Grilled Spring Onions

Grilled Spring Onions

The Spruce / Stephanie Goldfinger

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 12 mins
Total: 17 mins
Servings: 2 serving
Yield: 6 to 8 onions

The heat of a grill turns spring onions sweet and a bit creamy. Grilled onions add flavor to dishes featuring roast meats—particularly a nice grilled steak or juicy grilled chicken—or as part of a grilled vegetable platter. For a classic combo, serve some tomato-pepper-almond Romesco sauce with these; homemade aioli makes a good choice, too.

This recipe is as much a method (and a simple one) as it is a recipe. Grill up as many onions as you need to feed the people around your table. Some people will like one alongside their steak or piece of chicken, and others will want a plate piled high with grilled spring onions. Only you know your diners—buy spring onions and grill them accordingly.

"My red spring onions were perfectly charred and tender on the inside in 8 minutes. They were delicious with steaks. If you want the greens less charred, position them so they are not directly over the coals—or burner on a gas grill." —Diana Rattray

grilled spring onions/tester image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch spring or green onions

  • Olive oil, or vegetable oil

  • Fine sea salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • Lemon wedges, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Grilled Spring Onions ingredients

    The Spruce / Stephanie Goldfinger

  2. Prepare a medium-high (400 F to 475 F) gas or charcoal grill fire.

    charcoal grill

    The Spruce / Stephanie Goldfinger

  3. While the grill heats, trim off and discard any wilted greens at the top of the spring onions. Cut off and discard the root end of the onions as well. Be careful to cut right at the bottom of the onion and the top of the roots so the bulb stays together and you can cook and serve the onions intact.

    trim off and discard any wilted greens at the top of the spring onions

    The Spruce / Stephanie Goldfinger

  4. Brush the spring onions with oil. Be liberal with the application of the oil—it prevents the onions from sticking to the hot grill and adds tons of flavor as it mixes with the juices from the onions.

    Brush the spring onions with olive oil

    The Spruce / Stephanie Goldfinger

  5. Add the onions to the grill and cook them, turning once, until grill marks appear on both sides and the spring onions feel fork tender all the way through, 8 to 12 minutes total cooking time.

    Put the spring onions on the preheated grill

    The Spruce / Stephanie Goldfinger

  6. Sprinkle the grilled spring onions with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

    Sprinkle the grilled spring onions with salt and freshly ground black pepper

    The Spruce / Stephanie Goldfinger

  7. Spritz the onions with fresh lemon juice or serve the lemon wedges on the side so everyone can dress their own plate.

    Grilled Spring Onions served with lemon wedges

    The Spruce / Stephanie Goldfinger

Tips

  • If you're using a gas grill, you'll want to cover the spring onions while they cook to keep the grill's temperature up.
  • If you're using a charcoal grill, you may or may not need the cover, depending on factors such as the ambient air temperature and amount of wind.
  • If the onions don't seem to be getting tender and charred after 8 to 10 minutes, use the cover and see if that helps.

Recipe Variation

  • Not the season for spring onions? Green onions (aka scallions) grill up just the same—just turn them more frequently and keep an eye on them because they are thinner and therefore cook more quickly. 

How to Store

  • Refrigerate leftover grilled spring onions in an airtight container or zip-close bag and consume within 4 days.
  • Reheat leftover grilled spring onions in a lightly oiled skillet over medium-low heat until hot.

What's the difference between spring onions and scallions?

Spring onions have a larger bulb than green onions/scallions. The flavor of raw spring onions is stronger, but scallions and spring onions become mellow and similar in flavor when cooked.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
123 Calories
14g Fat
1g Carbs
0g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories 123
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g 17%
Saturated Fat 2g 9%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 292mg 13%
Total Carbohydrate 1g 0%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 1mg 7%
Calcium 7mg 1%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 25mg 1%
*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.)