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Sharpen your knife skills with this tutorial on how to cut leeks. The veggie that looks kind of like a giant scallion is the often forgotten member of the allium plant family. But, just like its hardworking cousins, onions, and garlic, it brings a lot to the table.
What are leeks?
This long, green veggie with a white tip often works like an onion, for instance – raw in salads and diced and sautéd for stews and soups. And, like an onion, they are comprised of many layers which naturally separate as you slice through them. But unlike most onions, it is mild enough to stand alone, or roasted whole.
Leeks are totally worth getting to know for their health benefits. Like all alliums, they are believed to help lower the risk of certain cancers, they have lots of vitamins iron and calcium.
How to cut leeks
Trim leafy greens & root
- First, use a sharp knife to cut off the bottom root of the leeks.
- Next, take off the dark green leafy part at the other end. These are too tough to eat, but if you keep a bag of scraps for vegetable stock, throw them in.
Julienne cut
- Cut the remaining part of the leek stalk in half lengthwise.
- Place half of the stalk parallel to your knife and slice thin strips. Repeat with the other half.
Diced
- After removing the top and bottom, cut the remaining part of the veggie in half lengthwise. Then, cut in half again.
- Holding two of the leek quarters together cut into desired sizes. Repeat with the second half.
- Regardless which way you sliced the leeks, rinse cut leeks well in warm water to remove dirt, strain, let dry for a while, and store in a plastic bag or container.
Recipes with leeks
- Potato Leek Soup
- Buttered Leeks
- Roasted Carrots and Leeks
- Potato Leek Pie
- Parmesan and Leek Quiche
- Slow Roasted Leeks
- Cauliflower Leek Soup
- Mushroom and Leek Risotto
- Creamy Baked Leeks
Frequently asked questions
Yes, and recipes will often suggest this. They can be substituted one for one. However, they have a milder flavor so you may want to compensate by adding more garlic or spices to your recipe.
Look for stalks where the edible white and light green parts predominate. You will get more for your money that way. As always, avoid vegetables with brown spots or wilted leaves. The colors should be bright. The white part should be free of marks or discoloration.
Store fresh, uncut leeks loosely in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. No need seal tightly. They should last from five days up to two weeks.
Yes! That is a by-product of how they are grown. They always need a thorough rinsing, inside and out! That’s why it’ a good idea to wash after slicing, but you can also rinse, after slicing in half. Then blot dry and proceed.
This nutrition-packed veggie is the basis of the popular potato leek soup but it can be used in some many more recipes or on it’s own simply grilled or roasted. And now you know how to cut leeks to use in so many recipes!
More cutting tutorials:
- How to Cut Pomegranate
- How to Cup Tomatoes
- How to Cut an Oranges
- How to Cut an Onion
- How to Cut an Avocado
- How to Cut Cabbage
- How to Cut Romaine Lettuce
- How to Cut Garlic
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How to Cut Leeks
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Leek
Instructions
- Using a sharp knife cut off the top tough dark green part of the leek and discard. Next, cut off the bottom root end of the leek.
- Cut the white part of the leek in half lengthwise.
- If julienne cutting, place half of the leek parallel to your knife and slice thin strips, repeat with the other half.
- If dicing, cut the white halves in half again length wise, holding two of the quarters cut into desired sizes, repeat with second half
- Rinse cut leeks well in warm water to remove dirt, strain and store in an airtight container
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
