The best recipes with green leeks

It’s leek season! From the beginning of autumn to the end of winter, this fruit of the earth can be tasted in all its forms: in soup, in quiche, in fondue… each of us has our favorite dishes with this winter ingredient.

The leek consists of several edible parts. The one we like and use the most is the white stem, called the “barrel”. It is the buried part of the leek, which we use to make several recipes. But did you know that we can also eat leek leaves? Green, flat and tougher, since they grow outside the ground, they are more bitter and pungent than white leeks.

Often thrown in the trash, the green of the leek is actually rich in nutrients and can also be used in cooking… for a 100% anti-waste approach!

Green leek: it can be eaten!

To begin with, when you do your shopping, choose leeks that are very fresh and smooth, with erect foliage and an intense green. Once home, remove damaged, yellowed or dried out parts of the product. Eliminate leaves that are too rigid: instead, keep the leaves soft and shiny green. Cut the leek in half lengthwise and wash it to remove all traces of sand or soil. It is ready to be cooked!

Let yourself be inspired by our gourmet recipes based on leek greens to use this gourmet and healthy ingredient from root to leaf!

Green leek soup

Leek soups are a great classic of the winter season! When the temperatures drop and we want to eat hot and nutritious food, to fill up with nutrients that help our body fight against winter ailments, these dishes are perfect!

You can use the green leek to prepare a delicious soup. After having washed it carefully, cut the green leek into small pieces and brown it in a pan with a drizzle of olive oil. Peel and cut potatoes into cubes. Add them to the pan, cover with water and cook for about 30 minutes. After this time, mix, salt and pepper. Serve your soup with a dollop of heavy cream.

Pan-fried green leek

A quick and easy way to enjoy leek greens is to pan-fry them…simply! You will thus prepare a gourmet and nourishing accompaniment, perfect for boosting the flavor of your winter dishes.

Wash and cut the leek greens. Heat a knob of butter in a pan (or a drizzle of olive oil if you prefer). Peel and chop a white onion. Add the chopped onion and the minced green leek to the pan and cook over low heat for about 20 minutes. Salt, pepper and cover with a lid. Stir occasionally so that the preparation does not stick to the bottom of the pan. When the leek becomes tender, it is cooked! You can serve it hot, as an accompaniment to your meat or fish dishes.

Green leek fondue

Easy and quick to prepare, leek fondue is a great classic of the winter season, perfect to accompany meat or fish dishes, to garnish quiches or a plate of pasta or rice, in all simplicity. Did you know that this recipe can also be made with green leek? Here’s how to prepare it at home.

In a skillet, melt a knob of butter. Peel and chop a clove of garlic, add it to the pan with the leek greens cut into small pieces. Let sauté until the leek becomes tender. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.

Also find our leek fondue recipe.

Leek green pesto

Leek greens can also be used as a basic ingredient to prepare a delicious pesto to use to season rice or pasta, but also as a spread or cream to enrich the taste of your meat or fish dishes. It’s quick and easy to do!

Start by washing and cutting the green leek into strips and frying it with a drizzle of olive oil, until it is well cooked. Then pass it through a blender and mix, adding dried fruits (almonds, hazelnuts, pine nuts, according to your preferences), the juice of half a lemon, a clove of garlic, salt, pepper and a spoon of ‘olive oil. It’s ready !

Green leek flan

If when we talk about leeks you think of flan, know that you can also use the leaves to make it even richer in nutrients and taste!

To prepare a delicious green leek flan, start by washing it and cutting it into small pieces. Peel and chop an onion. Fry them in a pan with a drizzle of olive oil for about ten minutes. Meanwhile, in a bowl, beat 2 eggs with 20 cl of milk. Add salt and pepper. When the leeks and onions are cooked, blend them and add them to the milk and egg preparation. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Pour the mixture into a non-stick dish, add grated cheese and bake for 15 minutes. Serve hot.

Leek green quiches and pies

Another great classic of French cuisine: the leek tart! The next time you make it, don’t throw the leek greens away, add them to the mixture instead. Follow our gourmet recipe to make it at home, in a gourmet version with tomatoes and ham.

The virtues of green leek

Now you know how to use green leek in the kitchen, to prepare delicious recipes. But do you know what its nutritional properties are? Green leek has a real concentration of essential nutrients: vitamins (A, B9 and C), fibers, minerals. Little more, this vegetable is very low in calories.

Also discover the recipe for leek and cheese frittata.