Braised Leeks
Leeks braised in butter, white wine, and chicken bone broth with fresh herbs and lemon juice. Absolutely unconventional, yet amazing!
Are leeks one of the vegetables you skip over in the supermarket? I don’t blame you. They’re a little different, and you’re probably wondering what to do with them aside from slicing and tossing them in a soup.
This vegetarian leek recipe is a great way to play up and enjoy the flavor of this intriguing vegetable. It’s incredibly easy to make, and you’ll quickly have it on the table as a side dish on one of those hectic weeknights. Plus, you can easily change the recipe slightly to make it vegan – I give you alternate ingredients for doing just that if it fits your preference.
One of my goals with this recipe is to encourage you not to bypass leeks the next time you browse the produce section of the supermarket or the booths at a farmer’s market. Like their family members, onion and garlic, leeks provide plenty of health benefits. They’re packed with vitamin K and manganese, while also offering a host of other vitamins and minerals that include vitamin B6, folate, and vitamin C.
Your heart will benefit the most from eating more leeks. Studies show that plant compounds in leeks, known as kaempferol flavonoids, are protective to the heart. These spunky vegetables also contain a type of antioxidant, polyphenols, that wards against damage to blood vessels and blood cells, which are part of the cardiovascular system along with the heart.
This unique braised leek recipe provides an eye-catching presentation when you display it on your table, whether for a special occasion or an everyday dinner. Serve it up next to a medley of other vegetables or as an enchanting companion to a protein. The flavor of leeks pairs well with chicken, pork, sausage, bacon or fish. If you’re trying to stay vegetarian or vegan – or simply stick to a meat-free meal from time to time – enjoy this dish with leek’s complementing flavors of eggs, dairy products, lentils, rice, mushrooms, potatoes and/or carrots.
As usual, if you get a chance to make this recipe, please do leave a comment and let me know what you think, or share a photo on Instagram by using our hashtag #StreetSmartKitchen. Have a wonderful weekend!
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Braised Leeks
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Vegetable, Gluten Free, Vegetarian
- Method: Stove
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Leeks braised in butter, white wine, and chicken bone broth with fresh herbs and lemon juice.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided (use coconut oil if vegan)
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- Sea salt
- 4 large leeks, white and light green parts only, root ends trimmed, halved lengthwise and rinsed thoroughly
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1/4 cup chicken bone broth or vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves, chopped
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large skillet (ideally nonstick one), melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt evenly over the bottom of the skillet.
- Gently place leeks into the skillet in a single layer, cut side down. Cook for about 5 minutes, shaking the skillet occasionally until the cut side of the leeks is golden brown. If your leeks brown too quickly, adjust the heat.
- Now, add wine, chicken bone broth, fresh thyme, and bay leaf. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until the leeks are tender and translucent, about 10 minutes.
- Gently transfer the leeks to a serving plate, leaving the liquid in the skillet. Cover the leeks with foil and set aside.
- Return the liquid to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon butter, parsley and lemon juice in the skillet. Once the butter is melted, stir and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the sauce over the leeks and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
For a vegan version, substitute the butter for coconut oil and substitute the chicken broth for vegetable broth.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 147
- Sugar: 4.1g
- Sodium: 202mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 5.5g
- Carbohydrates: 13.8g
- Fiber: 1.7g
- Protein: 1.6g
- Cholesterol: 23mg
About the Author
Sharon Chen is an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, an author and a sous vide fanatic who believes food not only brings healing but also connection. As the creator of StreetSmart Kitchen, she's on a mission to help you find balance, ease, joy, and simplicity in the kitchen as you improve your well-being.
Loved this recipe..Love Leeks.. I am also Welsh.. 😀
Thanks for the feedback, Mel! Very glad to hear.
Thanks so much for this recipe! I made the suggested vegan switch-outs, using coconut oil and vegetable broth, and it was so, so good. I think the key is that white wine! I was definitely intimidated by the leeks in the produce section, as you remarked, so I’m glad I was able to get acquainted with it other than in a soup. The only downside for me was that, as the leeks are braised mostly whole, it was difficult to cut them into bite size pieces when it came time to eat. Any suggestions?
Hey Vince! Glad to hear that the vegan version worked out for you. As for eating, you may firmly push your fork into the leeks to stabilize it, then cut. Another alternative is to enjoy them one layer at a time. The layers can be easily separated after cooking. Fold one layer with a fork and a knife. Pick it up with the fork, then enjoy! Hope that’s helpful. 🙂
I’m vegan so I used coconut oil, date sugar and vegetable broth for this recipe. For the non- vegan’s in my household they loved this recipe also. Thank you very much
Thanks for trying this recipe. So happy to hear it worked out well for you. 🙂
Leeks are such an underrated vegetable! I love this idea and will definitely be giving it a go! #MakingHome