The Four Best Substitutes for Leeks

Leeks can look a bit intimidating at first glance. Like shallots, onions, and scallions, are in the allium family. All of these vegetables taste slightly similar and can be described as having a pleasantly pungent flavor. Leeks have their own distinct flavor, marked by a mild sweetness. Leeks are in season in the fall and early spring, so you'll find many fall recipes that call for leeks. They pair well with classic fall herbs like rosemary, sage, and thyme and play well with the sweetness of fall and winter squash.

Longing for leeks but fresh out (or out of season)? We've got you covered with the best substitutes for this dynamic veggie.

What Do Leeks Taste Like?

If you like onions, you'll definitely like leeks. In fact, you've probably had them before and not even noticed they were there. Like onions, they're usually a background flavor, supporting the overall balance of the dish. Leeks are milder than some alliums and have a pleasant sweetness.

Leeks can take on browning very quickly, especially when thinly sliced, so getting a good caramelized flavor on them is easy. One thing to note while preparing leeks; they require a super thorough cleaning. Leeks grow in sand, and that grit can get in between the layers.

Best Leek Substitutes

Onions

The most straightforward substitute for leeks is plain old onions. This is a good swap in recipes like root vegetable gratin or casseroles, where leeks are mostly a supporting character, bringing an oniony flavor. However, some onions are better swaps than others. In order to mimic leeks' sweetness, choose sweet yellow or white onions over shaper varieties like red onions. If possible, try to pick fresher or younger onions. The older the onion is, the sharper the bite. Look for shiny, papery skins and a firm texture. Onions have more bite than leeks, so swap in half a sweet onion for one leek in recipes.

Get the recipe: Sautéed Celery and Leeks

Spring Onions

If you have access to a farm share or farmers market, look for spring onions starting in early March all the way through into June. These are super young onions harvested before they develop a lot of their flavor. They're super juicy, which is different from leeks, but the flavor is similarly mild. Depending on the size and whether or not that stalk is attached, one small spring onion plus the stalk is roughly equivalent to one large leek.

Green Onions/Scallions

Green onions or scallions look the most similar to leeks, and they do have a similar flavor. The main difference is the texture. The white portion of leeks is much more similar to onions; soft with a slight bite. Green onions and scallions tend to be a bit more fibrous and don't melt into fat the way leeks do. This is advantageous in recipes like leek dip or goat cheese and leek quiche. About 3 or 4 scallions or green onions can be used instead of a leek, but just know there will be more texture in the final dish.

Shallots and Celery

The combination of shallots and celery best replaces leeks in soups like classic potato leek soup or vichyssoise, where all the flavors meld together. This combo won't be nearly as effective in situations like a medley of roasted vegetables or saute situation. This dynamic duo works together to replicate leeks by matching the mild oniony flavor of shallots with the slightly stringy sweetness of celery. Use the volume of leeks recommended in a recipe for this swap; if a recipe calls for one cup of sliced leeks, use half a cup each of shallots and celery.

Related:

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• What Is a Vidalia Onion and What Does It Taste Like?
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