Most of these slender greens share a family, but not a role. Scallions and green onions are your gentle workhorses: mild, versatile, and happy to be tossed into everything from stir-fries to scrambled eggs. Spring onions step in when you want more punch and sweetness, especially once they’ve kissed a hot pan or grill. Chives, though, are the quiet finishers—an herb, not a vegetable—meant to be scattered at the end, never buried in long cooking.
Once you see their differences, you stop guessing and start choosing on purpose. Need bulk and bite? Reach for spring onions. Want freshness without overpowering a dish? Go with scallions or green onions. Craving a soft, aromatic lift on top of soups, potatoes, or omelets? Save room for chives. Knowing which is which turns a jumble of green stalks into a precise set of tools—and your cooking becomes sharper, more confident, and far more satisfying.
