Cheats Easy Scallion Pancakes (4 Ingredients)

Name: Cheats Easy Scallion Pancakes (4 Ingredients)
Prep time: PT-466566H17M13S
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 22 min
Cuisine: vegan
Ingredients: 12 dumpling / wonton wrappers; 2 scallions, finely sliced; grape seed oil (or any neutral oil such as vegetable oil or canola oil); salt, to taste; 2 tbsp soy sauce (15ml); 1 tbsp Chinese black vinegar or rice vinegar (15ml); 1/2 scallion, finely chopped; 1 garlic clove, minced; 1 tsp ginger, minced; 1 tsp maple syrup or sugar of choice; water to thin, optional

January 28, 2021 By Lisa Kitahara 38 Comments

Jump to Recipe

vegan scallion pancakes on a ceramic plate with soy ginger dipping sauce in a white bowl

Quick and easy scallion pancakes made with just 4-ingredients and comes together in 15 minutes. You're going to love these cheater Chinese savoury pancakes that taste just like the traditional version and are freezer friendly!

One of my favourite breakfasts to have when visiting my grandparents and relatives were Chinese Scallion Pancakes. My grandma would wake up early just to get started on the pancakes, since they do require quite a bit of time and effort.

I originally wanted to tackle an authentic scallion pancake recipe but just like she said when she shared the method of scissor cutting noodles, 'you youngsters don't have the patience and time, for now try this!' and shared with me this *life changing* short cut scallion pancake hack. Plus, she said it would probably better to show me step by step in person for the authentic recipe so until then, these have been curbing my cravings.

ingredients for easy scallion pancakes on plates

Only 4 Ingredients!

Scallion pancakes are traditionally made starting with a dough, rolling it out, applying su (a mixture of oil and and flour), salt and scallion. The dough is then rolled up again and then rolled out, creating a ton of flaky layers much like croissants. The 'cheats' part of this recipe is the dough– instead of making it from scratch we're using dumpling wrappers!

What you need:

Dumpling wrappers
Scallions
Neutral Oil
Salt

dumpling wrappers on a cutting board baking scallion pancakes

How to make it: step by step

Another perk of this recipe is how quick it is to make! While they normally can take up to 1 ½ hours, this version requires just 15 minutes.

I first prep my work station by having everything ready: a bowl of oil, water, salt, finely sliced scallions and dumpling wrappers.

Take one dumpling wrapper and wet the edge of the left side with your fingers. Layer the edge of another dumpling wrapper where you applied water and gently press down. Repeat with one more to make a chain of 3. (See below how to make bite sized or larger pancakes).
Brush the oil onto the dumpling wrappers, sprinkle with salt and a generous amount of the scallions.
Roll up the dumpling wrappers (just like how you would cinnamon rolls). Don't roll them too tightly or when you press down on it the dumpling wrapped may rip open. Pinch the two ends together to seal it so it doesn't unravel.
Place the roll seam side up and roll it into a spiral.
Place it flat and wet the loose edge with some water. Gently press it against the main roll to prevent it from unraveling.
Using the palm of your hands, flatten it to your desired thickness. If you like thinner pancakes, use a rolling pin and carefully roll it out.
Repeat with as many as you want to make.
Pan fry them over medium heat on each side until they get golden brown and crispy (about 4 minutes on the first side and 2-3 minutes on the other).

small scallion pancakes on a black fry pan

Tips & Recipe Notes

Scallions: Thinly slice the scallions as it helps produce more flavour.
Dumpling wrappers: Be sure to use the white dumpling wrappers used for dumplings and wontons (the ones without egg).
Thinner pancakes: If you like super thin pancakes, you can roll out the dumpling wrapper before oiling it.
Mini pancakes: Instead of using 3, use one and follow the process! It makes these fun one-bite pancakes.
Larger pancakes: You can also make them bigger by using up to 5-6 and following the same process.
Make ahead & Freeze: After making each pancake (uncooked), place them on a parchment lined baking tray and freeze. If you need to stack the pancakes, place parchment paper between the pancakes to prevent them from sticking. Once froze, transfer them into a freezer safe bag. Cook as directed below (no need to thaw beforehand).

mini scallion pancake resting on chopsticks

More Chinese vegan recipes to try:

scallion pancake ripped apart on a plate

If you recreate this Cheats Easy Scallion Pancakes recipe let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment and rating below or by tagging me on Instagram @Okonomikitchen, I love seeing all of your tasty recreations!
Hungry for more? Be sure to subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Instagram, Youtube and Pinterest for more deliciousness!