Why to Make This Kitchen Staple the Star

Most of the year, alliums like onions and garlic are the unsung workhorses of the kitchen. We toss them in at the beginning of a recipe to bolster flavor, sauté them into oblivion or let them grow green mohawks in the back of the pantry. They’re the backbone of depth (hello, mirepoix), but rarely the main event. But when alliums are in season, they deserve your attention.

We’re talking ramps, leeks, spring onions, scallions, garlic scapes, green garlic, shallots, chives. In late spring and early summer, it’s time to pull these gorgeous ingredients from supporting cast to center stage: Think: a buttery leek galette. Charred scallions over labneh. Grilled spring onions with a good glug of olive oil and flaky salt. 

So the next time you find yourself with six onions, no desire to leave the house and zero dinner plans, don’t panic. That’s not a crisis, it’s a gift. Alliums are the go-to ingredient of the frugal cook’s arsenal for a good reason. Seasonal alliums aren’t sidekicks, they’re scene-stealers, and It’s time to give them the top billing they’ve earned.

1. Charred scallion starter

Your new BBQ Grill Topper can do wonders for your peak-season scallions or spring onions. Rub them with oil (making sure the green tops are well-coated), season with salt and grill until charred and tender (they should be floppy). Layer over a thick schmear of labneh and drizzle with your best olive oil. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over top and sprinkle with flaky sea salt and Aleppo pepper flakes. 

2. Caramelized onion pasta

Soup usually gets the onions…and all the glory. But that’s more of a deep-winter move, when produce is scarce and flavor needs coaxing. In spring, seek out the freshest, most beautiful onions you can find at the farmers’ market, slice them thin, and cook them low and slow in butter until they’re golden, jammy and intensely sweet. Toss into your favorite creamy pasta (we’ve got a few that’ll do the job nicely), and let the onions take the spotlight, delivering deep umami in every twirl.

3. Green garlic pesto

That bulb of garlic in your pantry? It’s the endgame. Green garlic, on the other hand, is garlic in its youth: milder, sweeter and just as versatile. Think scallion vibes but with that unmistakable garlic edge. Sub it into your favorite pesto recipe and you’ll get a sauce that’s bright, punchy and just garlicky enough. Once it's blended, spoon it over grilled chicken, swirl it into mayo or toss it with pasta.

4. Easy onion rosettes

Has all that scrolling convinced you that you should be sculpting onions into edible works of art? Hard pass. Instead, let your muffin tin do the heavy lifting. Halve a few peak-season onions and nestle them cut-side up into the cups. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast until tender and golden. What you’ll get: caramelized, rosette-like beauties that look impressive without requiring tweezers. Serve alongside a seared steak or our go-to pork chop.

5. Puff pastry + alliums = dinner

Fresh spring alliums are practically begging to be baked into something golden and flaky. Shallots, leeks, scallions, spring onions and green garlic all play beautifully with puff pastry’s buttery layers. Start by roasting the alliums (sliced or halved lengthwise, depending on size) with olive oil, salt and pepper until tender and golden brown. Let them cool slightly, then layer onto thawed puff pastry spread with ricotta or crème fraîche (leaving an inch or so border for rise). Bake until puffed and deeply golden. Serve with a salad and call it your new go-to “impress someone without trying too hard” meal that costs less than $10.

Alliums may start as background scenery, but when they're in season, they’re ready to carry the whole dish. Treat them like the main ingredient they are.