Description
This recipe guides you through making authentic Chinese Scallion Pancakes (葱油饼), crispy and flaky savory flatbreads with a fragrant green onion filling. The dough is made with flour and hot water, then layered with an oil and flour paste combined with chopped scallions. The pancakes are pan-fried until golden and served with a tangy soy and vinegar dipping sauce. Perfect as an appetizer or snack, these traditional pancakes are flavorful, chewy, and easy to customize with your favorite oils.
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup boiling water
- 1/4 cup cool water
Filling
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup peanut oil (or olive oil, melted coconut oil, melted butter, or melted chicken fat)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 8 green onions, split down the middle and chopped (yield about 1 cup)
For Frying
- Vegetable oil (enough to coat bottom of pan for frying)
Dipping Sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Chinkiang vinegar (or rice vinegar)
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Make the dough: Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Gradually drizzle in boiling water while stirring with chopsticks or fork until absorbed. Then add cool water and stir until dough flakes form. Knead into a firm ball about 5 minutes. Cover and rest 20 minutes.
- Alternative dough preparation: Use mixer with dough hook, combine flour and salt, drizzle in hot then cool water while mixing, then knead on setting 4 for 3 minutes until dough ball forms. Cover and rest 20 minutes.
- Make the filling: Mix flour, peanut oil, and salt in a small bowl until a smooth paste forms.
- Make the dipping sauce: In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, Chinkiang vinegar, sugar, and water. Stir until sugar dissolves.
- Form the pancakes: Knead rested dough 1 minute until smooth. Divide into 6 equal balls (~76g each). Roll each ball into a thin rectangle (6×10 inches). Spread about 1 tbsp filling paste evenly, leaving 1 inch on top and left without filling. Sprinkle 2 heaping tbsp chopped scallions mostly toward one corner in an L shape.
- Roll the dough: Roll the dough from the side with scallions into a long tube. Flatten tube slightly, pinch scallion side to seal. Roll tube from sealed side toward loose end, tucking loose end underneath, pressing down to seal pancake. Cover with plastic wrap. Repeat for all pieces.
- Roll pancakes into circles: Roll each pancake into a 7-8 inch circle, flipping frequently to prevent sticking. If storing, place pancakes separated by parchment on a ziplock bag and freeze up to 3 months.
- Cook the pancakes: Heat a 9-inch cast iron or nonstick skillet on medium-high. Add enough vegetable oil to coat bottom. When hot, add a pancake, swirl to coat oil. Cover pan and reduce heat to medium, cook 1 minute. Flip, cover, cook 1 more minute. Remove lid and press pancake gently with spatula for even browning. Continue flipping and cooking until golden brown and crispy on both sides, about 3 minutes total. Adjust heat if pan becomes too hot. Cool on rack or cutting board.
- Serve: When cooled slightly, cut pancakes into 6 wedges and serve hot with dipping sauce as appetizer.
- Cook frozen pancakes: Thaw frozen pancakes 10 minutes, then follow pancake forming and cooking steps starting from rolling out dough.
- Store and reheat: Refrigerate leftover cooked pancakes up to 3 days in ziplock bag. Reheat in pan over medium heat, flipping occasionally until warmed through.
Notes
- You can substitute the peanut oil in the filling paste with olive oil, melted coconut oil, melted butter, or melted chicken fat for different flavors.
- Be sure to roll dough thinly for crispy, flaky texture.
- Cover dough and pancakes with plastic wrap during resting to prevent drying out.
- Use a cast iron or nonstick skillet to prevent sticking and achieve even browning.
- Freezing the uncooked pancakes with parchment paper in between prevents sticking and allows for easy storage up to 3 months.
- Adjust cooking heat to medium-low if pancakes brown too quickly before cooking through.
- The scallion pancakes are best served fresh and hot for maximum crispness.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese
