Green onions

What's The Difference Between Chives, Scallions, And Green Onions?

NEWS

BY CARLY GARBER

Person grabbing green onions from box
Chives, green onions, and scallions all look remarkably similar, but they work even better in recipes when you understand the nuances between them.
Green onions growing in jar
Despite the different names, scallions and green onions can be used interchangeably. Each plant is harvested early from the Allium cepa species of onions.
Bowls of green onions and scallions
The main difference between
the two is that scallions are harvested earlier, so their bulbs are thinner. Chives, meanwhile, are in a category all on their own.
Bunches of chives
Chives aren't a form of an onion — they're part of the Amaryllidaceae family of flowering plants. They are thinner than scallions and green onions and lack a bulb at the bottom.
Chopped chives on cutting board
Chives have a much more mild onion taste, with a bit of a garlicky bend. This makes them easier to eat raw and slice thinly to use as a garnish on almost anything.