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!
Here’s a very simple recipe for Leek Oil, that you can make using the green tops of leeks that often go unused. It is full of earthy umami flavor and we’ve been drizzling it over soups and stews, risotto, bread and dips.
You’ll find many uses for this!
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.
Step 5: 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 best flavor.
Step 6: Strain and pour into a sealable jar.
It will be a beautiful shade of green.
Store the Leek Oil in a jar in the fridge for 7-10 days, or freeze for later.
Use this flavorful Leek Oil with:
- 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.
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
This recipe is so easy and delicious. After straining, I ended up making the remaining leek greens into a dip by adding lemon juice and some more salt. Yum. This is my first time using the dark green part of leeks. Thank you for the tip!
Oooo the dip sounds delicious!
So flavorful … deep, savory w/ a touch of bitter. Love it’s made w/ the leek tops which would have been tossed. Going to try it on garlic bread tomorrow. Thank you again, Sylvia
Awesome Victoria!
I’m wondering if this would work with leek greens that have already been frozen? I chop up the greens and was using them as a leek substitute in Low FODMAP dishes. If you only want to use the green parts for something you can put the white end stalk into a jar of water and the green parts regrow! Same for spring onions 🙂
I’ve done this with scallions, but never thought of leeks! Fun! I bet frozen would work fine, but not sure how vibrant the color would be?
Why the salt? Salt is not fat soluble. Does it really make a difference? Or is it not flavor related?
It is just for flavor- you can leave it out if your prefer. 🙂
Hi! How long will the Leek oil last refrigerated?
4-5 days. 🙂
Question: I used the leek oil recipe included with your Coconut Corn Chowder recipe. It’s slightly different from the Leek Oil recipe above. I used my Vitamix to blend the leeks and chives with the oil. Unlike the above recipe, the recipe included with the chowder did not say to leave some small particles. In fact, it said “blend until smooth”. It doesn’t appear there will be anything to strain. Should I throw this in the trash and start over, or do you think it will be fine? I’m opting to let it sit for a day for more flavor.
Sorry about that- I think it will still taste good! I would use it!
Update: I went ahead and put my leek oil concoction into a strainer and oil did come through. The oil is a bright green color and looked so nice when I garnished the coconut corn chowder. BTW, the chowder was amazing. My husband had 3 helpings! The leek oil is a must as it takes the chowder to the next level. Next I’m making your potato leek soup to use what’s left of the leek oil.
Yay Julie, this is great to hear!
This sounds amazing! What kind of oil do you like to use for this Leek Oil drizzle? TIA
Olive oil. Were you able to view the recipe card at the bottom of the post? All of the ingredients should be listed there. 🙂
Thank you sooo enjoy yummy recipes
Thanks Sue!
I have prepared so many of your recipes, and have loved them all, but this one was not a winner for me. I must have blended the tops too long (vitamix for 30 seconds) or perhaps blanched too long. The result was a paste that didn’t want to separate. I had maybe 1/8 cup oil after 10 hours on my counter. If you make this, take care to not overblend.
Sorry about this Monica- yes, I have had the same thing happen to me. I believe I stated this in the recipe notes and I will make it more prominent. You can use a spoon to scrape some of the sediment in the strainer aside, to allow the oil to drain, then use the back of the spoon to press the solids ever further into the strainer.
WOW!!!!! Amazing, simply amazing!
I am wondering if you can use spring green onion tops as a substitute or in addition to the leek tops?
Yes, but I’d go sparingly- they can get bitter!
So maybe this is another stupid/not stupid question: Why precook the leeks in water and not just steep them in oil from the get go?
Blanching the tops reduces bitterness and enhances the color and flavor, and tenderizes the leek tops so they can be blended. 🙂
So busy gushing over this new find that I forgot to rate this!!
Thanks Terri! Glad you enjoyed it!
My mind is spinning with all the possibilities in using this oil!
Drizzled over fried eggs set atop slices of toasted olive bread with roasted tomatoes, chèvre and mint.
A few teaspoons swirled into a cold gazpacho.
As a finishing touch to poached fish or seasoned French lentils with braised fennel or baby bok choy.
Mixed with lemon juice or white wine vinegar to become a fabulous dressing for soft greens…
I’m in love!!
Yes! so many uses! Enjoy!
I love this jar! Do you sell it in your online store?
No but we should! I like it too but can’t remember where I got it!
What amazing timing. I grew leeks for the first time, and they are slow growers for me. So glad I’m able to use the whole plant. Thank you!!
Sounds perfect Kay! 🙌
I have made this leek oil twice now, it is really delicious and I love using the tops as I always felt guilty throwing them in my compost seemed like such a waste. We use this oil on sandwiches, the potato leek corn chowder ( also excellent), veggies and lentils. I now make the chowder, whenever our leek oil runs low to replenish our supply. I pickle garlic and the leek oil is a great compliment to my pickled garlic. We also love this drizzled on top of broccoli rabe – yummy. Thanks for all your plant based recipes we are big fans!
Thanks Vicki and happy you are finding so many uses for this!
This is probably a stupid question, but if you can use the leftover, strained leek paste, why separate the oil from it in the first place? Can’t you just slather the paste with oil still in it on bread, in stews, etc? Is it because the oil is more concentrated?
Not stupid at all Kelly and totally fine to do that! Straining just gives a more refined look, clarified, clear emerald color- great for upscale plate presentation. 🙂 But I also love the rustic feel of the paste. Do what suits you!
Hello ~
I am going to make this recipe as it sounds delicious and versatile.
I have a question about letting the blended mix sit. Should it be refrigerated during this process or left at room temperature? Covered or uncovered?
Thanks.
I added more notes to the recipe card- I appreciate the question, it really needed clarifying!
Used the stove top method with mix in of parm…topped with the maple pecans… amazing! “This is the best meal we have had in quite a while”…actual quote from delighted partner 😁
Awesome! you must be talking about the Butternut Risotto that goes with this?
Leek oil is life changing.
Haha! It IS! xo
Oops! Forgot to rate it!
Thank you for this recipe. I love that it makes use of the otherwise wasted dark green leek tops. And it’s delicious! I made the recipe as directed, using grapeseed oil and letting the leek steep in the oil for 20 hours prior to straining. In rereading the recipe and notes when returning to comment, I noticed note #4, but I had already decided to keep the leftover leek paste and have used it in cooked rice and on vichyssoise. Way too good to discard!
I think that my leeks were too wet as my vita-mix emulsified everything, so no straining. Still taste great, it’s just thick…
Oh shoot! Yes, if over blended, impossible to strain. Try pulsing next time??
Beautiful tasting oil. Beautiful colour. It is wonderful to have something to do with the leek tops. Thank you.
Yay!!!! so. glad you gave this a try!
So, just a question. The more tender white bottoms of the leeks are not used for this oil, is that correct? I have always thrown out the tougher tops so I”m thrilled to find this recipe.
Yes, that is correct. This is designed especially for those tougher tops!!! A way not to waste them.