Spring Onion Substitutes

Out of spring onion? These are the swaps that actually work, with conversion ratios for any recipe size and notes on how each one changes the result.

Need to convert spring onion between cups, grams, or ounces first? Open the spring onion converter.

What to use instead of spring onion

  • Onion

    Produce swap

    Use about half: 1 cup sliced spring onion = ½ cup chopped onion for cooked dishes

    Standard onion is far stronger and denser (167 g/cup vs 100 g/cup), so start with less and add to taste. Best cooked into soups, stir-fries, and bases; for a raw garnish it is sharper than spring onion, so soak in cold water first.

    See onion substitutes →

  • Shallot

    Produce swap

    Use about half: 1 cup sliced spring onion = ½ cup chopped shallot

    The closest swap in flavour: shallots are milder and sweeter than onion but more concentrated than spring onion (160 g/cup), so use roughly half the volume. Ideal in dressings, pan sauces, and gentle sautés where you want delicate onion notes.

    See shallot substitutes →

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I substitute for spring onion?
There are 2 workable substitutes for spring onion, depending on what you have on hand and which property of spring onion matters most for your recipe. The closest swap is usually Use about half: 1 cup sliced spring onion = ½ cup chopped onion for cooked dishes. Each option below lists the conversion ratio for any recipe size, plus notes on how the swap changes the texture, flavour, rise, or browning.
Will substituting spring onion change how my recipe turns out?
Yes, every swap trades one property for another: fat content, moisture, acidity, or protein. The notes on each substitute describe what changes in texture, flavour, rise, or browning, so you can choose the swap that matters least for your recipe. Open the spring onion converter
How do I measure spring onion accurately?
Weighing in grams is more reliable than scooping cups, especially when a substitute has a different density from what the recipe expects. The spring onion converter on this site converts between whole items, cups, US cups, grams, ounces, and pounds, so you can scale a recipe up or down without losing the ratio. Open the spring onion converter

Other ingredient and produce substitutes

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