Creamed Leeks Recipe

Name: Creamed Leeks
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon unsalted butter; 2 large leeks, washed, and thinly sliced; 1/4 cup water; Kosher salt; Freshly ground black pepper; 1/2 cup heavy cream; 1 tablespoon finely grated Parmesan

Why It Works

Sautéing leeks in butter enhances their natural sweetness, creating a tender, flavorful base.
Adding cream to the sautéed leeks creates a velvety texture that binds the finished dish, enhancing its mouthfeel.
Adding a touch of Parmesan cheese introduces a salty punch that balances the sweetness of the leeks and cream.

Nothing irks me more than the neglected vegetable. It's abusive—to the vegetable, for one, and to you, because you're either missing out on your vegetables altogether, or eating ones that taste like mush. Neither is acceptable.

I was a vegetarian for twelve years, so I get a special thrill when I see vegetables done right. Creamed leeks is not exactly something new in France, but it was new to me when I first had a bed of them underneath a simply sautéed fillet of fish.

The dish is easy: Sliced leeks are sautéed down in a little bit of butter until they're soft and sweet. Then I add cream and a dash of parmesan (my addition to tradition). The cream binds the leeks together and has that same savory-sweetness of the leeks themselves, while the parmesan adds a punch of salt to wake it all up. This simple but decadent dish goes perfectly with everything—under fish, seared chicken breasts, even sliced steak.

This recipe originally appeared as part of the column "French in a Flash."

May 2011

Creamed Leeks Recipe

Cook 15 mins

Active 5 mins

Total 15 mins

Serves 4 servings

Keep Screen Awake

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 large leeks, washed, and thinly sliced
1/4 cup water
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon finely grated parmesan

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add leeks and water, season with salt and pepper, cover, and reduce heat to low, cooking until leeks are soft—10 minutes. Stir in cream and parmesan, and serve.

Serious Eats / Liz Voltz

Special Equipment

Nonstick skillet

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories	162
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g	18%
Saturated Fat 9g	44%
Cholesterol 42mg	14%
Sodium 201mg	9%
Total Carbohydrate 8g	3%
Dietary Fiber 1g	3%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 4mg	20%
Calcium 62mg	5%
Iron 1mg	6%
Potassium 115mg	2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.