4-Ingredients Scallion Pancakes Are Better Than a Restaurant's (2024)

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Here's an easy scallion pancake recipe with only 4 ingredients! Tastes like what you get at your favorite dim sum restaurant.

By

Lisa Lin

4-Ingredients Scallion Pancakes Are Better Than a Restaurant's (1)

Lisa Lin

Lisa has been writing and developing recipes for her blog, Healthy Nibbles, for over 6 years. She started writing for Simply Recipes in 2016.

Learn about Simply Recipes'Editorial Process

Updated May 28, 2024

8 Ratings

4-Ingredients Scallion Pancakes Are Better Than a Restaurant's (2)

10 Quick and Easy Back to School Lunch Box RecipesFEATURED IN:

One of my favorite dishes to order at a dim sum Chinese restaurant is scallion pancakes. These thin, round pancakes are crispy out the outside and chewy on the inside.

Until I started making them about a year ago, I didn’t realize how easy they were to cook at home!

How To Make Scallion Pancakes

To make the pancakes, all you need are four basic ingredients: flour, hot (boiling) water, scallions, and salt.

Scallions Vs. Green OnionsREAD MORE:

The hot water makes the pancakes easier to flatten, especially during the first rollout. I tried this recipe with room temperature water, and the dough shrank back constantly. I usually boil water with my electric kettle and measure out 3/4 cups of the water in a glass measuring cup. Then, I pour the water directly into the flour.

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A Secret Ingredient: Garlic Powder

I also add garlic powder to my scallion pancakes because I think this adds great flavor to the pancakes. But you can skip it if you don’t have garlic powder in your spice drawer, or if you don't like garlic. (A bit of onion powder also works wonderfully in these pancakes!)

How To Serve Scallion Pancakes

The pancakes are great on their own, or paired with a soy sauce and vinegar based dipping sauce. Serve them while they're hot from the griddle and still crispy!

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How To Reheat Scallion Pancakes

Reheat scallion pancakes on a baking sheet in a preheated 400˚F oven for five minutes, or until heated through. Or heat a skillet on medium heat, add a thin layer of canola oil, and reheat for two minutes, flipping halfway through.

Delicious Chinese Recipes to Pair with Scallion Pancakes

  • Sichuan Style Stir-Fried Chinese Long Beans
  • Chinese Hot and Sour Soup
  • Moo Goo Gai Pan (Chinese Chicken and Mushroom Stir Fry)
  • Slow Cooker Chinese Pulled Pork
  • Char Siu Chicken

From the Editors Of Simply Recipes

Easy Scallion Pancakes

Prep Time25 mins

Cook Time25 mins

Resting Time30 mins

Total Time80 mins

Servings4to 6 servings

Ingredients

For the scallion pancakes:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, optional

  • 3/4 cup hot (just boiling)water, plus a few more tablespoons, if necessary

  • 1/4 cup canola oil

  • 3 to 4 scallions,thinly sliced

For the dipping sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce

  • 2 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar

  • 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

  • Pinch red pepper flakes, optional

Method

  1. Mix the dough:

    Add flour, salt and garlic powder to a medium bowl. Stir to combine. Add 3/4 cup of hot water to the flour and stir with a wooden spoon. Continue stirring until all the water has been absorbed by the flour. Don’t worry if the dough has not formed completely yet.

    4-Ingredients Scallion Pancakes Are Better Than a Restaurant's (6)

  2. Knead the dough:

    Knead all the bits of dough together with your hands inside the bowl. If your dough is still very dry, add a splash of hot water, about 1 to 2 tablespoons, until it comes together and all the flour is absorbed.

    Continue kneading the dough for about 2 more minutes. The dough will feel moist but it should not stick to your hands too much.

    4-Ingredients Scallion Pancakes Are Better Than a Restaurant's (7)

  3. Rest the dough:

    Shape the dough into a round ball. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.

  4. Roll out the pancakes:

    Sprinkle flour on top of a work surface. Divide the dough into 4 pieces of equal size. Work with one piece at a time, leaving the remaining pieces in the bowl.

    Shape piece of dough into a small ball. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough into a thin circle, about 7 to 8 inches in diameter.

    4-Ingredients Scallion Pancakes Are Better Than a Restaurant's (8)

    4-Ingredients Scallion Pancakes Are Better Than a Restaurant's (9)

    4-Ingredients Scallion Pancakes Are Better Than a Restaurant's (10)

  5. Add the scallions:

    Brush a thin layer of canola oil on top of the dough, making sure not to miss the edges. Sprinkle sliced scallions all over the dough.

    4-Ingredients Scallion Pancakes Are Better Than a Restaurant's (11)

  6. Roll and flatten the pancake:

    Starting on one end, roll the circle of dough into a log. Take one end of the rolled up dough and curl it toward the center, like a snail's shell. Tuck the end of the dough underneath the spiral.

    Use the palm of your hand to flatten the dough into a thick circle. Roll it out again with your rolling pin. Try to roll it out as thinly as possible. A few slices of scallions may pop out during the process, and that’s perfectly normal.

    Transfer rolled out scallion pancake to a plate. Repeat steps 4 through 6 with the remaining dough pieces.

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    4-Ingredients Scallion Pancakes Are Better Than a Restaurant's (15)

  7. Cook the pancakes:

    Heat about 2 teaspoons of canola oil in a small nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium heat.

    Place one of the pancakes in the middle of the pan and pan fry each side for about 2 to 3 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the 3 remaining scallion pancakes, adding more oil to the pan as needed.

    4-Ingredients Scallion Pancakes Are Better Than a Restaurant's (16)

  8. Prepare the dipping sauce:

    Mix all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Adjust the seasonings to your liking, adding more soy sauce or vinegar, if you like. Add any leftover scallions to the dipping sauce, and add a pinch of red pepper flakes if you would like a bit of spice.

    4-Ingredients Scallion Pancakes Are Better Than a Restaurant's (17)

  9. Serve the hot pancakes:

    Cut the scallion pancakes into small wedges and serve while hot with the dipping sauce. (The pancakes are still good when cooled, but will no longer be crispy.)

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
242Calories
10g Fat
33g Carbs
5g Protein

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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4to 6
Amount per serving
Calories242
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 10g13%
Saturated Fat 1g4%
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 648mg28%
Total Carbohydrate 33g12%
Dietary Fiber 1g5%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 2mg9%
Calcium 17mg1%
Iron 2mg12%
Potassium 96mg2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

4-Ingredients Scallion Pancakes Are Better Than a Restaurant's (2024)
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