Garlic Chives (Allium tuberosum), also known as Asian Chives or Chinese Garlic Chives, are a tasty and useful plant often used in Asian cooking. Their long, flat leaves have a mild garlic flavour, and they grow easily in home gardens. Whether you’re growing vegetables or microgreens, Garlic Chives are a great choice for gardeners and food lovers.
Common Names: Garlic Chives, Asian Chives, Chinese Chives, Chinese Garlic Chives
In this guide, we’ll explore what Garlic Chives are, how to grow them, how to use them in cooking, and what to use as a substitute if you don’t have any on hand. We’ll also look at the difference between Onion Chives, Garlic Chives, and regular Garlic.
Table of Contents
What Are Garlic Chives?
Garlic Chives (Allium tuberosum) are a type of herb that comes from Asia. They have long, flat green leaves and white flowers. Unlike regular chives, which taste like onion, Garlic Chives have a mild garlic flavour.
Garlic Chives are very popular in Chinese, Korean, Thai, and Japanese cooking. You might see them in dumplings, stir-fries, noodle dishes, and pancakes. They’re also great for growing as microgreens because they pack a lot of flavour into small leaves.
What Parts of Garlic Chives Can You Eat?
Garlic Chives are completely edible, and different parts of the plant are used in many tasty recipes.
- Leaves: The flat green leaves are the most common part used in cooking. They taste like garlic and are great in stir-fries, dumplings, soups, and omelettes.
- Stems: Young stems can be chopped and cooked like the leaves. They’re often used in Asian dishes for extra flavour.
- Flowers: Garlic chive flowers are small, white, and full of flavour. They can be eaten raw or cooked. Some people sprinkle them on salads or noodles.
- Flower Buds: The unopened flower buds are also edible. In Chinese cuisine, they are called “Gow Choy Fa” and are a delicacy, often stir-fried or used in steamed dishes.
All parts of the Garlic Chives plant can be used to add flavour and a mild garlic taste to your meals. You can use them fresh, dried, or cooked — making them a very versatile herb to grow in your garden or kitchen.
How to Grow Garlic Chives
Garlic Chives are easy to grow from seed. Here’s how:
- Choose a sunny spot with well-drained soil.
- Sow seeds directly into the garden or in pots.
- Keep the soil moist until the seeds sprout.
- Plants grow best in spring and autumn but can grow year-round in mild climates.
- Harvest leaves once they reach 15 cm tall by cutting above the base.
You can also grow Garlic Chives as microgreens indoors all year round. Just sprinkle seeds on top of soil or coconut coir, mist with water, and keep them in a sunny spot or under grow lights.
Cooking with Garlic Chives
Garlic Chives are used in many tasty Asian recipes. They add flavour without being too strong, and they taste great fresh or lightly cooked.
Popular Garlic Chive Recipes:
Popular Garlic Chive Recipes:- Chinese dumplings (jiaozi) with garlic chives and egg
- Korean buchujeon (Garlic Chive pancakes)
- Thai stir-fried noodles with tofu and garlic chives
- Garlic Chive and mushroom omelettes
- Sprinkled raw in salads or soups
Garlic Chives lose flavour if cooked for too long, so add them at the end of cooking for the best taste.
Garlic Chives vs Onion Chives vs Garlic
It’s easy to get confused between Garlic Chives, Onion Chives, and Garlic — but they’re quite different!
Garlic Chives:
- Flat green leaves
- Mild garlic flavour
- Grown for leaves, flowers, and microgreens
- Popular in Asian cuisine
Onion Chives (Allium schoenoprasum):
- Thin, round green leaves
- Mild onion flavour
- Common in Western cooking (salads, baked potatoes)
Garlic (Allium sativum):
- Grown for its bulb (cloves)
- Strong garlic flavour
- Used in cooking for its aroma and taste
While all three are from the same plant family (Allium), they are grown and used in very different ways.
Substitutes for Garlic Chives
If you don’t have Garlic Chives on hand, here are some good substitutes:
- Spring onions (green onions): Use the green tops for a similar look and a mild onion taste.
- Onion chives: These taste more like onion but can work in most recipes calling for Garlic Chives.
- Leek tops: Thinly sliced leeks offer a soft onion-garlic flavour.
- Minced garlic + parsley: Use this for flavour, but note the texture will be different.
These swaps can work in cooked recipes, but for fresh dishes like dumplings or pancakes, Garlic Chives are best.
Start Growing Garlic Chives Today!
Get your Garlic Chive Seeds from Seedmart and enjoy the flavour and beauty of this amazing plant in your garden or kitchen all year round!
