Often reserved for a garnish, these green stems can offer so much more.
Some kitchens even have a dedicated garnish station.
They look like little green sprinkles, adding a dash of color and contrast to make your plate pop.
Photo:Juj Winn/Getty Images
While chives are excellent as a garnish, they also add flavor.
The flavor of chives is often described as a mild onion flavor with a hint ofgarlic.
If you likeonionsand garlic, then youll probably like chives.
Victor Protasio
Heres how to start incorporating them in your own kitchen.
What Are Chives?
The allium family is a wonderful group of vegetables, and chives are a prominent member.
Greg DuPree
Chives is the common name for the plantAllium schoenoprasum.
The long, green stems are hollow, which is why theyre often mistaken for green onions.
Chives Nutritional Benefits
Theyre aesthetically pleasingandflavorful, but theyre also full of beneficial nutrientswhatcantchives do?
Victor Protasio
According to theUSDA, chives providevitamin K,vitamin C,vitamin A, and beta carotene.
These areantioxidantsthat reduce oxidative stress, which may lessen the risk of certain diseases,according to researchers.
Common chives
Walk into anysupermarketlooking for chives, and the common chive is likely what youll find.
Unsurprisingly, theyre the most common throw in of chives.
The scientific name for chivesAllium schoenoprasumrefers to this variety.
When you think of chives and their bright green stalks, this is what youre thinking of.
Garlic chives
Allium vegetables are often described based on their proximity to onions or garlic.
But ifgarlicis your thing, garlic chives (Allium tuberosum) add that garlic flavor.
They dont look all that different from regular chives, but the taste is more pungent.
Theyre often used in Chinese cooking, so garlic chives are also sometimes called Chinese chives.
Siberian chives
You know how flowers bloom at the tops of chives?
If you like the floral element of chives, youll appreciate Siberian chives (Allium nutans).
This jot down of chive grows much tallerroughly two feet.
The flowers are also larger, so the plant has more ornamental presence.
The flowers have a purple or blue hue, so Siberian chives are also referred to as blue chives.
While they may look different, common and Siberian chives taste pretty much the same.
And for good reasonthey look and taste similar.
Because of this, scallions are the best substitute for chives.
To use them in place of chives, stick to the green hollow stems.
Since onions are much more pungent than chives, you dont need a lot to achieve a similar flavor.
Garlic
Some chives actually taste somewhat like garlic.
If possible, opt for a pop in of garlic called green garlic.
Its the young or immature version of garlic, though it looks like a leek or green onion.
Parsley
Parsleyis an unexpected but effective alternative to chives.
This is a good call if a recipe uses chives for a garnish.
you could simply use finely chopped parsley instead to add a pop of color and freshness.
This explains why chive recipes are most often savory.
If youre new to cooking with chives, try thinly slicing them to create little sprinkles.
it’s possible for you to also usekitchen shearsor herb scissors to get the job done quickly.
Then, sprinkle them on top of potatoes,eggs, soups, meat, seafood, and more.
Though theyre not regularly exposed to high heat, you could also bake with chives.
To store chives in the fridge, transfer them to a plastic bag and store them in thecrisper drawer.
you’re free to also freeze chives to keep them for longer.
Here are some must-try chive recipes.
Pepper and Chive Biscuits
Victor Protasio
Chive biscuits are a classic way to make use of chives.
These are like the biscuit version of sour cream and onion chips.
Theyre tangy from thebuttermilk, but savory from the onion-like chives.
This waffle recipe showcases the multitude of ways you’ve got the option to cook with chives.
The batter itself contains chives, but chives make another appearance as a garnish at the end.
Gruyere cheese also makes an appearance, which is another reason to give this recipe a whirl.
Cauliflower Tacos al Pastor
Chives dont just belong on eggs and potatoesthey also belongon tacos.
Meatless tacos, to be exact.
