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    Home » Recipes » Chinese Pancakes

    Chinese Scallion Pancakes (Congyoubing)

    Last Modified: December 10, 2022 by Elaine| 193 Comments

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    Chinese Scallions pancake (green onion pancake or Congyoubing) is one of the famous and traditional Chinese street foods and the ideal Chinese breakfast. Those crispy and aroma pancakes are available all around China. Making your own scallion pancake at home is easy and enjoyable with this simplified recipe.

    scallion pancakes|chinasichuanfood.com
    Table of Contents
    • What's Scallion pancake
    • 📖Various versions
    • How to make the scallion pancake dough
    • 💭Cook's Note
    • 🥘Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • How to store scallion pancakes
    • What to serve with Scallion Pancakes
    • Other Chinese pancakes to try
    • 🧾Recipe

    What's Scallion pancake

    Scallion pancake is a popular Chinese street food, a breakfast pancake with a lovely crispy shell and soft inside. It is widely loved because of the strong aroma of scallions or in mainland China, we use green onions. I know that many Chinese restaurants in the world provide this lovely pancake. However, making some at home is a nice experience. Only with simple and everyday ingredients, we can make our own extremely aromatic scallion pancakes. In China, there are, actually, several types of scallion pancakes.

    📖Various versions

    In northern provinces, scallion pancake (this version) is thinner, chewy, and with less oil. Those pancakes are usually made in very large pieces around 30 cm in diameter and sold by weight after cutting into small pieces. In Southern China, for example, Shanghai, scallion pancakes are thicker and fried with a larger amount of oil and creating an even more crispy shell and softer inner part.

    scallion pancakes|chinasichuanfood.com

    How to make the scallion pancake dough

    In order to make the pancake chewy but still easy to cook, I use both hot boiling water and cold water. Hot boiling water dough (烫面) is soft when well cooked, while cold water dough (冷面) produces a chewier texture. It is a good combination to keep a balance.
    I suggest using only the green part of the scallion or green onion. If you want to use the white part too, finely chop them.

    scallion pancakes|chinasichuanfood.com

    💭Cook's Note

    1. In order to make the pancake chewy but still easy to cook, I use both hot boiling water and cold water. Hot boiling water dough (烫面) is soft when well cooked, while cold water dough (冷面) produces a chewier texture.
    2. I suggest using only the green part of the scallion or green onion. The hard white part usually pierces the wrapper.
    3. It is quite important to rest the well-shaped pancake just before the last rolling out.
    4. In every step of this recipe, cover your single dough with a wet cloth or a plastic wrapper to prevent drying out.
    5. If you want to create multiple layers inside, try to stretch the final log as long as possible before rolling back to form the snail shape.
    6. Shanghai version also calls for a flour and oil mixture to create multiple layers. But oil is enough for quick home-cooking scallion pancakes.
    scallion pancakes|chinasichuanfood.com

    🥘Ingredients

    • 2 cups unshifted all-purpose flour  (nearly 300g)
    • ¾ cup water , around 180ml (½ cup hot boiling water + ⅓ cup cold water) + 10ml for adjusting
    • vegetables cooking oil - oil for the dough, brushing and pan-frying
    • 2 cups chopped scallion (use green part only)
    • ½ tsp. salt
    • 1 tbsp. Chinese five-spice powder (for garnishing, this is optional)

    Instructions

    Make the dough

    Mix salt with all-purpose flour. Prepare a large mixing bowl. Dig a small hole in the center and then pour the hot water in. Mix for a while and then stir in the room-temperature water and cooking oil too. Grasp everything to form a ball, cover, and rest for 10 minutes. You don't need to knead the dough until very smooth at this stage because it may be hard to achieve. Just cover and let the flour and water combine.

    After resting, then knead until very smooth (around 3-5 minutes ). Then divide the dough into 4 pieces. Shape each portion into a smooth round dough. Cover the rest for 20 to 30 minutes.

    scallion pancake dough|chinasichuanfood.com
    scallion pancakes|chinasichuanfood.com
    Cover the small balls and set them aside to rest

    Assemble the scallion pancake

    Take one small ball out, and roll it out to a rectangle around 10cm wide and 8cm high. Brush some oil in the center part and then sprinkle Chinese five spice powder if using. Spread chopped scallion in. Fold up the rectangle into a cylinder. Repeat to finish all four cylinders.

    Take one out, slightly lengthening the cylinder with two hands, and then roll from one end to the other to form a snail shape. Suck the end in the dough.

    scallion pancake assembling|chinasichuanfood.com

    Repeat to finish all four. Remember to cover to avoid drying out.

    scallion pancakes|chinasichuanfood.com

    Then roll out the pancake into a large round circle. Be gentle and use your hand as most as possible. To get a perfect round pancake for beginners, get yourself a small pan (18 to 20cm in diameter) and push with your fingers to spread the dough over the pan.

    scallion pancakes|chinasichuanfood.com

    Pan-frying scallion pancakes

    Brush some cooking oil on a pan and then place the scallion pancakes.

    scallion pancakes|chinasichuanfood.com

    Use middle fire to pan-fry until the surface becomes brown around 2-3 minutes. And turn over to fry for another 1 to 2 minutes. Use a spatula to twirl the circle from time and time especially the central part to ensure the circle is evenly fried.

    scallion pancakes|chinasichuanfood.com
    scallion pancakes|chinasichuanfood.com

    You can serve the pancake directly or with a hot dipping sauce.

    scallion pancakes|chinasichuanfood.com

    How to store scallion pancakes

    If you want to save the pancakes and serve them later, separate each of the pancakes with a plastic wrapper or oil paper. Overlay and then place in an air-tight container. Directly pan-fry the pancake without defrosting.

    scallion pancakes|chinasichuanfood.com

    What to serve with Scallion Pancakes

    Scallion pancakes can be matched with savory soups, stir fry, and porridge. Following are some of my best serving options.

    1. lotus root soup
    2. Winer melon soup
    3. Hot and sour soup
    4. Plain rice porridge
    5. Tomato egg drop soup
    6. Seaweed egg drop soup

    Other Chinese pancakes to try

    If you love this pancake, you can also check the following Chinese pancakes

    1. Zucchini Pancakes Chinese Style
    2. Chinese Meat Pie (Xian Bing)
    3. Easy Scallion Pancakes, From Batter Directly
    4. Spiced Multi-layer Chinese Pancake
    5. Peking Duck Pancake
    6. Steamed Duck Pancake

    🧾Recipe

    scallion pancakes|chinasichuanfood.com

    Chinese Scallion Pancakes

    Elaine
    Detailed steps for making traditional Chinese scallion pancakes at home.
    5 from 37 votes
    Watch Video Print Recipe
    Prep Time 20 mins
    Cook Time 6 mins
    Total Time 26 mins
    Course Breakfast, staple food
    Cuisine Chinese
    Servings 2
    Calories 577 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    Dough ingredients

    • 2 cup unshifted all purpose flour , around 300g
    • ½ cup hot boiling water
    • ¼ cup room temperature water
    • 1 tsp. salt
    • 1 tbsp. vegetable cooking oil

    Assemble and Pan-frying

    • 4~6 tbsp. cooking oil , 2 for brushing, other for pan-frying
    • 2 cup chopped scallion , use green part only
    • 1 tbsp. Chinese five spice powder , optional

    Dipping sauce

    • 1 tbsp. light soy sauce
    • ½ tbsp. sesame oil
    • ¼ tsp. salt
    • 1 tbsp. chili oil
    • chopped green onion and coriander

    Instructions
     

    Make the dough

    • Mix salt with all purpose flour.
    • Stir in the hot water first. Mix for a while and then stir in the room-temperature water and cooking oil too. Grasp everything to form a ball, cover, and rest for 10 minutes. You don't need to knead the dough until very smooth at this stage because it may be hard to achieve. Just cover and let the flour and water combine.
    • After resting, then knead until very smooth (around 3-5 minutes ). Then divide the dough into 4 pieces. Shape each portion into a smooth round dough. Cover the rest for 20 to 30 minutes.

    Assemble the pancake

    • Take one small ball out, and roll it out to a rectangle around 10cm wide and 8cm high. Brush some oil in the center part and then sprinkle Chinese five spice powder if using. Spread the chopped scallion in. Fold up the rectangle into a cylinder. Repeat to finish all four cylinders.
    • Take one out, slightly lengthening the cylinder with two hands, and then roll from one end to the other to form a snail shape. Suck the end into the dough.
    • Repeat to finish all four. Remember to cover to avoid drying out.
    • Then roll out the pancake into a large round circle. Be gentle and use your hand as most as possible. To get a perfect round pancake for beginners, get yourself a small pan (18 to 20cm in diameter) and push with your fingers to spread the dough over the pan.

    Pan-frying

    • Pour around 2 tablespoon of oil in a pan and then place one pancake in.
    • Use middle fire to pan-fry until the surface becomes brown around 2-3 minutes. And turn over to fry for another 1 to 2 minutes. Use a spatula to twirl the circle from time and time especially the central part to ensure the circle is evenly fried. You can serve it as a whole or cut it into small pieces.
    • Mix all the seasonings for the dipping sauce. Serve along with the pancakes.

    Video

    Notes

    1. For a softer texture, add slightly more water.
    2. If you need to add the amount, during the process of making the circle, do cover the rest of dough with a wet cloth so that the dough will not be too dry.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 577kcalCarbohydrates: 106gProtein: 16gFat: 9gSodium: 501mgPotassium: 516mgFiber: 7gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 995IUVitamin C: 20.4mgCalcium: 138mgIron: 10mg
    Keyword pancake, Scallion
    Tried this recipe?Mention @ChinaSichuanFood
    scallion pancakes|chinasichuanfood.com

    More Chinese Pancakes

    • Peking Duck Pancake
    • Pineapple Buns—Bolo Bao Recipe
    • Homemade Red Bean Buns (Dou Sha Bao)
    • Char Siu Bao (BBQ Pork Buns)

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Samantha

      December 04, 2020 at 9:04 am

      5 stars
      I made this recipe today, it came out great! Very beautiful looking pancakes. Thank you.

      Reply
      • Elaine

        December 05, 2020 at 7:36 pm

        So happy to hear this feedback, Samantha!

        Reply
    2. Mackenzie

      December 04, 2020 at 1:01 pm

      Do you just pour the hot water in and let it sit for 10 minutes, or do you mix it into the flour and salt and add the cold water 10 minutes later?

      Reply
      • Elaine

        December 07, 2020 at 8:49 am

        Hi Mackenzie,
        Add hot water along with stirring. Then set aside for a while and add cold water. No need to stir it for 10 minutes. Stir the flour when pouring the water.

        Reply
    3. Maryann

      December 06, 2020 at 1:41 am

      I haven't tried this yet because I have a question about the hot water. Should I stir the hot water before adding the cold water or just let it sit?

      Reply
      • Elaine

        December 07, 2020 at 8:37 am

        Maryann,
        Add hot water directly to the flour along with mixing. Then add the cold water. There is no direct mix for hot and cold water.

        Reply
    4. Alice

      December 12, 2020 at 8:53 am

      5 stars
      I've never commented on a recipe before but this turned out fantastic. The instructions were really clear and accessible. Thanks for a great post and a great dinner!

      Reply
      • Elaine

        December 12, 2020 at 8:08 pm

        Thank you Alice!! This is a fantastic comment too!!

        Reply
    5. Hazel

      January 08, 2021 at 4:04 am

      Hello! Is it possible to prepare up to the penultimate step, leave overnight in the fridge and carry out the roll out and fry the next day? Thank you!

      Reply
      • Elaine

        January 08, 2021 at 8:28 am

        Hazel,
        Yes. Be sure to wrap them well to avoid drying out.

        Reply
        • Eleanor Sailor

          February 08, 2021 at 1:15 pm

          Hi! When I made these they turned out chewy, is there any way to make them crispy?

          Reply
          • Elaine

            February 09, 2021 at 9:48 pm

            You can use more oil to create crisper texture. By the way, slightly turn up the fire to shorten the frying time.

            Reply
          • Nikki C

            February 15, 2021 at 10:52 pm

            Fantastic step by step instruction. Is it ok to use whole wheat flour instead? Thank you!

            Reply
    6. Lynn

      January 09, 2021 at 12:00 am

      How do you reheat the pancakes after it has been cooked? I made some yesterday & they were great. But I want to reheat the rest today. What is the best way?

      Reply
      • Elaine

        January 09, 2021 at 10:00 am

        Lynn,
        Microwave the best or fry again (in a short time).

        Reply
    7. Snelkookpan

      January 27, 2021 at 5:45 am

      Hi, this recipe asks for 1 tbsp Fice Space, while the recipe for Easy Scallion Pancakes, From Batter Directly asks for 1/8 teaspoon of Fice Spice. Why the large difference?

      Reply
      • Elaine

        March 03, 2021 at 8:58 am

        Because that's batter version and here the spice is simply sprinkled for each one.

        Reply
    8. Hayley

      March 05, 2021 at 9:49 am

      5 stars
      I'm commenting my third time making these because I finally have the hang of it and they are absolutely perfect! Thank you!

      Reply
      • Elaine

        March 06, 2021 at 7:35 am

        Thank you, Hayley for your lovely feedback. I am happy to know it works good.

        Reply
    9. SUSAN GORMAN

      April 13, 2021 at 9:35 am

      5 stars
      What a great recipe! The scallion pancakes were just perfect! As well as your step by step instructions

      Reply
      • Elaine

        April 15, 2021 at 8:35 pm

        Thank you so much Susan for your lovely feedback!

        Reply
    10. Federica

      April 22, 2021 at 7:32 pm

      5 stars
      I was looking for this dish for a long time after seing it on IG, and today I've tried your recipe. Came out amazing, I love especially the texture (even If I forgot to put the spices,next time! )
      Thank you 🙂

      Reply
      • Elaine

        April 24, 2021 at 7:40 am

        Thanks Federica. You can tag me with the photo on Ins. I love to see your work.

        Reply
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