This scallion sauce is one of those "put-on-everything" kind of condiments that can liven up boring, flat-tasting food. So delicious, so vibrant, an awesome use of scallions (green onions).
Think of this sauce as the scallion chimichurri. I have it with poached and boiled chicken, leftover rotisserie chicken, shrimp, fish, grilled meats, rice bowls, grain bowls, dumplings, rice, salads, and steamed veggies. It never disappoints.
Most scallion sauce recipes you'll find online are Asian versions that include a healthy dose of ginger. My doesn't.
This one was born out of spontaneity. I had a bunch of scallions and a couple of lemons sitting in the crisper drawer, and I winged a sauce using them to brighten up a plain pan-fish dinner.
I put finely chopped scallions in a bowl, added lemon juice, zest, and a few other everyday ingredients. Then poured a mix of hot butter and oil over it. That’s it.
It's not a rigid recipe. After you've added the oil-butter mix, give it a taste, then use it as is or adjust as you like. If you want it sweet, add more sugar. If you prefer a bit more heat, add more chili flakes.
Pre-cooking notes and tips
- Scallions need to be finely chopped or minced, but that’s pretty much it for the bulk of the prep. When short on time or making a big batch, I let my food processor do the work. I cut the scallions into evenly sized chunks, then use the pulse function to mince.
- Feel free to substitute honey for the sugar.
- If I have fresh chili peppers, like Thai chilies, on hand, I use them finely minced instead of adding red pepper flakes.
- You can use olive oil instead of regular vegetable oil. Both work just fine.
- If you'd like to switch things up a bit, use a different citrus juice. You may need to adjust the amount depending on how tart it is. For example, I'd use less lime as it's usually tangier. Calamansi is my favorite substitute.
Serving ideas
I enjoy this sauce most with chicken, fish, rice, and dumplings, but you can have it with noodles, shrimp, grain bowls, and grilled meats too. It's a very versatile sauce, and if you find new ways to enjoy it, share in the comments below.
And that's a wrap!
This scallion sauce is fresh and tangy, and gives the food such a flavor boost. For the amount of effort it requires, the payoff is incredible. Hope you’ll give it a try.
Happy cooking ~ Nelo
Scallion Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 scallions - aka green onions, finely chopped or minced (Note A)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 cloves garlic - finely minced or grated
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes - aka chili flakes, adjust quantity to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons cooking oil - any neutral one you prefer
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix all the ingredients except butter and oil.
- Heat butter and oil together in a small saucepan over medium heat until hot, but not smoking. Carefully drop a small piece of scallion into the pan. If it sizzles, the oil is appropriately hot.
- Pour the hot oil over the mixture in the bowl. Mix well and enjoy with chicken, fish, rice or cooked dumplings.
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