Leek Manongji (pronounced mah-nong-jee) is how this dish is called in the Jeju dialect. While jangajji refers more broadly to Korean soy sauce pickles, this version is specific to Jeju Island’s spring traditions where young garlic stalks are brined in sweet and sour soy brine.
There’s a quiet joy in spring vegetables and for me, nothing captures it more than this simple, versatile pickle from Jeju Island: soy-pickled leeks, or Leek Manongji.
It’s a preserve I grew up with, made once a year and enjoyed for months. And though it’s not as famous as kimchi or jang, this pickle holds just as much tradition and soul.
Spring on Jeju Island: Where It All Begins
Jeju is Korea’s southernmost island. It’s a volcanic landscape shaped by wind, stone, and sea.
It’s also home to a cuisine shaped by necessity and nature, where ingredients are foraged, fished, or harvested in rhythm with the island’s harsh winds and volcanic soil.
Think seaweed soups simmered in light pork broth, barley rice with namul (seasoned wild greens), grilled mackerel fresh from the coast, and preserved vegetables like this one.
In Jeju Island, spring means a large amount of green garlic! My family’s spring ritual has always included making Manongji (green garlic pickled in soy brine). This is often compared to Kimjang in mainland Korea, where a large batch of Napa cabbage kimchi is made for winter. Manongji is traditionally made with young green garlic stems. But these days, especially outside Korea, I often make it with tender spring leeks and I love it just as much.
Why This Recipe, Now?
Leek Manongji is a Jeju-style soy-pickled vegetable dish traditionally made with fresh green garlic — but I substituted green garlic with tender spring leek as it’s easily available here in Europe.
It’s a type of jangajji (장아찌), Korean pickles usually made with soy sauce. The word ‘manongji’ itself is from the Jeju dialect and refers to young garlic pickles.
As the name shows, we use tender spring leeks for this version, which bring a naturally sweet and garlicky flavor with a satisfying crunch. This dish has long been part of Jeju’s springtime table, preserved to enjoy through the year. If you’re familiar with jangajji, you’ll find this one more aromatic, perfect for the season, and versatile (you can also cook with it too, as if you would cook with well-fermented kimchi).
If you’ve been watching the K-drama When Life Gives You Tangerines on Netflix, you’ve likely fallen in love with the quiet rhythm of Jeju life. While this exact dish isn’t in the drama, it carries that same mood: patient, seasonal, while being rooted to Jeju Island.
That’s why I thought it was the perfect time to share my version, made with simple ingredients that are easy to find wherever you are!
And let me tell you, even my partner wasn’t convinced when I said I was soy-pickling leeks. But after one bite? Totally won over!
Why You Should Make Leek Manongji This Spring
Leeks don’t always get the spotlight in Korean cooking, because they’re not commonly grown in Korea and are mostly imported, often used in Western-style dishes instead. But living in Europe, I decided to give this vegetable a chance in my Korean kitchen.
Although leeks are available almost all throughout the year, especially in spring, when the stalks are thinner and naturally sweet, leeks give you that mellow, garlicky flavor with a hint of crunch and brightness!
This recipe works best with one bunch of supermarket leeks (about 450g, 1 lb.), and the prep couldn’t be simpler. Trim, cut, and pour over a gently boiled & cooled soy-vinegar brine. That’s it.
If you can get fresh green garlic, you can use that for the authentic Manongji. It’s a bit more pungent in its garlickiness compared to leek.
About the Simple Brine
The soy brine is based on pantry staples: soy sauce, water, sugar, and vinegar. Once boiled and cooled, it’s poured over the leeks with optional slices of spicy chili. After a week at room temperature, the leeks are ready. The taste? mellow, savory, slightly sweet, and pleasantly tangy.
You can eat them as-is with rice, pair them with Korean BBQ, or add them to braises where they melt right into the sauce (I often add it to my pasta or fried rice too!). In Jeju Island, one of the delicacies is braised fish with Manongji & soybeans!
If you’d like to preserve them even longer, re-boil the brine after a week, cool it, and pour it back in. This slows down the aging and deepens the flavor.
Ingredients
- 450g (about 1 pound) leeks – cleaned and cut into 2.5cm (1-inch) pieces.
For the best flavor and crunch, you can use only the white part. But for a zero-waste approach, I used the whole leek including the green tops.
Note: For a more traditional experience, use fresh green garlic instead of leeks. The method remains exactly the same. - 1 cup soy sauce (naturally brewed Korean soy sauce)
If you can’t find Korean soy sauce, Japanese soy sauce like Kikkoman also works well. - 1 cup water
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup vinegar (any vinegar – white vinegar, rice wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar can be used)
- 1 spicy chili, sliced (optional to add heat)
How to Make Soy-Pickled Leeks
- Prep the leeks: Wash the leeks thoroughly and trim off the roots and tough green tops. Slice into 2.5cm (1-inch) bite-sized pieces.
To make sure the leeks are well-cleaned, as dirt often gets between the layers, I recommend rinsing it in water again after cutting. Drain well.
- Cut spicy chili (optional to add heat): To add a bit of heat, cut spicy chili (either green or red is fine) into slices. Shake it off to discard the seeds.
- Make the brine: In a small saucepan, combine soy sauce, water, and sugar. Bring to a boil, then stir to dissolve the sugar. Turn off the heat and stir in the vinegar. Let the mixture cool to room temperature.
- Pack into a jar: Tightly pack the leek pieces into a clean glass jar, while layering chili slices in between.
- Pour & seal: Once cool, pour the brine over the leeks. It’s okay if the leeks aren’t fully submerged at first. They’ll release water overnight. After a day, make sure everything is submerged in the brine.
After a night, leek released so much water as you can see:
- Mature: Let the jar sit at room temperature for 1 week, then move to the fridge. The flavor deepens over time.
- Optional extended storage: To store longer, strain and boil the brine again after the first week. Let cool and pour back over the leeks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use green garlic instead of leeks?
Absolutely! Green garlic is the original ingredient and it’s incredible in this pickle. But leeks are more accessible, especially outside Korea, and they work beautifully.
How long does this keep?
It lasts several months (or even years) in the fridge. The flavor deepens, and the leeks stay crisp if properly submerged.
Do I have to ferment it?
This is a soy-vinegar pickle, not a fermented one. So no live bacterial fermentation here.
But it still matures with time, and the flavor gets better each week.
What kind of vinegar should I use?
I like rice wine vinegar or white vinegar for a rounder taste. Apple cider vinegar works too! Avoid harsh distilled vinegars unless you’re going for a sharper edge.
Is it very salty?
If you follow the recipe, the salty, sweet, sour taste is well-balanced. The soy base gives it depth, but the sweetness and acidity balance it out. If you find it too salty, sweet, or sour, you can even adjust the brine to your liking by: pouring out the brine, adjust the taste, boil again, cool and pour it back in.
Serve It With…
- A bowl of freshly steamed rice
- Korean BBQ (especially grilled pork belly)
- Braised tofu or fish
- Spring vegetable bibimbap
A Final Note
Whether you’re craving something new or missing a taste of Jeju, I hope this recipe brings a little springtime joy into your kitchen.
Enjoy the process and happy pickling!
🌿Love Korean flavors? Join the seasonal newsletter for recipes & fermentation tips every other week.
Leek Manongji (Korean Soy-Pickled Leeks)
Equipment
- 1 small sauce pan
- 1 glass jar around 1,7 liter in volume (1.8 quarts)
- 1 fermentation weight
Ingredients
- 1 pound leek (young, slender ones) 450g
- 1 hot chili pepper (green or red) optional to add heat
Brine
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup soy sauce naturally brewed Korean soy sauce
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup vinegar white, rice, or apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Prep the leeks: Wash the leeks thoroughly and trim off the roots and tough green tops. Slice into 2.5cm (1-inch) bite-sized pieces.
- To make sure the leeks are well-cleaned, as dirt often gets between the layers, I recommend rinsing it in water again after cutting. Drain well.
- Cut spicy chili (optional to add heat): To add a bit of heat, cut spicy chili (either green or red is fine) into slices. Shake it off to discard the seeds.
- Make the brine: In a small saucepan, combine soy sauce, water, and sugar. Bring to a boil, then stir to dissolve the sugar. Turn off the heat and stir in the vinegar. Let the mixture cool to room temperature.
- Pack into a jar: Tightly pack the leek pieces into a clean glass jar, while layering chili slices in between.
- Pour & seal: Once cool, pour the brine over the leeks. It's okay if the leeks aren't fully submerged at first. They’ll release water overnight. After a day, make sure everything is submerged in the brine.
- Mature: Let the jar sit at room temperature for 1 week, then move to the fridge. The flavor deepens over time.
- Optional extended storage: To store longer, strain and boil the brine again after the first week. Let cool and pour back over the leeks.
- Serve as a side dish with a meal, accompany Korean BBQ, etc.
