This is such a delicious recipe for Creamed Leeks. If you’re looking for a comforting and flavorful side dish, we’ve got you covered with this one. Our rich and savory creamed leeks recipe is the perfect accompaniment to any meal. It’s easy to riff on and build up as you like. Love cheese? Go ahead and try parmesan or pecorino creamed leeks – so, so delicious. Get ready to indulge in a dish that will leave you wanting more. Let’s dive right in …
Tips for Working with Leeks
Leeks can be a bit sandy, so make sure to rinse them thoroughly before cooking. To do this, cut off the dark green tops and root ends, slice the leeks in half lengthwise, and rinse under cold water to remove any dirt or grit. When chopping leeks, make sure to use only the white and light green parts, as the dark green tops can be tough and fibrous. Leeks have a mild and slightly sweet flavor that pairs well with creamy and rich dishes. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different seasonings and herbs to enhance their taste.
1. Choosing and Buying Leeks
Choose leeks that are firm and have crisp, vibrant green leaves. Look for leeks that are free from blemishes and soft spots.
2. Preparing Leeks for Cooking
Cut off the dark green tops and root ends of the leeks. Slice them in half lengthwise and rinse under cold water to remove any dirt or grit. Only use the white and light green parts for chopping, as the dark green tops can be tough. Leeks have a mild and slightly sweet flavor that complements creamy and rich dishes. Experiment with different seasonings and herbs to enhance their naturally oniony taste.
3. What Leeks Taste Like
Leeks have a mild and slightly sweet flavor that pairs well with creamy and rich dishes. As a card-carrying member of the allium family (think onions, ramps, garlic, etc.), leeks add really great base flavor to all sorts of things. Or, in the case of this simple recipe – they can stand all by themselves.
4. Other Ways to Make Leeks Creamy
While this recipe leans on a big dollop of luscious creme fraiche to generate both creaminess and flavor, you can also use other things to a similar effect. Sour cream is always my suggested swap for creme fraiche, since it also has a lovely inherent tang (or “wang” as my Appalachian grandma would’ve said). But heavy cream works as well. So does a very tasty combo of garlic and herb cheese spread (such as Boursin) and half and half or milk. So, you have options here.
5. How to Clean Leeks
Leeks are dirty little things that’s for sure. They’re grown in sandy, silty soils and really hold their ground as they grow up through it, so to speak. Ha! But you do really want to pay attention to this step – the cleaning step – any time you’re working with leeks. To get them really good and clean, just slice them (yep, you do this before cleaning) and put those slices/rings into a big bowl of cold water. Swirl them around, washing machine style, and just give that sand a chance to fall away. Skim the leeks away to a paper towel-lined something to drain, and you’re good to go.
6. Ways to Use Creamed Leeks
You can do so many things with these creamed leeks – that’s the beauty of this recipe. Think of them like you would creamed spinach, as a great steakhouse-style side dish to a commanding protein. Or, for a very low carb plate of food, you can pile some onto a plate and top with some grilled or toasted salmon, or shrimp, or scallops. Seafood + creamed leeks = total win.
You can even transform this into a pasta recipe by tossing the creamed leeks with some short-cut pasta and thinning things out a bit with some of the reserved salty, starchy pasta water. Add some cooked shrimp and you’ve got a real banger on your hands.
How to cut leeks for creamed leeks?
Cut leeks into thin slices using a large, sharp knife. In this recipe (and most often), leeks are meant to be cit crosswise, as opposed to lengthwise (they’re really long, right?). So, think think little rings here.
What is the best way to use leeks?
There are tons of fantastic ways to put a leek to good use. They’re in the allium family along with onions and garlic, so you know they’re going to bring the flavor to whatever pot you put them in. To keep things super simple, saute leeks with butter and garlic for a flavorful addition to dishes or use them as a base for soups and stews.
Why do you soak leeks in water?
As they are grown in sandy soil, leeks are submerged and soaked in water to remove any dirt or sand that may be trapped between the leek layers.
What you’ll need to make these creamed leeks
This is a fantastic five-ingredient recipe in which two one of the ingredients is olive oil, and the other is salt/pepper (which I sort of count as one, you know?)
INGREDIENTS
- 2 leeks
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, minced or grated
- 4 ounces crème fraiche, or to taste
Recipe creamed leeks serving suggestion: For creamy parmesan leeks, add a handful of grated parmesan when you add the crème fraiche.
How to make creamed leeks
The first real step in any recipe involving leeks is to really get in there and wash those things as best you can. I’ve detailed how to do that above, if you’re curious as to best practices there. It’s easy, don’t worry. For this VERY simple recipe, essentially, we’re just going to quickly saute the sliced leeks in some olive oil, add some fresh garlic, and then cream things up royally with a huge dollop of creme fraiche.
This is the secret to the very best creamed anything, really. That little big of tang you get from the creme fraiche is more delicious than just heavy cream, so I think it’s worth the little extra splurge here.
Creamed leeks directions
To prepare the leeks, slice them cross-wise into thin rings, using only the white and light green parts of the stalk, and discarding the tougher, darker green parts. Fill a large bowl with water and submerge the sliced leeks in the water, stirring them around a bit to really dislodge all of that sandy grit. Transfer them to a paper towel-lined surface to drain and pat dry.
Add the oil to a large skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the leeks and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sauté for about 6 to 8 minutes, or until nice and tender. Add the garlic and let that cook for about 30 seconds.
Lastly, add the crème fraiche (using as much or as little as you see fit) and stir to really melt it into the garlicky leeks. If desired, add some grated parmesan to taste. Taste and season if you think it needs it.
If you like the looks of this creamed leeks recipe, you might also want to try:
Garlicky lemon pepper roasted asparagus
Garlicky butternut squash with orange and chili
Warm radicchio salad with squash
Creamy cacio e pepe spaghetti squash boats
Two-ingredient parmesan baked zucchini
PrintA Recipe for Creamed Leeks
Creamy, flavorful and truly one of the most unexpectedly delicious side dishes out there, creamed leeks are great with so many things. Keep this one in your back pocket when you need an easy, interesting veggie side dish to round out your dinner table.Â
- Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients
- 2 leeks
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, minced or grated
- 4 ounces crème fraiche, or to taste
Alternative serving suggestion: For parmesan creamed leeks, add a handful of grated parmesan when you add the crème fraiche.
Instructions
- To prepare the leeks, slice them cross-wise into thin rings, using only the white and light green parts of the stalk, and discarding the tougher, darker green parts. Fill a large bowl with water and submerge the sliced leeks in the water, stirring them around a bit to really dislodge all of that sandy grit. Transfer them to a paper towel-lined surface to drain and pat dry.
- Add the oil to a large skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the leeks and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sauté for about 6 to 8 minutes, or until nice and tender. Add the garlic and let that cook for about 30 seconds.
- Lastly, add the crème fraiche (using as much or as little as you see fit) and stir to really melt it into the garlicky leeks. If desired, add some grated parmesan to taste. Taste and season if you think it needs it.
