Natural form

Whole leek showing the white shaft, graduated pale-green mid-section, and broad dark green leaf tops.

Establishes the full structure — white base, graduated green — that distinguishes a leek from other alliums at a glance.

Produce

Leek

Mild, sweet allium for soups, braises, and gentle sautés

Softer and sweeter than onion, leeks melt into soups and braises and shine in a simple buttery sauté. Wash the layers well — grit hides between them. Keep them cold.

The leek is the onion's gentle, elegant cousin — a tall bundle of tightly furled leaves with a sweet, delicate allium flavor that never overpowers. Softer than onion and more refined than garlic, leeks melt into a silky base for soups and braises or shine on their own, sweated slowly in butter. The pale white and light-green parts are the prize; the dark tops are tough but full of flavor for stock.

Measured in: piece
Storage: Refrigerate
Shelf life: 14 days

Find it in

Produce

Types & varieties

Standard leek

The common large market leek; all-purpose

Baby leek

Slim and tender; can be cooked whole, grilled or braised

Wild leek (ramp)

Foraged spring allium with a garlicky punch; brief season

How to choose

Look for firm, straight stalks with a long, unblemished white-to-pale-green base and crisp dark tops. More white means more usable, tender flesh. Skip leeks that are slimy, yellowing, or have a bulbous cracked base.

How to wash out the grit

Leeks grow with soil packed between their layers, so they must be cleaned thoroughly. Slice the leek (or split lengthwise), then fan the pieces into a bowl of cold water and swish; grit sinks to the bottom while the leek floats. Lift them out rather than draining the dirt back over them.

Split or slice first, then soak
Swish and lift, don't pour
Inspect inner layers for sand

How to store

Keep unwashed leeks loosely wrapped in the crisper drawer for up to two weeks. They give off a strong odor, so bag them to protect milder neighbors. Cooked leeks keep a few days; trimmed dark tops freeze well for stock.

Common uses

Potato-leek soup (vichyssoise)Leeks vinaigretteQuiche and tartsBraised leeks gratinCock-a-leekie soupRisotto baseButtery leeks under fishStock aromatics

Tips & pitfalls

Sweat leeks low and slow in butter — never brown — for the sweetest result
Don't toss the dark greens; freeze them for stock
Cut on the bias for prettier pieces in a finished dish
A splash of cream or wine turns sweated leeks into an instant side or pasta sauce
Tiny baby leeks grill beautifully whole

Nutrition

61kcal

Energy

255 kJ · per 100 g

Where the calories come from

Protein 9%Carbs 87%Fat 4%

Protein

1.5g

3% DV

Carbs

14.2g

5% DV

Fat

0.3g

0% DV

Fiber

1.8g

6% DV

Sugars

3.9g

of which

Sodium

20mg

1% DV

Notable micronutrients

Vitamin K39% DV

Folate16% DV

Vitamin B614% DV

Vitamin C13% DV

Iron12% DV

Vitamin A9% DV

Source · USDA FoodData Central · Leeks, (bulb and lower leaf-portion), raw

View on FDC →

In the shops

Matched grocery products

Leeks
450 g · Mercadona
€2.03
Leeks
900 g · Mercadona
€2.52
Leek in 1 Bunch
LA COLLITA · Bonpreu
€2.39
La Collita Sliced Leeks 450g
LA COLLITA · kg · Bonpreu
€2.19
Organic Leeks Km0 in Bunch 750 g
Bonpreu
€3.19
LA COLLITA Organic Cut Leek Km0 in Tray of 500 g
LA COLLITA · kg · Bonpreu
€3.59