108 Ways to Use the Leeks You Grow in Your Garden

by Erin Marissa Russell

Has your garden produced a pile of leeks that you’re now wondering how to serve? American cuisine doesn’t often call on these tasty members of the allium family, but if you’re growing them this season, we assume you know just how delicious they are already. The recipes featured in this article will give you lots of new ideas for ways to serve all the leeks you’ve grown in your garden.

How to Clean Leeks

The stacked, folded leaves of your garden leeks seem to be the perfect shape to trap and hold dirt and other garden debris that isn’t so tasty. Make sure to clean your leeks as directed here to prevent that dirt from ending up on someone’s plate. If your recipe calls for chopped leeks, do your knifework, then immerse the sliced leeks in a bowl of cold water, swishing them and draining, then replacing the liquid until it comes out clear. If you’ll be leaving your leeks more in their original shape, be sure to fan out the leaves under the running tap so any dirt or debris between the leaves is washed away.

How to Cut Leeks

After you’ve cleaned your leeks, first cut off the root end and dispose of it. If your recipe doesn’t use the dark green part of the leek leaves, you can cut those off and discard them as well. Then follow the directions in your recipe for slicing your leeks before using them.

Combine Leeks with Other Homegrown Vegetables for Fresh Side Dishes

Leeks have a clean, almost grassy flavor that’s the perfect partner for lots of vegetables (and maybe some of those vegetables are ones you’re also growing in the garden). The recipes listed below will pair your homegrown leeks with lots of other veggies for delightful sides to accompany whatever you’re serving today. Take a look at the recipes here to see what we mean.

Anna Stockwell’s 3-Ingredient Lemony Green Beans with Frizzled Leeks on Epicurious

Chatelaine’s Roast Squash Ratatouille

Cookstr’s Tian of Summer Vegetables Provençal

Deborah Madison’s Spring Garden Hodgepodge of Radishes, Leeks, and Peas on Serious Eats

Feed Your Soul Too’s Pasta and Vegetables in a Curry Sauce

Food52’s Leek, Fennel and Mushroom Galette

Food & Style’s Butternut Squash and Leek Latkes with Pan-Roasted Cumin

Food Confidence’s Butternut Squash with Leeks and Baby Spinach

Garlic and Zest’s Braised Leeks and Carrots with Toasted Crumb

Genius Kitchen’s Leeks with Greens

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s Squash Stuffed with Leeks on The Guardian

Land O Lakes Snap Pea Sauté with Leeks

Mark Bittman’s Mushroom and Leek Sauté on Epicurious

Minimalist Baker’s Mushroom and Leek Risotto

MyRecipes’ Lemon Risotto with Peas, Tarragon and Leeks

Real Housemoms’ Butternut Squash and Leek Stuffing

Taste of Home’s Brussels Sprouts with Leeks

Sunset Magazine’s Three Peas with Leeks, Mint, and Cream

Williams Sonoma’s Summer Squash and Leek Puree

Take a Cue from Italian Chefs When You’re Preparing Leeks.

There’s just something about Italian cuisine that makes leeks from the garden shine. Whether they’re sauteed and stirred with pasta or layered into a baked lasagna, leeks are right at home in many Italian dishes. Learn about how the Italians eat their leeks with the collection of recipes in this section.

Academia Barilla’s Fettuccine with Italian Sausage and Leeks

Ashley Rodriguez’s Creamy One-Pot Spaghetti with Leeks on Food and Wine

Edible San Diego’s Italian Marasala Braised Leeks Parmesan

Fine Cooking’s Orecchiette with Leeks, Spinach, Sausage and Peas

Food52’s White Lasagna with Leeks and Mushrooms

Food Republic’s Braised Leek Prosecco Chicken

Hello Fresh’s Mushroom and Leek Tagliatelle with Thyme, Garlic, and Parmesan

Italy Magazine’s Prosciutto and Leek Involtini

James Beard Foundation’s Italian-Style Leek Tart Porrata

Jo Cooks’ Sausage Leek and Ragu Gnocchi

New York Times’ Linguine with Smoked Bacon, Leeks and Clams

Olive Magazine’s Leek Fondue Linguine

Real Simple’s Shrimp, Leek, and Spinach Pasta

Salvatore Denaro’s Penne with Cauliflower and Leeks on Food & Wine

Susie Middleton’s Creamy Baked Leeks with Garlic, Thyme and Parmigiano on Fine Cooking

Tim Cole’s Linguine with Spicy Leek and Tomato Sauce on Epicurious

Woman’s Day’s Leek and Lemon Linguine

Create Savory Comfort Foods with Leeks and Dairy.

Dairy makes anything creamy and delicious, and your homegrown leeks are no exception. Whether they’re folded into a cheesy casserole or topped with a savory, flavorful whipped cream, adding dairy to your leek dishes is a surefire way to make this veggie a hit at the dinner table. The recipes we’ve rounded up here should inspire you.

Dana Treat’s Crostini with Goat Cheese and Leek Confit

Ditch the Carbs’ Creamed Leeks with Garlic and Cream Cheese

Fine Cooking’s Summer Squash, Leek, Spinach, and Parmesan Gratin

From a Chef’s Kitchen’s Butternut Squash, Leek and Gruyère Tart

Lemm on Food’s Leek and Blue Cheese Tart

NaomiLoves’ Leek, Potato, and Bacon Pie

Martha Stewart’s Leek Gratin

Martha Stewart’s Lemony Leeks with Chickpeas and Feta

New York Times’ Leek and Vegetable Fritters with Lemon Cream

The Flexitarian’s Curried Broccoli and Leek Quiche

The Flexitarian’s Leek & Comté Curried Mini Quiches

The Spruce Eats’ Classic Cheese and Leek Souffle

Call on Recipes from Around the Globe for New Ways to Eat Leeks.

Most American diners have limited leeks to a few standard dishes, but in other cuisines, leeks are a more common star. Persian recipes include leeks in a variety of ways, and lots of other Asian or European cultures have their own traditional treatments. Expand your culinary horizons with these flavorful meals that will make good use of your homegrown leeks.

Better Homes and Gardens’ Greek Leeks and Shrimp Stir-Fry

Dagmar’s Kitchen’s A Green Coconut Curry with Chickpeas and Beans

Feed Me Phoebe’s Vegetarian Butternut Squash and Leek Paella

Felicia Zee’s Ghormeh Sabzi (Persian Herb Stew)

Food52’s Balkan Lamb and Leek Pie

Food52’s Greek-Style Leeks with Prunes and Cinnamon

Food52’s Maygu Sabzi (Persian-Style Saffron Shrimp with Leeks and Herbs)

Fork in the Road’s Za’atar Crispy Chickpea Leek Salad

Mushrooms Canada’s Mushrooms Coconut Curry with Leeks and Paneer

NHK World-Japan’s Japanese Leek and Ginger Chicken Curry

Roti + Rice’s Sukiyaki (Japanese Beef Hot Pot)

The Mostly Healthy’s Potato Leek Lentil Curry

Savory Nature’s Moroccan Sweet Potato Spinach Cauliflower Curry

Spicy Stir-Fried Leeks with Beef and Onions on Serious Eats

The Splendid Table’s Kuku Sabzi (Persian Herb and Greens Frittata)

The Spruce Eats‘ Traditional Cock-a-Leekie Soup

Unicorns in the Kitchen’s Sabzi Polo (Persian Herb Rice)

Well Plated by Erin’s Thai Chicken Curry

What Jew Wanna Eat’s Vegetable Kugel with Caramelized Leeks

Call on the Classic Preparation and Serve Your Leeks in Simmered Soups.

Leek and potato soup is a classic, and rightfully so. When they’re cooked for long periods over low heat, leeks absolutely melt into a broth. Their oniony, buttery flavor lends itself perfectly to soups from traditional comforting bowls of veggie blends to curried concoctions that spice leeks up. Read the recipes below for a few of our favorite soup recipes that feature leeks.

A. Vogel’s Bombay Potato and Leek Soup

ABC’S Autumn Leek and Potato Soup with Persian Feta and Bacon

AllRecipes’ Green Squash Soup

Better Homes & Gardens’ Chickpea, Leek, and Spinach Soup

Ceara Kitchen’s Chickpea Coconut Curry Soup

Food & Wine’s Butternut Squash and Leek Soup

Food52’s Roasted Leek and Cauliflower Soup with Green Apple Vinaigrette

From a Chef’s Kitchen’s Cream of Asparagus and Leek Soup with Curry

Healthy Nibbles’ Thai-Spiced Potato Leek Soup

Joy of Kosher’s Curried Squash Soup with Frizzled Leeks

Love & Lemons’ Green Garbanzo & Leek Soup

Sandra Lee’s Potato Leek Fondue Soup on Food Network

Shescookin’s Butternut Velvet Soup

The Spruce Eats‘ Smoked Haddock Chowder with Sweetcorn

Match Leeks with Flavorful, Unusual Ingredients for Memorable Dishes.

Leek and potato are an age-old pairing, but there are plenty of more unusual flavors that will partner just as well with the leeks your garden produces. From specialty ingredients (like saffron and anchovies) to those you just wouldn’t normally consider including in a leek dish (like millet or walnuts), the recipes below call on innovative flavorscapes to help your homegrown leeks shine.

AllRecipes’ Bloody Mary Short Ribs

Bon Appetit’s Bacon and Leek Risotto with Poached Egg

Chowhound’s Bacon and Hazelnut Leeks

Food52’s Sautéed Leeks and Green Apple with Tarragon Bearnaise

Food52’s Leeks with Egg and Lemon Anchovy Vinaigrette

Gather and Dine’s Baked Harissa Chickpeas with Leeks, Potatoes, and Garlic Yogurt

Genius Kirchen’s Sautéed Green Apples and Leeks

Gourmet Traveler’s Trumpeter with Curry Butter and Leek

Janet Fletcher’s Mussels with Leeks, Saffron, and Cream on Epicurious

Joy of Kosher’s Turkey and Walnuts en Papillote

Plated’s Farro and Arugula Salad with Melted Leeks and Toasted White Beans

Marinola’s Baked Leek with Millet, Lentil and Hazelnuts

Martha Stewart’s Apple, Leek, and Butternut Squash Gratin

The Splendid Table’s Butternut and Sweet Leek Hash

The Spruce Eats’ Chicken Leek, Caerphilly Cheese, and Prune Pie

Don’t Forget About the Dark Green Parts of the Leek When You’re Cooking.

Though many recipes call only for the white and light green parts of leeks, the tougher leek greens are just as delicious when cooked properly. Some chefs trash them, saying that the dark green ends of the leek leaves are too tough to be tasty. With proper preparation, though, they’re just as tender and edible as the rest of your homegrown leeks. Reference the recipes here for ideas.

Cooking Chat’s Sautéed Leek Greens with Bacon

Edible Communities’ Leek Green and Saucy Shrimp Stir-Fry

Genius Kitchen’s Crustless Leek, Greens and Herb Quiche

Lifehacker’s Fried Leek Greens on Scrambled Eggs

James Beard Foundation’s Creamed Leek Tops

Oprah’s Leek Greens Carbonara with Bacon and Basil

Saveur’s Grilled Greens and Leek Tops with Chile-Garlic Sauce

The Spruce Eats’ Buttered Leeks

Susan Herrman’s Leek Tart on Epicurious

Taste’s Soupy Leek Rice

The Splendid Table’s Leek Greens Stir-Fry with Salty Pork Belly

Vegetarian Times’ Provolone and Leek Greens on Country Sourdough

With so many recipes to choose from, you’re probably ready to get into the kitchen and see what your leeks can do. There’s nothing more flavorful than veggies fresh from the garden, and armed with these ideas for cooking your leeks, they’re sure to delight your dinner guests.