This simple leek salad is a crunchy and refreshing side dish. Think of it as a peppery cabbage-less coleslaw. (This recipe is part of my From the Motherland series, where I pay homage to my Ukrainian heritage.)
Leeks are not a vegetable I consciously remember eating as a child in Ukraine. Beets, yes. Eggplants? So many. And potatoes? Practically daily.
My brain took me back to a vague memory of a loud family gathering around a long table with platters and platters of homemade food. I couldn’t place the exact time or location of this flashback, but my taste memory didn’t fail me. Since then, I’ve been buying leeks and loving experimenting with them. Including recreating that salad.
What’s In This Leek Salad
This simple Polish/Ukrainian leek salad consists of raw leeks, shredded carrots, and chopped apples, plus sour cream and mayo (you can use standard or vegan versions), and a splash of lemon juice. You can think of it as coleslaw’s spicy, cabbage-less cousin – grassy, crunchy, and fresh.
A Bit About Leeks
Although leeks belong to the onion family, they couldn’t be more different from their round, yellow counterparts. Leeks are less pungent, more floral, and taste more… well, more green! It’s helpful to think of them as giant scallions. Leeks are high in Vitamins A, C and K, as well as various minerals. They also contain kaempferol, an antioxidant known to have anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anticancer, and cardioprotective properties.
Eating Leeks Raw
Yes, you can eat leeks raw! They’re basically an onion-scallion hybrid, so why not? The white/light green parts are milder than the dark green. If the leek is young and fresh, the dark parts can be eaten raw, too. With more mature leeks, the dark greens can be too peppery and fibrous. In that case, trim them off and make potato-leek soup or a pasta, or freeze them to make scrap broth later.
How to Make Leek Salad
Find complete instructions with ingredient amounts in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Clean the Leeks
Leeks tend to house a lot of dirt between their layers, so they need to be thoroughly cleaned. First halve the leek lengthwise, then thinly slice into half-moons.
Place the leeks in a large bowl of water and swirl with your hands while separating the layers to release the dirt. Then lift the leeks out and place back on the cutting board. If the water looks really dirty, repeat the process. (Alternatively, use a salad spinner.)
Step 2: Combine the Salad Ingredients
Transfer the clean leeks to a large mixing bowl and add the carrots and apples.
Step 3: Dress the Salad
Add the sour cream, mayo, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Toss thoroughly to ensure the ingredients are coated evenly. Then taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed.
Serving Suggestions
This creamy, crunchy slaw makes a great counterpart to heavier savory dishes like stuffed cabbage, these lentil patties, cassoulet, or cabbage pasta. It’s best eaten right away (within a few hours of being made) as the vegetables lose their crunch over time and the salad gets soggy.
More Ukrainian recipes…
- Golubtsi (Vegetarian Stuffed Cabbage)
- Buckwheat Kasha with Mushrooms
- Traditional Potato Varenyky
- Kompot (Summer Fruit Drink)
Let me know if you try this recipe! Give it a rating below and leave a comment, and don’t forget to tag your creation with @thenewbaguette on Instagram.
The Full Recipe
PrintLeek Salad with Apples and Carrots
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Ukrainian
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Ukrainian leek salad with carrots and apples is a crunchy and refreshing side dish. Think of it as a spicy cabbage-less coleslaw. (This recipe has been updated from its original 2019 version.)
Ingredients
- 1 large leek (about 10 ounces), white and light green parts only
- 1 medium carrot (about 5 ounces), peeled and grated (about 1 cup) *(see note below)
- 1 tart apple, cored and cut into small cubes
- 1/4 cup sour cream (standard or vegan)
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise (standard or vegan)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Halve the leek lengthwise and cut into thin half-moons. You should end up with 3 cups of sliced leeks.
- Place the leeks in a big bowl of water and swirl them around with your hands while separating the layers to release all the dirt. Lift the leeks out of the water and place back onto your cutting board. If the water looks really dirty, repeat the process with new water. (Alternatively, use a salad spinner.)
- Transfer the leeks to a large mixing bowl and combine with all the remaining ingredients. Season to taste and serve immediately.
Notes
To speed up the carrot grating process, use your food processor fitted with the shredding attachment.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of the recipe
- Calories: 120
Vera olenchuk says
Just a quick question. Do you slice up the green parts of the leek TOO (in half moons) or just the white PART?
Alexandra says
Hi Vera! I use only the white and light green parts for salad. I’ll use the dark green parts too if I’m cooking the leeks 🙂
Tomasz says
Im Polish and this salad brought me childhood memories.
Wasnt the favourite for My italian wife – leek was too strong for her.
I used olive oil instead of mayo and worked brilliant.
5 stars for me!
Alexandra says
So glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Rachel says
Excellent recipe. I had to make slight variations based on what I had (pink lady Apple, non vegan Mayo) but it was delicious and refreshing.
Alexandra says
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed the recipe 😀
Heather says
Funny thing. I live in syrCuse and just had the.lovely leek salad….at Eva’s! When I was done eating onhad to look up the salad and read your article sitting in front of my empty plate.
Thank you! Such a cool way to end my meal!
We stand.with Ukraine 🇺🇦
Alexandra says
Hi Heather! Thank you for sharing this moment of serendipity with me. I remember my days in Syracuse fondly and loved visiting Eva’s too 🙂