This is the creamiest Creamed Leeks Recipe ever. And it is so simple! We only need leeks, butter, cream, and a pinch of salt. The result? A delicious, rich leek side dish ready in minutes.
This recipe is: Low Carb, Gluten Free and Vegetarian
Table of Contents
8 Reasons to Love This Recipe
With my varied culinary experience over the years, I can boldly claim this to be the best creamed leeks recipe ever. Its deliciousness and simplicity aside, I love it for these reasons:
- The combination of butter and cream makes leeks irresistible.
- Leeks have a mild onion flavor, making them a great side dish option.
- Straightforward instructions and minimal ingredients list!
- Inexpensive ingredients: leeks, butter, and cream.
- Super-versatile: can be used as a side dish or a layer to a casserole dish.
- Even with the leeks, this recipe falls into the low-carb category!
- Got fussy eaters? They’ll never know what this is, as it smells amazing.
- Perfect for meal prep as they portion and reheat very well.
A Simple Creamed Leeks Recipe Ready In 20 Minutes.
Mmmm... Creamed leeks. You're in for a real treat if you've never tried them. Leeks have a mellow onion flavor that is truly unique. Here's the trick: pairing leeks with butter and cream elevates the mellow onion flavor to incredible heights. Your taste buds will thank you for making this recipe! The second best part of this recipe is its simplicity. Three ingredients! Super easy.
Selecting Leeks at The Grocery Store
I'm thrilled that you're going to try this recipe. Let's talk for a minute about leeks. Many people never buy leeks. I don't know if it is because they look weird or because they are a little dirty. Whatever the reason, I'm about to walk you through buying the best leek possible.
First, remember that leeks don't come in any uniform size. So, if a recipe calls for 4 leeks, it is difficult to determine how many servings you will get. At certain times, the leeks are huge, and just yesterday, when I was at the store, they were super tiny. Four super tiny leeks will most likely feed one person.
When you buy leeks, make sure that you feel them before buying. You are looking for a firm leek up into the leafy greens. Typically, only the white and yellow parts of the leek are used, which is the main part of the leek. Try to avoid super leafy leeks simply because there are a lot of the products that won't get used.
Lastly, don't be afraid to pull one of the leaves down to see how dirty that bad boy will be. I like saving myself as much work as possible in the kitchen, so I avoid dirty leeks. And believe me, leeks can get really dirty.
Preparing Leeks
Ok. Now that we know what to look for when buying leeks, let's take a quick look at how to prepare them for this creamed leeks recipe.
First, take your knife and remove any of the roots, being careful only to remove the root. We want the leek's end to remain intact. After trimming the root, hold the leek with your other hand, with the leaves pointing away from you over the garbage can. Now, use the knife to trim the leaves away from you as if you were sharpening a stick to roast marshmallows over a fire. You should end up with the remaining white and yellow part of the leek, as shown in the picture below.
Once you have removed the dark green leaves, it's time to split the leek lengthwise. After splitting it, run it under cold water and separate some of the outer layers with your fingers, washing away the grit. The picture below shows a split and cleaned leek, ready to be sliced. Super easy!
Are Creamed Leeks Low-Carb?
Yes, creamy leeks prepared with only leeks, heavy cream, and low-carb seasonings suit a low-carb diet. This recipe is low-carb, with only 9 g net carbs per serving. Although leeks are relatively high-carb, you can enjoy the delicious side dish without disrupting your low-carb diet goals by monitoring the serving portion.
Creamed Leeks Ingredient List
You only need four pantry basics to make this simple creamy leeks recipe:
- 3 cups chopped leeks (white and yellow parts only)
- ½ cup cream
- 3 tablespoons organic unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Ingredient Substitutions
Some great alternatives to the ingredients listed above are:
- Leeks: I am afraid there is no substitute for fresh leeks; they are unique vegetables. Onions come to mind; but I would say that the recipe for creamed onions would be completely different, with a completely different cooking method and technique.
- Butter: Use ghee or clarified butter.
- Cream: Use crème fraîche as it tastes less bitter than sour cream. We need the milk fats to create the creamy sauce. We could use coconut cream, but it changes the flavor to a more tropical feel.
Additional Ingredients
The easy creamed leeks will taste even better with any of these fantastic additions:
- Spices: Adding white pepper, nutmeg, or garlic powder will add dimensionality to this recipe.
- Bacon: I love adding cooked bacon crumbles or even my homemade bacon bits to the cream for a nice salty counterbalance.
- Lemon: A few drops of lemon juice elevate the flavor. Do not use too much, though, as it can overpower the dish.
Note: The additional ingredients are not part of the original recipe. Use them only to heighten the creamed leeks.
Cooking Tools
To make this indulgent side dish, you need the following tools:
How To Make Creamed Leeks: Complete Guide
Cooking Method
- Simmering
Preparation Steps
- Gather the tools and ingredients.
- Prepare the leeks for cooking by washing and chopping.
- Measure the ingredients.
Cooking Instructions
- For this recipe, a sauté pan with a tight-fitting lid is really important! Heat your pan over medium-high heat. Add the butter and leeks, and season with salt. Mix and cover. Cook for about 3 minutes before stirring to build up some steam.
- Stir and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and stir every couple of minutes until the leeks look soft and delicious.
- Turn the heat back to medium-high. Add in the cream and stir. Keep stirring until the cream has thickened.
- Remove from the heat and serve hot!
Step 1: First, trim the long roots off. Trim the dark green leaves. Slice in half. Rinse the grit out and you’re ready!
Step 2: I like a little browning on my leeks for additional flavor. Remember this: to soften the leeks quickly keep the lid on them as much as possible!
Step 3: Who knew a side dish this simple could be THIS good? Simplicity at its best: leeks, butter and cream.
💡 My Pro Tip
Leek is a very delicate ingredient despite what its tough outer leaves may lead you to believe. The tender white inside needs to be handled with some care. The first step is cleaning the leeks, as this blog post describes. Then, it's important to keep an eye on the leeks in the cooking process. They take a while to cook but quickly turn from perfectly cooked to a bit mushy.
My takeaway is not to cook your leeks too long, or they will turn to mush in the pan. Like with so many things in life, nobody wants a mushy leek. To avoid this, quickly sample your leeks as they are cooking. If they are still firm, keep cooking. It is time to watch them keenly once you feel them moving from firm to soft. Remove them from the stove once they are done cooking. Creamed leeks seem to stay just about perfectly cooked once they have been removed from the stove.
⏲️ Time-Saving Tips
- Buy leeks with the green ends trimmed off. You can get more leeks by trimming these ends yourself, but it takes a lot of time, and often, the green ends are covered in dirt, requiring quite a bit more cleaning.
- Buy leeks that are packaged in plastic, as they are often already cleaned. Cleaning leeks takes some time under the faucet, but buying leeks that are cleaned eliminates this very important step.
What to Serve with Creamed Leeks?
My delicious creamed leeks are versatile. They are a perfect side dish and pair well with various main dishes:
- Pan-Seared Steak Recipe: Leeks love beef. This perfectly seared steak with rosemary and garlic comes to mind first. Pair it with the leeks for a cozy dinner meal.
- Boneless Beef Chuck Roast: This, the creamed leeks, my sautéed mushrooms, and onion pan gravy are a heavenly experience. Creamed leeks and mushrooms are a delicious pair.
- Crispy Oven-Roasted Chicken: If beef is not your thing, try the creamed leeks with some juicy and crisp roast chicken. Its savory flavors complement the leeks well.
- Easy Baked Pork Tenderloin: This is another fantastic pairing for beef haters. The tons of flavor in the tender pork loins are well accompanied by the mild onion flavor in leeks.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Storage
- Store the leftover creamed leeks in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. After 5 days, quite a bit of water will have been expelled from the leeks in the container, diluting the cream sauce considerably. You can pour this water off before reheating, but the leeks will have a different texture at this point.
Reheating
- The best method is to reheat in a nonstick pan over medium heat (it is a cream-based sauce, so it has a tendency to burn). Stir consistently until heated through. You could also microwave on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed.
Freezing
- I’m not a big fan of freezing creamy recipes. When they defrost, some separation occurs, and they just never taste the same. Leeks are a delicate vegetable, and I’m unsure they would taste good after being frozen.
Recipe Conclusion
My simple Creamed Leeks Recipe is the best way to experience the rare and delicate vegetable's flavors. You only need leeks and three pantry staples to make it, and it is ready in 20 minutes. Next time you hit the grocery store, buy plenty of leeks, keeping in mind all the delicious pairing suggestions I offered.
Drop your thoughts and questions about the recipe in the comments. You can also find me on Facebook or Instagram.
If you loved this tasty dish of creamy leeks, you may also enjoy this Mushroom Leek Frittata Recipe.
FAQs
Both cooked and raw leeks have unique flavors and textures. Cooked leeks are versatile for savory dishes and offer a sweeter, milder taste, while raw leeks provide a crisp texture and sharp flavor suitable for salads and fresh dishes.
Yes, you can freeze blanched leeks. When they defrost, they will lose their crisp texture, but the flavor will remain intact. Do not freeze creamed leeks, as they lose both their flavor and texture.
Leeks have a sweet and mellow onion-like flavor with herbaceous undertones.
While all of the leek leaves are edible and usable in various culinary preparations, the white and light green parts are most commonly used for their milder flavor and tender texture. The dark green leek segments are often discarded but can flavor dishes when used thoughtfully or stocks and flavor bundles.
Creamed Leeks Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups chopped leeks white and yellow parts only
- ½ cup cream
- 3 tablespoons organic unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Preparation Steps
- Gather the tools and ingredients.
- Prepare the leeks for cooking by washing and chopping.
- Measure the ingredients.
Cooking Instructions
- For this recipe, a sauté pan with a tight-fitting lid is really important! Heat your pan over medium-high heat. Add the butter and leeks, and season with salt. Mix and cover. Cook for about 3 minutes before stirring to build up some steam.
- Stir and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and stir every couple of minutes until the leeks look soft and delicious.
- Turn the heat back to medium-high. Add in the cream and stir. Keep stirring until the cream has thickened.
- Remove from the heat and serve hot!
Notes
Nutrition
“This website provides approximate nutrition data and information for convenience and as a courtesy only.”
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20 Responses
I'd like mine with a glass of white wine, please 🙂
Me too!
So easy! So yummy! Perfect with pork chops. Whole family loved.
Hi Terry:
Excellent pairing- thank you for giving me your feedback.
Take care and happy cooking!
Scott
I lurrrrve leeks - they are always in my fridge although they normally go into dishes as a sofrito rather than as a dish in and of themselves. I haven't done this is years but now you've reminded me about creamed leeks, I'll have to try your recipe - thanks Scott!
Hi Jo:
Thank you for stopping by and sharing your thoughts. I'm glad to have inspired you to cook these- they're awesome!
Hope you're having a great day today!
Scott
I was looking for a recipe that was like the leek side dishes I'd had in Normandy, France. This one is terrific! Verrry easy to make and soooo delicious; I'll definitely be making it again! I paired it with duck leg confit (I was tired of my usual red sauerkraut side); it went together very well.
Hi Lorimaria:
Sounds absolutely fantastic! I hope that you enjoyed them.
Have a fabulous day-
Scott
They you for teaching how to trim the leek. I made a dish last week them. 1. I used to many, 2. I cut up the green part too! 3. I had way too many leftovet that I was looking for something to do with them. Which is how I stumbled across your recipe. There was a neighbor who has sinced moved. She made some and said she learned from her French husband. They were to die for. So if you have a good let me know. PS. I would rather be cooking too!
Hi Caryn:
So happy that the post helped you out. Leeks are one of my favorites and I'm going to be posting up a number of new leek recipes I learned in France soon.
Thanks for reading and take care!
Scott
First time I've ever had leaks was making this recipe. I added chicken and it was an absolutely delicious meal
I whipped up these creamed leeks yesterday, and they were a hit! The perfect side for a cozy dinner.