When perusing the produce section of your grocery store, you may find shallots near the onions. Because of their appearance and placement in stores, it’s easy to think they are the same. Shallots are part of the Allium family, but many things separate them from regular onions, which has made the shallots vs green onions debate interesting for fans of these veggies.
As you learn more about the onion family and alternatives to vegetables in recipes, you may find yourself asking: Is a shallot the same as a green onion? The simple answer is no.
Shallots consist of roots, an edible bulb, green leaves, a stalk, and flowers when harvested. When viewed like this, it’s clear where the confusion with green onions comes from, as without a fully developed bulb, the two closely resemble each other. When comparing the two, green onions grow a green stem and white bulb whereas shallots grow their signature pink-ish bulbs.

The Difference between Green Onions and Shallots
Green onions and shallots belong to the Allium family of plants, hosting kitchen favorites like chives and leeks, and therefore share some similarities. Still, these two veggies are very different, and their uses in cuisine reflect that.
However, when planting green onions and shallots, the process is virtually the same. Grow shallots indoors or out, just like other types of onions and enjoy them year-round.
When trying to tell the difference between green onions and shallots, the easiest way is by looking at them side by side, and more excitingly, when tasting them in your favorite dishes.
What are Shallots?
Shallots (Allium cepa) are a cultivar of common white onions and are recognizable by their small bulb and papery copper-pink skin. Inside the skin, a shallot’s flesh is purple and white, similar to red onions, and they grow like garlic in cloves.
The name shallot encompasses several common shallots that vary based on their origin location. As the name suggests, the Jersey shallot is the common shallot to find in groceries across the United States and is rosier in color with flavor matching the French gray shallot.
What are Green Onions?
Also called scallions or spring onions, green onions are immature onions harvested before their small bulb fully develops. At the time of harvest, compared to scallions, the tops of the onions are dark green, which is a sign they are the right flavor despite being immature.
When buying green onions from the store, it’s best to look for onions with crisp green tops with little to no signs of wilting. Green onions come with their root ends attached to the white part, and this root end helps replant green onions at home. Green onions are popular to add flavor and color to dishes and are used as a garnish. The difference between green onions and chives when used as a garnish is minimal.
Comparing Shallots to Green Onions Visually
When comparing the appearance of onions to shallots, it’s easy to answer the question of “Are shallots and green onions the same?” With their stalk attached, shallots may resemble green onions when pulled from the earth.
However, only the bottom portion, the bulb, is used in cooking. This portion, covered in its papery skin, is golden brown like the kind of skin you find on yellow onions. Raw shallots are purple and white when peeled, and usually, green onions grow white bulbs.
Green onion bulbs resemble small sweet onions, usually smaller than pearl onions, with the signature round onion shape you’re familiar with. Shallots grow in a distinct tapered shape, like large garlic cloves, making them a standout in the onion family. Planting green onion bulbs in soil or water is easy.
The Taste Test
Taste is another way to tell the difference between green onions and shallots. Compared to onions, shallots are more delicate and have a milder flavor. Although it is possible to swap onions for shallots in some dishes, if the recipe calls for a red onion, a shallot may not work as well.
Alternatively, if your recipe requires shallots, using an onion with a more intense flavor as a substitute for shallots may throw the recipe off in terms of taste.
As immature onions, green onions retain the oniony flavor you would expect, though also milder than fully matured ones. This milder flavor makes green onions an excellent choice to add to salads for a bit of onion flavor.
Shallots vs Green Onions in the Kitchen
Although the bulbs of green onions are edible, many find them most beneficial for their green part as a topping for BBQ or potatoes. Because their flavor is closer to a matured onion, they are a great option to achieve onion taste without actually including one if the recipe doesn’t call for it.
Many eat shallots without cooking them first due to their delicate flavor. Shallots lose their flavor quickly when cooked, so swapping an onion for a shallot in a recipe requires cooked onions. For stir-fry, onions are the preferred option.
Setting your minced shallots and oil aside, mix all other ingredients in a bowl and add freshly ground pepper to taste. Add in your shallots and whisk in the oil until smooth. Store in a covered bottle in the fridge for a week, or use immediately.
Are Shallots and Green Onions the Same?
Like other onion family members, shallots and green onions boast several nutrition benefits by being high in antioxidants like vitamin C and K and possessing fair amounts of calcium and potassium.
Ultimately, shallots are a botanical variety of onions with a mild flavor. In technical terms, shallots are a type of onion, just as green onions are a type of onion. The taste of yellow onions vs shallots is similar enough to substitute them for one another.
Although shallots and green onions may be used interchangeably for flavor, they are not the same, which is great for those who enjoy cooking with different onion family members.

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