Don’t toss those leek tops! Here’s a simple recipe for Leek Oil– a fragrant, flavorful oil made with the green tops of leeks to drizzle over soups, stews, bread or pizza, dips, roasted veggies, and much more. Never waste your leek tops again!
Why You’ll Love Leek Oil
Of course, we use leek tops when making stock or veggie broth, but I thought I’d share one more way to use these gorgeous green tops! Make leek oil! It is full of earthy umami flavor, and we’ve been drizzling it over soups and stews, risotto, pasta, bread and dips. You’ll find soooooo many uses for this and you’ll feel especially proud of yourself. It is incredibly easy!
How to make Leek oil
Step 1: Slice off the green tops of leeks and wash them well.
Step 2: Blanch in salted boiling water for 90 seconds or until tender.
Step 3: Drain and rinse in cold water.
Drain again and pat dry with paper towels.
Step 4: Place in a blender with a mild-tasting oil and salt and blend until fairly smooth- but not overly smooth. If you blend it too smooth, it will be impossible to strain.
Step 5: At this point, you can strain, but for extra flavor, let this sit for several hours (on the counter, covered) or overnight (refrigerated) for the best flavor.
Step 6: Strain the mixture into a bowl. You can use a spatula to press down on the solids to help release more oil. I keep the solids and use them in soups, dressings, etc.
It will be a beautiful shade of emerald green. Season with additional salt if desired. Store in an airtight jar in the fridge.
Storing Leek Oil
Store the Leek Oil in a glass jar in the fridge for 7-10 days, or freeze it for later use. Here’s a similar jar on Amazon.
Leek Oil Serving Suggestions
- Coconut Corn Chowder with Leeks
- Instant Pot Butternut Risotto with Leeks
- Leek Bread
- Rainbow Veggie Hummus
- Farmers Market Vegetable Soup
- Ribollita! (Tuscan White Bean Soup)
Leek Oil
- Prep Time: 15
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup
- Category: condiments, sauces,
- Method: blended
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Never let those leek tops go to waste again, make this Leek oil! A fragrant flavorful oil to drizzle over soups, stews, bread, or roasted veggies.
Ingredients
- 4 cups boiling salted water
- 1 1/2 -2 cup leeks tops, sliced
- 1 cup light olive oil (or other mildly flavored oil, not bitter)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Bring 4 cups of water with 1 teaspoon salt to a boil in a medium pot.
- Once boiling add the leek tops and simmer for 90 seconds, or vibrant green and tender.
- Strain and run under cold water for 30 seconds. Blot the leeks dry with paper towels.
- Place leeks and salt in a blender with 1 cup oil. Blend until fairly smooth (but not overly smooth- see photo), scraping down the sides and blending again.
- At this point, you can strain, but or for extra flavor let this sit for several hours (on the counter, covered) or overnight (refrigerated) for the most robust flavor.
- Strain, pressing it down with the back of a spoon, store in a sealed jar or bottle in the fridge for up to 10 days.
- This can also be frozen.
Notes
The oil will be most flavorful if you wait 12- 24 hours before straining.
Blending it too smooth will make it more difficult to strain. So blend, but you still want to see small particles.
Make sure your oil is not bitter or overly flavored. A lighter style olive oil or grapeseed oil works best here.
The leftover, strained leek paste can be used to flavor soups and stews, or slathered on bread.
Here’s a similar jar with cork lid and spoon.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
- Calories: 122
- Sugar: 0.3 g
- Sodium: 39.7 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 0.4 g
- Fiber: 0.1 g
- Protein: 0.1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
OMG, where did you buy the jar with cork lid? It’s so sweet!
Going to grab some leeks at the market this weekend. Looks delish!
Awesome Jeannine! It was a gift- but here are similar ones on Amazon.https://amzn.to/4kYCReQ
I made your leek soup and it was delicious – I also made the leek oil – but because I don’t have a blender I used my immersion blender and only 1/2 a cup of oil. I ended up with an amazing leek “mayo” – next time I may add some garlic. Thank you for such delicious inspiration!
Love that you improvised! Thanks for sharing.
Mine turned out yellowishy.
Humm…could be the leek leaves you used?
I made the leek oil. You have 2 differ Recipes. I bought the parsley after seeing it on the corn chowder soup recipe. However once ready to make I clicked on leek oil link and no parsley. Didn’t realize until I started making soup today. Bummer. Not sure if I should parboil parsley and put everything back to marinate for a few hours? Too much stress leaving the way it is for my party. So, leek oil with parsley or not?
Hi Jamie, You can make it either way. If it tastes like it needs a little freshness, add the the parsley. You really can’t go wrong. Enjoy your party and sorry for the extra stress.
Who knew? All these years (I’m 61) I have been composting leek tops. This oil is bright green, aromatic and delicious. I tossed it with veggies prior to roasting them. Great drizzled on soup. I also stirred the leek paste into soup and into veggie broth I was making. Big flavour boost!
Haha! Yay, fun to discover new ways to be resourceful and delicious!
Maureen, good for you, girl! You taught me something too. Very frugal, never waste anything. Thank you for your inspiration.
Great!
I want to try this, but I’m not sure what type of oil is lighter style. I normally use Extra Virgin Olive Oil, first cold pressing. Is EVOO a lighter style oil? Thanks!
Just taste it. 🙂 If your oil is overly robust, bitter or “strong” it may mute the leek flavor. This doesn’t bother me too much personally.
Absolutely love this recipe, new way to get that garlic flavor I’ve missed so much. Question please, could I infuse ghee with the leek greens? Thank you…(: ♡
Hi Kari- glad you are enjoying it. Give it a try in the ghee- sounds yummy!
My leek oil turned out a milky coulour not the green in photo why might this be and is it still ok?
Oh shoot Emily, that is strange. Was it milky right after blending? or after being in the fridge?
Mine is milky right after blending. Is this normal?
Hi Cassie- It may be the leeks were still watery?