated Fat: 1.6g, Sodium: 246mg, Potassium: 58mg, Fiber: 1.1g, Sugar: 0.3g, Calcium: 11mg, Iron: 2mg

Did You Make This Recipe?Don’t forget the last step! Leave a comment below, and tag me @OmnivoresCookbook and #OmnivoresCookbook on Instagram!

If you give this recipe a try, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it (once you’ve tried it), and take a picture and tag it @omnivorescookbook on Instagram! I’d love to see what you come up with.

Other classic dim sum recipes

• Pineapple Buns (Bolo Bao)
• Chinese Steamed Custard Buns (nai wong bao, 奶黄包)
• Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork, 叉烧肉)
• Char Siu Bao (Steamed BBQ Pork Buns) 叉烧包
• Chinese Chive Pockets (韭菜盒子, Chinese Chive Dumplings)
• Chinese Turnip Cake (Lo Bak Go, 萝卜糕)

Lilja Walter is a part of the Omnivore’s Cookbook team and worked closely with Maggie to develop and test this recipe.