{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Recipe","url":"https://trevorfarias.com/recipes/scallion-pancakes","markdownUrl":"https://trevorfarias.com/recipes/scallion-pancakes/recipe.md","name":"The Best Scallion Pancakes Recipe (Crispy, Flaky Chinese Cong You Bing)","description":"The best scallion pancake recipe: crispy, flaky Chinese green onion pancakes (cong you bing) from a simple flour-and-water dough, coiled with scallion oil and pan-fried. Dipping sauce included.","summary":"The best scallion pancakes are made from a hot-water dough of flour, salt, boiling water and a little cold water, rested for 30 minutes, then rolled thin, brushed with a paste of oil and flour, scattered with chopped scallions, rolled into a log, coiled into a spiral and rolled flat again. Pan-fry in a shallow layer of oil over medium heat for about 3 minutes per side until golden and crisp. The coiling creates dozens of flaky, chewy layers.","author":"Trevor","publisher":"Trevor's Kitchen","datePublished":"2026-09-06","dateModified":"2026-09-06","category":"Sides","cuisine":"Chinese","keywords":["scallion pancake recipe","best scallion pancakes","chinese scallion pancakes","green onion pancakes","cong you bing","crispy scallion pancakes","flaky scallion pancakes","scallion pancake dipping sauce","easy scallion pancakes","homemade scallion pancakes"],"prepTime":"PT30M","cookTime":"PT20M","totalTime":"PT1H20M","yield":"6 pancakes (about 7 inches each)","servings":6,"ingredientGroups":[{"name":"For the dough","ingredients":[{"amount":"2 1/2","unit":"cups","name":"all-purpose flour","note":"315 g, plus more for dusting","text":"2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 315 g, plus more for dusting"},{"amount":"1","unit":"teaspoon","name":"fine salt","text":"1 teaspoon fine salt"},{"amount":"3/4","unit":"cup","name":"boiling water","note":"180 ml","text":"3/4 cup boiling water, 180 ml"},{"amount":"1/4","unit":"cup","name":"cold water","note":"60 ml","text":"1/4 cup cold water, 60 ml"}]},{"name":"For the filling","ingredients":[{"amount":"3","unit":"tablespoons","name":"neutral oil","text":"3 tablespoons neutral oil"},{"amount":"1","unit":"teaspoon","name":"toasted sesame oil","text":"1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil"},{"amount":"2","unit":"tablespoons","name":"all-purpose flour","text":"2 tablespoons all-purpose flour"},{"amount":"1/2","unit":"teaspoon","name":"fine salt","text":"1/2 teaspoon fine salt"},{"amount":"1/4","unit":"teaspoon","name":"five-spice powder or white pepper","note":"optional","text":"1/4 teaspoon five-spice powder or white pepper, optional"},{"amount":"6","name":"scallions","note":"about 1 cup thinly sliced","text":"6 scallions, about 1 cup thinly sliced"}]},{"name":"For frying and dipping","ingredients":[{"amount":"1/2","unit":"cup","name":"neutral oil","note":"for frying, about 2 tablespoons per pancake","text":"1/2 cup neutral oil, for frying, about 2 tablespoons per pancake"},{"amount":"2","unit":"tablespoons","name":"soy sauce","text":"2 tablespoons soy sauce"},{"amount":"1","unit":"tablespoon","name":"rice vinegar","text":"1 tablespoon rice vinegar"},{"amount":"1","unit":"teaspoon","name":"toasted sesame oil","text":"1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil"},{"amount":"1/2","unit":"teaspoon","name":"sugar","text":"1/2 teaspoon sugar"},{"amount":"1","unit":"teaspoon","name":"chili crisp or chili oil","note":"optional","text":"1 teaspoon chili crisp or chili oil, optional"}]}],"steps":[{"step":1,"name":"Make the dough","text":"Whisk the flour and salt in a large bowl. Pour in the boiling water while stirring with chopsticks or a fork until shaggy, then add the cold water and stir until a rough dough forms. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 4 to 5 minutes until smooth and soft. Cover with a damp towel and rest for 30 minutes.","tip":"The dough should feel like an earlobe: soft and slightly tacky but not sticky. Add a teaspoon of water or flour if needed."},{"step":2,"name":"Make the oil paste and dipping sauce","text":"Stir together the 3 tablespoons neutral oil, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 2 tablespoons flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the five-spice into a smooth paste. In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sugar and chili crisp for the dipping sauce.","tip":null},{"step":3,"name":"Roll and fill","text":"Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces and keep them covered. Roll one piece into a thin rectangle about 10 by 6 inches. Brush the surface with a thin layer of oil paste and scatter with about 2 tablespoons of scallions.","tip":null},{"step":4,"name":"Roll, coil and rest","text":"Roll the rectangle up tightly from a long edge into a log. Coil the log into a spiral, tuck the end underneath and press gently. Repeat with the remaining pieces, then let the coils rest, covered, for 10 minutes.","tip":null},{"step":5,"name":"Flatten","text":"On a lightly floured surface, roll each coil into a round about 7 inches across and 1/4 inch thick. Stack between sheets of parchment.","tip":null},{"step":6,"name":"Fry","text":"Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add a pancake and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until golden and blistered underneath. Flip and cook 2 to 3 minutes more, pressing lightly. Just before removing, scrunch the pancake from the edges with two spatulas to loosen the layers. Drain on a wire rack and repeat, adding oil as needed.","tip":null},{"step":7,"name":"Serve","text":"Cut each pancake into 6 wedges and serve hot with the dipping sauce.","tip":null}],"equipment":["Large mixing bowl","Rolling pin","10-inch skillet (nonstick or cast iron)","Pastry brush","Wire rack"],"notes":["Rest the dough the full 30 minutes; it makes rolling thin much easier.","Roll thin for the filling step. The thinner the rectangle, the more layers you get.","Fry over medium heat, not high, so the layers cook through before the outside burns."],"storage":["Uncooked pancakes freeze perfectly: stack the flattened rounds between parchment, wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Fry straight from frozen, adding a minute per side.","Cooked pancakes keep refrigerated for 3 days. Reheat in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes per side to re-crisp; the microwave makes them soft.","The dipping sauce keeps refrigerated for a week."],"variations":["Extra flaky: brush the rolled-out round with a little more oil paste before frying.","Cheesy scallion pancakes: add 2 tablespoons of grated cheddar with the scallions in each pancake.","Beef roll (niu rou juan bing): spread a cooked pancake with hoisin, add sliced braised beef, cucumber and cilantro, and roll it up.","Egg pancake: crack an egg into the pan after flipping and lay the pancake on top so the egg sets against it."],"faqs":[{"question":"Why are my scallion pancakes tough instead of flaky?","answer":"The dough was too dry or was not rested, or the layers were rolled too thick. Make sure the dough is soft, rest it for 30 minutes, and roll the rectangle very thin before adding the oil paste. Scrunching the pancake at the end of frying also opens up the layers."},{"question":"Can I make scallion pancakes ahead?","answer":"Yes. Roll them out, stack them between parchment, and refrigerate for a day or freeze for up to 3 months. Fry from cold or frozen; they are actually easier to handle that way."},{"question":"What kind of oil should I use?","answer":"Any neutral oil such as canola, vegetable or peanut oil for frying. A teaspoon of toasted sesame oil in the paste adds aroma but is not for frying, since it burns."},{"question":"Why do you use boiling water in the dough?","answer":"Boiling water partially cooks the flour's starch and weakens the gluten, which makes the dough soft and easy to roll thin. Cold-water dough is springy and fights back. The small amount of cold water added afterward keeps the pancakes a little chewy."},{"question":"Can I bake scallion pancakes instead of frying?","answer":"You can, at 425°F on an oiled sheet pan for about 12 minutes, flipping halfway, but they will be drier and less flaky. Pan-frying in a little oil is what gives them their crisp, layered texture."}],"nutritionPerServing":{"calories":290,"fatGrams":12,"saturatedFatGrams":1.5,"carbohydrateGrams":40,"fiberGrams":2,"sugarGrams":0.5,"proteinGrams":6,"sodiumMilligrams":560,"cholesterolMilligrams":0}}