Foraging Three-cornered Leeks & Reicpes
- victoria ward
- Feb 8
- 4 min read
Updated: Feb 9
Three-cornered Leek (Allium triquetrum) is a member of the Allium family which also includes garlic, onions, leeks and chives. It orginated in the Mediterranean and a is popular ingredient in North African dishes. This plant has long been valued for it's purifying qualities.
This pretty little plant has an invasive habit and due to a tendency to outcompete native species, is permitted from cultivation in gardens.
Three-cornered Leek is a perennial with a unique triangular stem structure which displays star-like white flowers in Spring. All parts of the plant are edible- leaves, flowers, stems and bulbs. The plant has a distinct garlic/onion/chive fragrance and flavour too.
It is wise to be familiar with the plant when foraging, take care not to confuse with snowdrops or bluebells, both will be displaying leaves early february but the snowdrops will most likely be flowering and have paler geen leaves.
Health Benefits Of Three-cornered Leeks
Nutritional Value
There is little information about the nutritional value of this plant, it is likely very similar to other members of the Allium genus. Chives for example are nutrient dense as this 2025 study reports, very high in vitamin C, calcium and folate. This study finds that Alliums should be viewed as functional foods and the Allium genus as an essential foundation for preventative health.
Gut Health
Again like other alliums, Three-cornered Leeks are sources of prebiotic fibre that pass through our digestive systems and feed our healthy gut bacteria.
This 2021 study concluded that Three-cornered Leeks have significant anti-inflammatory activity which is beneficial to digestive tissues.
The antimicrobial activity associated with alliums is useful to gut health by helping to reduce pathogenic species, allowing beneficial species to flourish.
Other Health Benefits
Three-cornered Leeks contain the flavonoids Allicin and Kaemperol both of which are found in garlic and are associated with many of the health benefits of this functional food. Allicin is identified in this 2019 Review as a promising therapeutic compound due the following actions-
Antimicrobial
Nematocidal (inhibits growth of worms)
Antithelmintic (antiparasitic)
Antioxidant
Immunomodulatory
Other health benefits associated with consumption of Allicin are-
Cardioprotective
Metabolic disease prevention
Diabetes prevention
Kaemperol is a flavonoid found in many fruits, vegetables and spices and as this 2024 review reports is highly antioxidant and anti-inflammatory and demonstrates the following benefits-
Cardioprotective
Neuroprotective
Hepatoprotective
Anti-diabetic
Eye health
Skin health
Respiratory health
Three-cornered Leek Recipes
Three-cornered Leeks are straight-forward to use, as long as you have identified the right plant, you can forage as much as you like and the whole plant is edible raw or cooked.
Use as you would spring onions or chives, here are a few ideas-
Soups, stocks and stews
Salads and dressings
Asian dishes
Baking- scones and bread
Dips
Pesto
Egg dishes- scrambled, omelettes
Tabouleh and Houmous
Tabouleh
75 ml Olive Oil
3 tbsps Lemon Juice
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
50g fine Bulgur Wheat
3 bunches Curly Parsley
2 Tomatoes
2 Spring Onions
1 tbsp Chopped Mint
1 tbsp Three-cornered Leek
Whisk the olive oil with lemon juice and salt and pepper
Add the bulgur wheat and leave to soak for several hours (you may need to add a little boiling water too depending on the fineness of the Bulgur Wheat)
Add the other ingredients and leave to stand for 2-3 hours
Houmous
1 can Chickpeas
3 tbsps Olive Oil
2 tbsps Lemon Juice
2 tsps Tahini Paste
1 Garlic Clove crushed
1-2 tsps Three-cornered Leek chopped
1/4 tsp salt
Blend all ingredients together with hand blender or in a processor
Chicken/Tofu Stir Fry with Three-cornered Leek
This is a delicious and quick stir fry that uses Three-cornered Leek for its spring onion flavour and my Tumeric and Ginger-Infused Honey which makes a lovely marinade for chicken or alternative.
2 Chicken Breasts chopped or alternative, marinated in Turmeric and Ginger-infused Honey in the fridge for several hours
1 tbsp Chinese Five Spice
2 tbps plain flour
1 bag of mixed stir fry
1-2 spring onions
1 garlic clove crushed
1-2 tsp chilli flakes
1 piece of stem ginger chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsps of syrup from stem ginger jar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Three-cornered Leek chopped
Handful cashew nuts
Handful Edmame Beans
1 bag fresh egg noodles
Add Chinese Five Spice to the marinated chicken
Add flour to chicken and mix well together
Heat some oil in a pan and fry the chicken until browned
Remove and set aside
Heat oil in a pan and add chilli flakes
Add chopped spring onions and garlic, cook 5 mins
Add stir fry veg with half the soy sauce and fry 5-10 mins
Add stem ginger
Add lemon juice and syrup
Add Three-cornered Leek and cashew nuts
Add the chicken
Add Edamame Beans
Add the noodles and rest of soy sauce
Mix well together for 5 mins or until chicken and noodles warmed through then serve
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