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Vegetables · Alliums

Leek

Long, mild allium with white stem and dark green leaves, cooked into soups, pies and braises.

Also called: leeks, pırasa

A kind of onion

27 recipes with it

What it is

Leeks look like giant spring onions: a thick white shaft rising into flat, fan-like dark green leaves. They are milder and sweeter than onions. Grit collects between the layers, so they must be split and washed. The pale part is most tender; dark tops are tough but good for stock.

Allium ampeloprasum (Porrum group)

How it’s used

  • Leek and potato soup
  • Sweated in butter for pies, tarts and risottos
  • Braised or gratinated as a side
  • Added to stocks
  • Used in Turkish olive-oil dishes (zeytinyağlı pırasa)

Characteristics

Taste
Mild, sweet and gently oniony.
Texture
Firm raw; silky and soft when cooked.
When cooked
Softens slowly over low heat without much browning; can turn slimy if overcooked in water.
Sold as
fresh, frozen
Cooking uses
Commonly cooked, Suitable for boiling, Suitable for grilling

Storage

Refrigerated. Keep unwashed in the fridge, loosely wrapped. Use while firm and green.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
61 kcal
Protein
1.5 g
Carbohydrate
14.15 g
Fat
0.3 g
Fibre
1.8 g
Sugars
3.9 g

USDA FoodData Central: Leeks, (bulb and lower leaf-portion), raw.

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Onion — Use less and cook gently; stronger flavour.
  • Spring onion — Good in quick dishes; sharper and less silky.

Related ingredients

Recipes with leek

See all 27

15 more

More alliums