Leeks

For storage, care, and easy prep ideas, check out our leek product page.

Recipes on this page:

Braised Swiss Chard with Leeks     Leeks au Gratin     Leek and Potato Soup     Sausage-Leek Soup     Leek Frittata     Lemony Risotto     Risotto with Greens and Leeks     Leek Lemon and Feta Quiche     10 Warming Leek Dishes for Winter     Baked White Cheddar and Leek Dip     Everything You Need to Know About Leeks    

Recipes from around the web:

Grilled Leeks with Romesco Sauce    Corn and Leek Fritters with Herbed Yogurt

Braised Swiss Chard with Leeks (return to top)

• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 lb leeks, trimmed, sliced and well washed
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 1 lb Swiss chard, chopped

Heat oil in large pan over medium heat; add leeks. If using chard stalks, add them, too. Season with salt and pepper. Cover, reduce heat and cook until tender, about 8 minutes.
Add chard leaves; cover. Simmer until wilted, about 5 minutes. Serve at once.

Leeks au Gratin (return to top)

• 2 lbs leeks
• 1/4 c butter, plus about 1 Tbsp
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 3/4 c milk
• 1 Tbsp white wine
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1 c grated baby Swiss cheese
• 1/4 tsp Tabasco or similar hot sauce

Cut white and tender portion of green leek leaves lengthwise, and then into 1-inch pieces.
Boil until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain; place in buttered casserole.
In saucepan over medium heat, melt 1/4 c butter; stir in flour. Whisk in milk and wine. Stir and cook until thickened, 3-5 minutes. Add nutmeg, salt, pepper and Tabasco; pour over leeks. Sprinkle with cheese.
Bake at 400 degrees 15-20 minutes, or until bubbly. Dot with remaining butter, and brown under broiler, 3-5 minutes.

Leek and Potato Soup (return to top)

• 3 c sliced leeks
• 3 c diced peeled potatoes
• 2 qts water
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 1/4 c heavy cream or 3 Tbsp butter, softened
• 2 Tbsp fresh minced chives or parsley

Simmer leeks and potatoes in water with salt, partially covered 40-50 minutes, or until tender.
Mash vegetables with fork or put through food mill.
Set pot off heat and stir in cream or butter.
Serve in bowls and sprinkle with herbs.

 (return to top)
serves 6

• 1/2 pound smoked sausage
• 1/4 olive oil or butter
• 3 cups cleaned, chopped leeks
• 3 tablespoons chopped herbal celery or parsley
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 cup milk or half and half
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• S & P to taste

Slice or cut the sausage into thin slices. Heat oil in a large saucepan on medium heat. Add the sausage, heat and stir for 3-4 minutes add the chopped leeks, heat and stir for 5 minutes. Add the celery/parsley, stir add the chicken broth bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Remove from heat and puree with a hand blender or in a food processor. Return to the pot and place over a low flame; stir in milk and gradually stir in the grated cheese. Season to taste with S & P and serve hot.

Leek Frittata (return to top)

• 4 medium to large leeks, well rinsed, dried, sliced
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 6 eggs
• 1/3 cup crème fraiche or yogurt or Mexican ‘crema’ or milk
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped lemon rind
• Pinch dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary or pinch dried
• S & P to taste
• 1 cup grated Monterey Jack or other nicely melting cheese

In a cast iron or other oven-proof skillet, sauté the leeks in 1 T of each butter and olive oil until soft and beginning to brown. Remove with a slotted spoon. Beat eggs with cream (or milk) and seasonings. Stir in the leeks. Melt the remaining butter with the remaining olive oil in the pan and pour in the egg mixture. Cook over medium heat about 5 minutes until underside is golden. Sprinkle cheese on top and place under the broiler for a few minutes until the frittata puffs and browns. Cut into wedges and serve.

Lemony Risotto (return to top)
serves 4-6

• 1 lemon (or 2 small)
• 3 cups broth: vegetable or chicken
• 1 large leek, white & green part, cleaned and chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 T butter, unsalted
• 2 shallots, minced
• 1 T chopped parsley
• 1 cup arborio rice
• 2 T white wine
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

Halve and juice the lemon and remove the zest with a vegetable peeler. Leave half the zest in strips and mince the rest. Set aside the juice and the minced zest.
Place the strips of zest in a saucepan with the broth, leek, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil over med-high heat, then cover and simmer gently over low heat for 30 minutes.
Strain the broth through a sieve, discard the leek and bay leaf, and pour it back into the saucepan. Cover and bring it back to a gentle simmer over low heat.
Meanwhile, in a separate saucepan melt the butter. Saute the shallots, parsley, and minced lemon zest over med-low heat until the shallots are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the rice and stir until it’s just about evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add the white wine and lemon juice, turn up the heat, and stir until it’s just about evaporated, about 2 minutes. Lower the heat.
Using a ladle, add about 1 C hot broth. Stir constantly over med heat until the broth has been absorbed. Add another ladleful of broth and keep stirring until it’s been absorbed.
Continue the process, adding broth a half cupful at a time and stirring in this way, until the kernels are plump and no longer chalk white in the center. This should take 25 to 30 minutes altogether. The rice is almost done when the kernels are still separate but starting to bind and there are pools of broth on the surface. It’s done when the liquid has been absorbed, and the kernels are bound in what looks like very ricey, yet somewhat creamy, rice pudding.
When the risotto is nearly done, stir in 2 T more broth, along with the Parmesan cheese, and stir well until all the liquid has been absorbed, about 3-4 minutes.

Risotto with Greens and Leeks (return to top)
6 servings

• 5 cups chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups thinly sliced leek (about 2 large)
• 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 3 cups coarsely chopped greens (chard, kale, tatsoi, spinach, mustard, etc.)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 6 lemon wedges

Bring broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan (do not boil). Keep warm over low heat.
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add leek, saute 4 minute or until tender. Add rice; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in wine cook 1 minute or until the liquid is nearly absorbed stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low; stir in greens. Add broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of the broth is absorbed before adding the next portion (about 25 minutes). Stir in cheese and pepper. Serve with lemon wedges.