Food & Cooking Recipes Ingredients Vegetables Simple Braised Leeks 5.0 (1) This French-inspired side yields meltingly tender results in about 30 minutes. Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 25 mins Total Time: 35 mins Servings: 6 Jump to recipe If you don't regularly cook leeks, it might be time to start—sweeter and more delicate than their garlic and onion counterparts, they're Martha's favorite member of the allium family. To make this simple dish of braised leeks, start by trimming and halving the leeks lengthwise, then add them to a large skillet (primed with melted butter) and cook until soft and lightly golden. Pull off papery layers as you turn the leeks before adding stock and wine to deglaze the pan. Then comes the fun part: Cover the vegetables with a parchment round and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Top with chopped parsley and flaky salt to serve and you have a vegetable side dish that sings of spring. How to Eat Leeks 14 Delicious Ways—From Dips and Gratins to Focaccia Credit: Jake Sternquist How to Cut Leeks for Braising Begin by removing any tough outer leaves, then trim off the dark-green ends. Trim the roots, being careful to cut just above where they meet the white part of the leek (cutting too far above that will cause the leaves to separate and fall apart as they cook). Halve leeks lengthwise and rinse thoroughly to remove any dirt. To create a parchment lid for this recipe: Cut a piece of parchment paper that's slightly larger than your skillet. Fold it in half once to form a rectangle, then in half again to make a square. Fold it in half to make a triangle, and once more to make another triangle. Hold the point in the center of the pan and trim the other end where it meets the edge of the pan, then unfold. Braising vs. Boiling While braising and boiling are both methods of cooking foods in liquid, there are a few key differences that set them apart. When boiling, a generous amount of liquid—typically water—is used to submerge ingredient(s) and cook them at a relatively high temperature. Boiling is done over direct heat on the stovetop and not in the oven. Braising involves less liquid than boiling, and while ingredients can be submerged, they don't always need to be. Typically, a more flavorful liquid is used when braising such as stock, wine, and tomato-based sauces. Braising is done at a lower temperature than boiling and is a more gentle application of heat. It can be done on the stovetop, like with this braised leeks recipe, in a slow cooker, or using the indirect heat of the oven. Directions Credit: Jake Sternquist Trim and wash leeks: Remove outer leaves; cut dark-green ends from leeks. Trim roots, keeping leaves attached. Halve lengthwise; rinse to remove grit. Credit: Jake Sternquist Melt butter and add leeks: Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks to pan and arrange cut side down in a single layer. Credit: Jake Sternquist Cook leeks until softened: Cook until softened and light golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn leeks and cook on the other side until softened, 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Turn the leeks again so they are cut side down and peel off any papery outer layers. Credit: Jake Sternquist Add stock and wine: Add stock and wine, stirring to deglaze pan. Cook for 1 minute. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cover with a parchment paper round. Credit: Jake Sternquist How to Deglaze a Pan—the Classic French Technique for Making More Flavorful Sauces Cook until tender, then reduce liquid: Credit: Jake Sternquist Cook until the leeks are tender when pierced with a knife, about 15 minutes. Remove parchment, raise heat, and cook until liquid is reduced, about 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle with coarse salt and parsley; serve. How to Store and Reheat Braised Leeks Leftover braised leeks can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to four days. Reheat them gently on the stovetop, covered, over medium-low heat with a splash of broth or water to keep them from drying out. You can also reheat them in a 350-degree Fahrenheit oven, covered with foil, or microwave them until hot throughout, 2 to 3 minutes. Simply serve leftover braised leeks as a side or chop them up and stir them into pasta dishes and risottos for a subtly sweet allium boost. What to Serve With Braised Leeks These tender leeks would make a delicious accompaniment to light, mild proteins like fish, chicken, and pork. Fish: Try serving them alongside salmon, like in this pan-seared recipe or our roasted salmon with butter. Chicken: If poultry is more your speed, try our almond-crusted chicken breasts or this delicious spatchcocked chicken with crispy bread, lemon, and herbs. Pork: You can't go wrong with these simple seared chops with lemon, sautéed cutlets, or this creamy pork, mushroom, and artichoke fricassee. 5 More Leek Recipes to Try Normandy-Style Chicken and Leeks With Crème Fraîche Onion-and-Leek Focaccia Leek-and-Asparagus Crispy Rice Caramelized Leek Quiche Vichyssoise Updated by Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds is an experienced recipe developer, recipe tester, food editor, and writer with over a decade of experience in the food and media industries.