Chives vs. Green Onions

Chives and green onions are visually different but add onion-y flavor to recipes, either raw or cooked.
Chives are higher in calcium, folate and vitamin A, but the nutritional differences are not significant.
Properly stored chives will last about 2 days, while green onions remain fresh for up to a week.

If you've ever gone from one recipe that calls for chives to another that calls for green onions and wondered what the difference was between the two, you're not alone. While often confused for each other, chives and green onions are not the same. Here's a quick tutorial to explain the difference between green onions and chives, including nutrition info for each and how to store them.

What Are Chives?

Chives are green herbs with long, green stems used to flavor a dish at the end of cooking or as a garnish. Chives are in the lily family, but they're related to onions as well. Like onions, they are bulbous perennials, but you'll likely never see the bulbs unless you're a gardener. The bulbs are typically removed before they're packaged for the grocery store.

Don't Miss

8 Foods with More Iron Than Beef

Smoky Grilled Flank Steak on a cutting board

Spicy Noodles with Pork, Scallions & Bok Choy

What Are Green Onions?

Green onions are immature onions with long, hollow stems with a small narrow bulb at the bottom, white roots and dark green leaves that are almost entirely edible. "Green onions" is a generic term. Generally speaking, green onions (aka scallions) can come from different types of onions, but what defines them is that they are onions pulled up from the ground while they're still young and haven't yet developed much of a bulb. Spring onions are left to grow a little longer and thus have a slightly larger bulb at the bottom. Green onions are closely related to leeks, shallots and garlic and have a mild, oniony flavor.

Chives Nutrition

Here is the nutrition for 100 grams of raw chives:

Calories: 30kcal
Protein: 3.27g
Fat: 0.73g
Carbohydrate: 4.35g
Fiber: 2.5g
Calcium: 92mg
Potassium: 296mg
Vitamin C: 58.1mg
Folate: 105mcg
Vitamin A: 218mcg
Vitamin K: 213mcg

Green Onions Nutrition

Here is the nutrition for 100 grams of raw green onions:

Calories: 32kcal
Protein: 1.83g
Fat: 0.19g
Carbohydrates: 7.34g
Fiber: 2.6g
Calcium: 72mg
Potassium: 276mg
Vitamin C: 18.1mg
Folate: 64mcg
Vitamin A: 50mcg
Vitamin K: 207mcg

What's the Difference Between Chives and Green Onions?

Chives and green onions are different visually. Chive stems are long, very skinny, solid green and tender, whereas green onions have a thicker, more substantial stem that is green toward the top and white at the bottom.

Chives are delicate and tender and are best eaten raw or cooked very briefly. Overcooking wilts and weakens their texture and flavor. They can be chopped or blended into small bits, which releases their oniony flavor. They also work well as a garnish (think: a topping for a baked potato and sour cream or deviled eggs). But they also make great additions to salad dressings and dips.

Green onions, on the other hand, can be enjoyed raw or cooked. The green ends of the green onion are similar in flavor to chives, and they can be used the same way. The white part of green onions has a stronger onion flavor and can stand up to cooking much like a yellow or white onion. The whites also make a good base for soups, stir-fries and sauces.

Nutritionally speaking, chives and green onions have similar nutritional attributes—both offer almost the same amount of calories, fiber, potassium and vitamin K. Compared to green onions, chives have slightly more calcium, double the amount of folate and four times the amount of vitamin A. Still, the nutritional differences between the two are minimal when they are eaten in small amounts as garnishes and condiments.

How to Store Chives and Green Onions

Chives don't last long in the refrigerator after you bring them home from the grocery store. It's best to use them within a day or two after you buy them.

Green onions last longer than chives. When you bring them home from the store, they can last a week or more in the refrigerator. You can extend the life of both chives and green onions by wrapping them in a moist paper towel and placing them in an airtight container.

Green onions can also be cut ahead of time and stay fresh until you're ready to use them, and we have a guide here to show you how.

You can also regrow green onions if you place their root in water, whereas you cannot do the same with chives. Nevertheless, both vegetables add flavor, color, texture and aroma to a variety of dishes.

The Bottom Line

Chives and green onions share several similarities and differences, both visually and in their best uses. Each adds a pleasant onion flavor to dishes and offers similar nutritional benefits. Chives are a delicate herb that works wonderfully as a garnish and can be lightly cooked. In contrast, the tops of green onions can be used like chives, while the white bulbs are suitable for cooking. It's best to follow specific recipes to determine which ingredient will work best.