Leeks are an excellent green vegetable that can make many simple leek recipes into delicious ones, only with their vegan nutrients and fresh oniony flavour.
Whether it is with eggs, meat, or dairy products, there are endless possibilities in preparing various vegetarian.
It could also be cooked with pasta, pizza, and another spring vegetable to get the best out of this allium family vegetable. Leeks belong to the same family as shallots, onions, and garlic.
If you’ve never heard about this mysterious vegetable, now is the prime time to secure your knowledge on how to cook leeks and make outstanding leek recipes for a casual weekday or a Sunday roast.
Since leek recipes go best with chicken thighs, crusty bread, and other dairy ingredients, we’ll now spill all the beans about the most popular and delicious leek recipes.
So, without further ado, let’s start with the main thing: how to cook leeks.
1. How to Cook Leeks?
Leeks are pretty versatile and adaptable regarding recipes or cooking them. It can be cooked in various ways.
You may use the oven to make grilled leeks or cook them in a saucepan. You may roast them in a frying pan or steam or boil them in water.
Don’t overthink, since leeks can be cooked quickly by any means.
The best part is you can use every aspect of the leafy vegetable; all its parts are edible, whether green or white.
It has a sweet and fresh salmon flavor, which goes well with almost every recipe.
Once you’ve cooked the leeks, it’s time to prepare a long list of recipes like pie, potato soup, and cheese creamy sauce for a main course or a side dish.
Since cooking leeks is super easy, let’s see how to use these baby leeks to make wonderful mouth-watering leek recipes.
2. 4 Best Recipes
2.1 Leek Potato Soup
This exquisite leek soup recipe from the UK is an delicious and Savoury soup that will win your heart in no time.
With crispy toppings and smooth, thick, yummy soup, the taste of it gets better with every bite.
2.1.1 Ingredients
- Large Leeks – 4-5
- Olive Oil – 5 tsp
- Salt
- Garlic Cloves -3-5 (crushed)
- Butter – 2-3 tbsp
- White Pepper – 1 tsp
- Black Pepper – 1 tsp
- Chicken Stock
- Fennel Seeds – 1/2 tsp
- Coriander – 1 tsp (grounded)
- Celery – 2 (diced)
- Potatoes – 4-5 (2, if large)
- Anchovy fillet – 1
- Parmesan Cheese (grated)
- Toasted Crusty Bread for Garnish
- White Wine and Truffle Oil (Optional)
2.1.2 Recipe Procedure
Step 1:
In a frying pan, cook a few of the leeks for some time with olive oil over medium heat.
Once they are golden and well-fried, put them aside on a clean plate and sprinkle some pepper and salt over them.
Set the plate aside for later use.
Step 2:
Add more olive oil and butter to the frying pan and heat it until it melts. Add 1 tsp salt, two stalks of celery, and the leftovers of leeks on top of it.
Cook this current combination for a while under low-medium heat until the leeks turn tender, golden, and soft.
Blend all of them together equally and cook it for at least 30 minutes.
Step 3:
Add some more olive oil for a smoother cooking process. Add the remaining vegetables like anchovy, peppers, fennel seeds, garlic, and coriander. Mix and stir all of them well.
Let the aroma of the seasonings rise and keep cooking for 2-3 minutes for the ingredients to cook well.
Once done, pour in the chicken stock or broth and the potatoes for the delicious soup.
Cook the present mixture for a while, like 20-30 minutes. Cover the pan so that the potatoes boil and get cooked well, along with the soupy texture.
Step 4:
Once the soup and its potatoes are cooked, turn off the heat. Transfer the soup to a bowl and proceed as per your preferences.
If you opt for a smooth soup, you may beat the soup in a blender for the potatoes to smoothen up entirely.
Meanwhile, if you like your soup crisp and with chunks, use a spoon to smash the cooked potatoes into smaller pieces.
Once you’re ready with your preferred texture, garnish the top of the soup with those fried leeks that were set aside, bread toast, and parmesan cheese.
You may use grated cheese like ricotta or mozzarella depending on your choice. The recipe enhances the onion flavour of the leeks, so it’s worth a try.
You may use spinach, thyme, cream, or a slice of bread to garnish or cook with the leek recipes like soups or pies.
There are a handful of dishes to serve that include roasted leeks, so try at least one to unleash the magic of leeks.
2.2 Chicken and Leek Pie
Are they looking for a unique, warm family meal on Sundays? Chicken and Leek Pie are some of the fabulous recipes in the bunch.
With the flavour of the puffy sweet pastry, this unique recipe has a lot to offer to the table and your hungry tummies.
2.2.1 Ingredients
- Baby Leeks – 2 (thinly sliced)
- Chicken Thighs – 600 g (bones removed)
- Flour – 2-3 tbsp
- Butter – 100 g
- Cream – 200 ml
- Puff Pastry – 450 g
- Whole Milk – 400 ml
- Chopped Tarragon
- Eggs – 1-2 (whisked)
- Mustard – 2 tsp
2.2.2 Recipe Procedure
Step 1:
Add the leeks, chicken, and milk to a large saucepan. Under low-medium heat, cook or simmer the current mixture until the flavour gets well-blended.
Do this for 10-15 minutes until the chicken and leeks are simmered. Once it is done, take a strainer, transfer the chicken and leeks to a bowl and keep the strained milk reserved for later use.
Use your fingers to crush the chicken into smaller pieces and mix it all with the leeks. Once done, go back to the sauté pan again.
Step 2:
Heat the sauté or frying pan and melt the 100 g butter over medium heat.
Once melted, add some flour and give it a vigorous stir for a minute or two. A sauce-like texture will arise slowly.
Now add the reserved milk from earlier, cream, and mustard, and blend them well for a good while. A creamy sauce will start to emerge as the mixture thickens.
Once it has thickened enough, add the cooked chicken, leeks, and, finally, tarragon. Stir everything together well, and once it is done, let the combination rest for some time.
Step 3:
Once it is ready, keep your pastry dish rolled out and prepare for the mixture to transfer onto it. Cover or glaze it with whisked egg mixture for an extra crunchy exterior.
Finally, put the pastry dish into the oven at 170 to 180 degrees Celsius for 23-25 minutes. Check every once in a while, to see if the pie has become golden brown and crisp.
If it has, take it out at that time and enjoy the delicious top-notch leeks and chicken pastry pie recipe with your family.
Do not miss out on this fantastic recipe if you love chicken and vegetables. This leek pie will be a valuable addition to your cookbook!
2.3 Chicken, Bean, and Leek Tray Bake
A delicious and aromatic crispy dish with leeks, yummy chicken, and dairy products is on the way to winning your heart with its irresistible taste.
2.3.1 Ingredients
- Leeks – 4-5 (sliced)
- Cooked Chicken Thighs – 9-10
- Olive Oil
- Chicken Stock – 600 ml
- Crème fraiche – 200 ml
- Cannellini Beans – 750 g – 800 g
- Garlic Cloves – 5 (crushed)
- Mustard – 2 tbsp
- Lemon – 1-2
2.3.2 Recipe Procedure
Step 1:
Take a large frying pan and evenly coat it with olive oil, and put the chicken thighs on it and fry them for a few minutes.
Ensure they get fried under medium-high heat until they turn crispy and golden.
While you’re frying the chicken, make sure to preheat the oven up to 180 degrees Celsius.
Once the chicken is cooked and fried, transfer it to the baking tray or dishes and keep it aside.
Season the Chicken with salt and pepper as per your preferences in the recipe.
Step 2:
Add more olive oil in the same frying pan and cook the leeks until they become tender and soft by frying for 3-4 minutes.
Add garlic and keep frying under high heat when it is cooked.
Finally, add the cannellini beans sideways on the frying and cook for a few more minutes.
Once everything is fried and ready, pour the current combination along the corners of the baking tray of chicken.
After pouring the mixture on the tray, pour the chicken stock on top of the beans and sprinkle salt and pepper to taste.
Step 3:
Now put the baking tray into the oven and bake them, especially the chicken, for 15-20 minutes until they get well-roasted and cooked.
Once done, please remove the baking tray, pour Crème Fraiche and mustard from the sideways on the tray, and mix them well with the beans.
After you’ve mixed them together, put the current combination in the oven once more, and this time, bake the meal for 15 minutes at most.
Afterwards, remove the baking tray and sprinkle lemon juice or zest for the final garnish part. You may also add other juices or toasted bread for the crunchiness of the recipe.
You may also keep this side dish in an airtight container if you want to store it in the freezer or refrigerator.
2.4 Cheesy Leeks
If you’re a hard-core cheese lover with chicken and leeks, this Cheesy leek recipe is for you.
This leek recipe can also be an excellent side dish for main courses.
2.4.1 Ingredients
- Leeks – 600 g (sliced)
- Flour – 30 g
- Butter – 30 g
- Whole Milk – 300 ml
- Salt
- Black Pepper
- Mustard – 2 tsp
- Breadcrumbs – 4 tbsp
- Cheddar Cheese – 200 g (grated)
- Thyme Leaves – 2-3 tsp
2.4.2 Recipe Procedure
Step 1:
For this cheesy leek recipe, the vegetable must be well-steamed. Take a large pot or a steaming pot and put the leeks in them.
In the meantime, remember to preheat the oven to 180 – 200 degrees Celsius before baking.
Wait for 7-8 minutes for the leeks to turn leafy green as they get adequately steamed with time. Once it is cooked entirely, set the pot aside and keep a dry baking dish ready at hand.
Step 2:
In a sauté pan, mix the 30 g butter and 30 g flour well under medium heat. Cook it for a while to thicken the mixture.
Slowly pour the milk and keep stirring the mixture to smoothen and thicken simultaneously. Keep on doing this until all the milk has been used.
Simmer the mixture for 4-5 minutes, and you’ll notice the creamy cheesy leeks sauce slowly thickens.
Once it is entirely made so that it sticks to the back of your cooking spoon, add the rest.
Pour the 200 g grated cheese with the mustard and stir everything well since it is getting even fatter and thicker.
The sauce is the top-notch attraction in the cheesy leek recipe, so take special care of it.
Step 3:
Add the steamed leeks to the cheesy mixture in the sauté pan. Press the corners of the leeks to submerge the vegetables into the thick, creamy sauce completely.
Once done, transfer the entire mixture into that baking dish and top it up with the sauce and leeks.
Before baking it in the oven, garnish the recipe with thyme leaves, pepper, salt, and the remaining cheddar cheese. Use the breadcrumbs as well for the crunchiness of the recipe.
Step 4:
Finally, put the recipe in the oven for 15-20 minutes at most, and you’ll find gorgeous, creamy, and delicious cheesy leeks.
Apart from these recipes, many more exquisite leek recipes are easy to make, crunchy, yummy, and worth a bite.
Conclusion
The list of the most extraordinary leek recipes in the UK is never-ending.
This genius green vegetable is a marvellous addition to several recipes like cooked meat, quiche, pies, pasta, and soups.
Check Out: The 5 Best Spanish Desserts with Recipes
It is a lovely treat to enjoy this nutritious vegetable with a variety of options.
Whether you’re a pasta lover or a soup fanatic, whether you’re vegan or not, these leek recipes will never fail to fit into your comfort food categories.
