12 Thanksgiving Onion, Leek, and Shallot Recipes for Layers of Flavor (2024)

  • Fall
  • Thanksgiving
  • Thanksgiving Side Dishes

Onions, leeks, and shallots are building blocks for so much flavor, but they can also be stars in their own right.

By

Rabi Abonour

12 Thanksgiving Onion, Leek, and Shallot Recipes for Layers of Flavor (1)

Rabi Abonour

Rabi Abonour is a planner specializing in transportation, but has also been a photojournalist, writer, and editor for several online and print publications.

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and

Mimi Young

12 Thanksgiving Onion, Leek, and Shallot Recipes for Layers of Flavor (2)

Mimi Young

Editor

Mimi Young is an editor and chef.

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Published November 16, 2023

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12 Thanksgiving Onion, Leek, and Shallot Recipes for Layers of Flavor (3)

Onions, leeks, and shallots are undoubtedly staples on the Thanksgiving shopping list—we buy them to use in stocks, stuffings, and salad dressings, or as aromatics. Aside from the obligatory pearl onion side dish, they're not often the star of the show or even a featured player. Well, that's all about to change! We've gathered up some recipes that prove onions, leeks, and shallots deserve a more prominent place on your Thanksgiving table—from sweet cipollini onions that are caramelized and tossed with green beans and mushrooms, to cheesy, bacony onion potato gratin and savory French onion soup-inspired bread pudding. These recipes will have you loading up your shopping cart with more onions, leeks, and shallots—no complaints here!

  • Creamed Leeks

    12 Thanksgiving Onion, Leek, and Shallot Recipes for Layers of Flavor (4)

    Sautéed in butter and bathed in cream and Parmesan, these soft and sweet sliced leeks provide a luxurious accompaniment to any holiday entrée, and a nice alternative to pearl onions.

    Creamed Leeks

  • French Onion Strata (Savory Bread Pudding)

    12 Thanksgiving Onion, Leek, and Shallot Recipes for Layers of Flavor (5)

    Here, the flavors and luscious texture of French onion soup are repackaged into a hearty, cheesy bread pudding that's perfect as a side dish or an entrée.

    French Onion Strata (Savory Bread Pudding)

  • Red Cabbage Salad With Roasted Cipollini Onions

    12 Thanksgiving Onion, Leek, and Shallot Recipes for Layers of Flavor (6)

    When you roast cipollini onions, they get wonderfully soft and sweet, which helps them stand up to all sorts of assertive ingredients. In this salad, that means bitter chicory, funky aged goat cheese, and crunchy cabbage and walnuts. With so much going on, we keep the dressing simple with just balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and garlic.

    Red Cabbage Salad With Roasted Cipollini Onions

  • Easy Roasted Cipollini Onions

    12 Thanksgiving Onion, Leek, and Shallot Recipes for Layers of Flavor (7)

    Cipollini onions are full of sugar, which is a double-edged sword—they caramelize beautifully if you're careful, but they're also prone to burning. In this recipe, we cook them slowly, starting them on the stove over medium heat and finishing in a 325°F oven. Do it right and they'll come out tender, sweet, and deeply browned but not at all burned.

    Easy Roasted Cipollini Onions

  • Sautéed Green Beans With Mushrooms and Caramelized Cipollini Onions

    12 Thanksgiving Onion, Leek, and Shallot Recipes for Layers of Flavor (8)

    Sort of a deconstructed green bean casserole, this dish combines blanched green beans, sautéed mushrooms, and caramelized cipollinis. Each component of the dish can be cooked ahead of time—mix everything together and reheat it all just as your guests are about to sit down.

    Sautéed Green Beans With Mushrooms and Caramelized Cipollini Onions

  • Glazed Pearl Onions

    12 Thanksgiving Onion, Leek, and Shallot Recipes for Layers of Flavor (9)

    Pearl onions don't have the same intense sweetness as cipollinis, so we're fond of serving them with a light glaze. One of the easiest ways to do that is to simmer them in water or stock with butter, salt, and sugar. Take our advice and start with frozen peeled onions here—peeling fresh pearl onions is a huge pain.

    Glazed Pearl Onions

  • Creamed Pearl Onions

    12 Thanksgiving Onion, Leek, and Shallot Recipes for Layers of Flavor (10)

    If you'd rather embrace the more savory flavor of pearl onions, try slowly cooking them with stock and cream. We like to keep the rich sauce fairly simple so as not to overshadow the onions—all you need is a single bay leaf and a sprinkle of fresh parsley.

    Creamed Pearl Onions

  • Cheesy Onion, Bacon, and New Potato Gratin

    12 Thanksgiving Onion, Leek, and Shallot Recipes for Layers of Flavor (11)

    A traditional gratin made with sliced potatoes requires too much prep—if you use small new potatoes you can just throw them in whole. Here, we cook the potatoes with tiny pearl onions, bacon lardons, and heavy cream, then finish the casserole with a layer of Comté cheese and bread crumbs that bakes into a crunchy crust.

    Cheesy Onion, Bacon, and New Potato Gratin

    Continue to 9 of 12 below.

  • Roasted Shallots With Buttery Sweet-Tart Glaze

    12 Thanksgiving Onion, Leek, and Shallot Recipes for Layers of Flavor (12)

    Minced shallots are great for adding a mild onion flavor to a variety of dishes, but they're delicate enough to work wonderfully on their own, too. One of the best ways to serve whole shallots is to roast them until spoon-tender and coat them in a sweet-sour glaze made with butter, sugar, and vinegar.

    Roasted Shallots With Buttery Sweet-Tart Glaze

  • French Onion Soup Tarte Tatin

    12 Thanksgiving Onion, Leek, and Shallot Recipes for Layers of Flavor (13)

    This golden-brown, flavor-packed tart is what happens when French onion soup and tarte Tatin are brought together. While a sweet tarte Tatin calls on apples, this one incorporates big slices of rich caramelized onion. For best results, use Stella's recipe for old-fashioned flaky pie dough as the base, and build from there.

    French Onion Soup Tarte Tatin

  • Microwave Fried Shallots and Garlic

    12 Thanksgiving Onion, Leek, and Shallot Recipes for Layers of Flavor (14)

    The dehydrating power of a microwave offers the easiest and most convenient way to achieve optimum crispiness in the least amount of time with zero mess. Zhoosh up your favorite Thanksgiving side dishes with microwave-fried shallots and garlic to your heart's content!

    Microwave Fried Shallots and Garlic

  • Sweet Onion and Goat Cheese Tarts with Thyme

    12 Thanksgiving Onion, Leek, and Shallot Recipes for Layers of Flavor (15)

    These little tarts are inspired by the classic French pissaladière. They hit all those crisp, gooey, sweet, and savory notes we want in ideal grazing food during the holidays.

    Sweet Onion and Goat Cheese Tarts with Thyme

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12 Thanksgiving Onion, Leek, and Shallot Recipes for Layers of Flavor (2024)

FAQs

Are leeks and shallots good together? ›

This is a great way to spin out the flavour of a couple of leeks. Roasting them with garlic and shallots results in a flavousome, slightly caramelised side dish.

How many onions equal a leek? ›

Sweet onions are better suited to dishes that require cooked leeks. Due to their high sugar content, they caramelize well, making them perfect for roasting or sautéing. As a general rule of thumb substitute one large leek with one medium onion in any recipe.

What pairs well with leeks? ›

Leeks can be used in an endless amount of food combinations. Leeks, carrots, onions and celery are the essential aromatic vegetables that are used in European/Wesrern cooking. In culinary terms the above combination is referred to as ' Mire poix' which means roughly cut aromatic vegetables.

Why use leeks instead of onions? ›

Leeks are the mildest of the onion family and really shine when they're cooked, offering a lovely subtlety to dishes and a delicate, melty texture. Typically, the white and light green parts are consumed, while the dark green tops are left out, being full of fibers and hard to chew.

When should you not use shallots? ›

If they develop soft spots or start sprouting, the shallots should be discarded.

Can you eat raw shallots? ›

Shallots may be eaten raw or cooked. If you are fancy and slightly old-timey, they may also be pickled. In all cases, shallots are used more as a condiment than a complete dish. To eat, peel off the papery skin and slice off any coarse bits (usually at the ends).

Do leeks have a stronger taste than onions? ›

Leeks look like overgrown green onions, but have a milder, more delicate flavor than onions. The white base and green stalk are used for cooking in creamy soups, fresh, stocks and more.

What does leeks do for your body? ›

Leeks are also a good source of folate, a B-vitamin that's essential for cell growth and development. In addition to vitamins and minerals, leeks are also high in fibre. This can help to keep your digestive system healthy and may reduce the risk of constipation, heart disease, and certain types of cancer.

What flavor do leeks add? ›

Leeks have a mildly sweet flavor that is reminiscent of other alliums, such as onions, shallots, garlic, and chives. They are often used the way onions are — as part of a base of flavors for soups, stews, and other long-cooking dishes. However, their more mild flavor means they can be enjoyed on their own as well.

How does Gordon Ramsay cook leeks? ›

Season leeks with soy, maple, sesame oil, and mirin. Top with sliced garlic and a few knobs of butter around the outside of the pan. Add just enough stock to cover leeks halfway, bring to a boil and pop into over to roast until caramelized and tender when pierced with a knife.

Are leeks good for your colon? ›

Leeks may improve your digestion. That's in part because they're a source of soluble fiber, including prebiotics, which work to keep your gut healthy ( 31 ). These bacteria then produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), such as acetate, propionate, and butyrate.

Are leeks and onions good together? ›

Indeed, leeks and onion go hand in hand when it comes to balanced flavours. These two work exceptionally well together in a soup recipe. It is also not so uncommon to find these two in recipes such as creamed leeks or a chicken risotto with leeks.

Which is stronger leeks or shallots? ›

Fall is the optimum time to plant leeks in mild climates. Harvest leeks all through the winter and into the following spring. Even milder and sweeter than shallots, their flavor makes them prized ingredients in stews, stir-fries, and soups.

What grows good with shallots? ›

Plant shallots with these companions:
  • Beets.
  • Cabbage.
  • Carrots.
  • Tomatoes.
  • Strawberries.
Oct 24, 2018

Do shallots and onions go together? ›

Some chefs favor shallots because their subtle allium flavor doesn't as easily overpower other flavors in a dish. That said, both onions and shallots are commonly used in professional kitchens, often even in conjunction.

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