The BEST Scallion Cream Cheese You’ll Ever Have
Scallion Cream Cheese is a versatile and flavorful spread that adds a punch of flavor to a variety of dishes. Scallions, also known as green onions or spring onions, with the creamy richness of cream cheese create a delightful mixture that can enhance the taste of bagels, sandwiches, or a dip for fresh vegetables.
And if you have some leftover Bacon, just throw that in there and you have Bacon Scallion Cream Cheese.
I normally use plain cream cheese for my everyday choice on my bagels, but when I’m making something like my homemade crab rangoons (typical college guy Chinese food staple), I swear by this cream cheese recipe.
How to Make Scallion Cream Cheese
Plain cream cheese is about $3, scallions are about $2 a bunch. If you use bacon, 6 slices will cost about $2. So you’re leveling up your cream cheese game for a cost of $2-4.
How to Prep the Scallions
Purchase Fresh Scallions: Choose scallions with crisp, vibrant green tops and firm white bulbs. Avoid wilted or slimy ones.
Cutting the Scallions: Start by cutting off the very tip of the white base (1/4″ cut). You’ll use both the white and green parts of the onion. You can cut the onions in 1 of 2 ways. The common way is to slice them crosswise between 1/8″-1/4″ thick. If you want to get fancy, start by cutting your base at a slight angle and keep cutting at an angle the length of the onion. This is commonly referred to as a bias cut and makes it look a little fancier which will impress on date night!
Don’t Cut Scallions Too Soon: Cut the onions right before mixing, as they eventually lose their rigidity within a couple of hours.
Scallion Cream Cheese
Ingredients
- 8 oz about 225g cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup finely chopped scallions green onions, both green and white parts
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine the softened (or whipped) cream cheese, chopped scallions, minced garlic, chopped parsley, and onion powder.
- Use a spatula or a hand mixer to blend the ingredients together until well combined.
- Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Remember, you can always add more, so start with a little and adjust according to your preference.
- Continue mixing until the scallions and other ingredients are evenly distributed throughout the cream cheese.
- Taste the scallion cream cheese and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
- Once satisfied with the flavor, transfer the cream cheese mixture to a serving bowl.
- You can serve it immediately or cover the bowl and refrigerate for a couple of hours to allow the flavors to meld.
- When ready to serve, take it out of the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature for a bit. This makes it easier to spread.
Bacon Scallion Cream Cheese
Ingredients
- 8 oz about 227g cream cheese, softened
- 6 slices of bacon cooked and crumbled
- ½ cup chopped scallions green onions
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder optional
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, crumbled bacon, chopped scallions, and garlic powder (if using).
- Use a spatula or spoon to thoroughly mix the ingredients until well combined.
- Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Keep in mind that bacon already adds some saltiness, so adjust according to your preference.
- Continue mixing until the bacon, scallions, and seasonings are evenly distributed throughout the cream cheese.
- Taste the mixture and adjust the seasonings if necessary.
- Once well mixed and seasoned to your liking, transfer the bacon scallion cream cheese into a serving bowl.
- Chill the cream cheese in the refrigerator for at least 1-2 hours to allow the flavors to meld.
- Serve the bacon scallion cream cheese on bagels, crackers, or as a tasty dip. Enjoy!
Helpful tips
- Use soft cream cheese: Look, we’ve all tried to mix cream cheese before it’s room temperature. It sticks to the spoon, and it doesn’t break down. I swear this one time I made this mistake when I was making buffalo chicken dip and it took me 10 minutes of just mixing. If you plan on using it as a spread, you might want to even start with whipped cream cheese. If you’re using the block of cream cheese but don’t have 30 minutes to let it soften, plop it in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.
- Finely Chopped Scallions: Keep the scallions thin (1/8″-1/4″). You want the onion for flavor, if too thick, it’ll be overwhelming.
- Chilling Time: Allow the bacon scallion cream cheese to chill in the refrigerator for at least 1-2 hours. This enhances the flavors and allows them to meld together.
