Dish Explainer

What Is a Scallion Pancake?

Scallion pancake is a Chinese wheat snack where the main appeal is crisp layers and scallion aroma.

Quick answer

Scallion pancake is a layered pan-fried wheat flatbread made with scallions and oil.

Chinese name Pinyin Cuisine or format Usual heat level
葱油饼 cōng yóu bǐng Chinese snack and northern-style wheat food Mild

What it tastes like

It is crisp, chewy, oily in a deliberate way, savory, and scallion-fragrant.

How it appears on menus

It may appear as scallion pancake, green onion pancake, cong you bing, or a Taiwanese breakfast item with egg.

Common variations

  • Plain scallion pancake
  • Scallion pancake with egg
  • Beef roll using scallion pancake
  • Frozen reheated versions

Dietary issues

It contains wheat and scallion and may be cooked on shared griddles. It is usually not gluten-free.

What to order with it

Pair with beef noodle soup, soy milk, cucumber salad, or a dipping sauce.

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