Creamed Leeks are the perfect side dish for all of your main dishes! Sliced leeks are sautéed with aromatic veggies, tossed in a creamy sauce, and a dash of parmesan cheese, all cooked up in a large skillet.
Even if you’re not a leek eater, you will love this delicious side dish. It’s our favorite go-to low-carb side dish for busy weeknights, and it compliments so many dishes. Creamed Leeks are the best way to finish off any dish, whether it’s Pan-Seared Duck Breast or Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Chicken. All you need is a few simple ingredients, and you can whip up this easy recipe in no time.
What Are Creamed Leeks?
Leeks look a bit like big green onions, but they’ve got a milder flavor. The part you use is the white and light green bit at the bottom, and you can slice them up to add a subtle oniony taste to all sorts of dishes, like soups, salads, and even as a side dish.
These Creamed Leeks are a low-carb, keto-friendly side dish perfect for jazzing up any main dish, like our Steakhouse Keto Creamed Spinach. The leeks are sautéed in bacon fat, butter, heavy cream, and parmesan cheese for the ultimate indulgent delight.
Creamy Leeks Ingredients
- Leeks – provide a mild, sweet, and slightly mellow onion flavor.
- Bacon – adds a smoky flavor that compliments the savory sweetness of the leeks.
- Onion – enhances the aromatic base of the dish and provides a mild pungency and depth of flavor.
- Butter – helps create a velvety sauce that coats the leeks and adds a luscious, silky mouthfeel.
- Garlic cloves – add a robust, aromatic, and slightly spicy note to the dish.
- Mustard powder – brings a subtle tang and an additional layer of flavor to the creamed leeks.
- Heavy cream – combines with the butter to form a luscious, thick sauce that envelops the leeks and imparts a rich, creamy taste.
- Parmesan cheese – adds a salty, nutty, and slightly tangy flavor to the dish.
- Freshly grated nutmeg
- Kosher Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Lemon zest
How to Make This Easy Creamed Leeks Recipe
- First, trim the leeks using a sharp knife, removing just the darker green parts, and slice them thin. We’ll need those tender parts.
- Now, grab a big cast iron skillet and cook up the bacon over medium heat until it’s just perfectly crispy. Once it’s ready, set the bacon aside on a paper towel-lined plate.
Pro Tip: Don’t forget to clean and season your cast iron skillet before cooking to ensure maximum flavor.
- Next, toss in your chopped onions and sliced leeks in that same skillet. Don’t forget to add a tablespoon of butter for extra flavor. Now, sauté those leeks and onions until they turn soft and lovely, which should take about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Time to add in the garlic and give it a quick sauté, just for about 30 seconds. Then sprinkle in the mustard powder, a pinch of salt, and a bit of pepper. Give it all a good stir to mix the flavors.
- Now, let’s lower the heat to medium-low and pour in the heavy cream and cheese. Stir everything together and let the sauce thicken up. This will take about 5 to 7 minutes.
- When the sauce is all creamy and ready, take the skillet off the heat. Add a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg. Chop up the bacon you cooked earlier and fold it back into the leek mixture.
- To finish off, add a little pinch of lemon zest for a zesty pop, and your creamy leeks are good to go. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. They’re amazing on their own but even better with a handful of crispy onions on top. Enjoy!
Girl Carnivore Expert Recipe Tips
- Clean leeks thoroughly before cooking them, as the dirt from in between the leaves can be difficult to remove.
- A clean cast iron skillet is the key to smooth cooking. Make sure you clean and season your cast iron before cooking!
What to Serve With Creamed Leeks
Since these Creamed Leeks are perfectly balanced with savory and sweet flavors, they pair perfectly with a variety of dishes. Some great options are Smoked chicken thighs, Cast iron pork chops, and Pan-seared ribeye steaks!
Leftovers & Reheating
Store leftover Creamed Leeks in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To reheat, set a small skillet on medium heat and reheat the leeks until warm.
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One bite of this tasty leek side dish, and you’ll be a full-on leek lover forever! Pair it with any main course, and you’ll have a delicious dinner with tons of flavor in no time!
Creamed Leeks
Ingredients
- 4 cups Leeks rinsed well and drained
- 2 oz bacon
- 1 Onion chopped
- 1 tbsp Butter
- 3-4 cloves Garlic minced
- ½ tsp Mustard powder
- ¾ cup Heavy cream
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ tsp Lemon zest
Instructions
- Remove the bottoms of the leeks and slice thin, only discarding the very top green parts.
- In a large cast iron skillet, cook the bacon until just crispy over medium heat.
- Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Add the chopped onions and leeks to the pan with the bacon fat.
- Add the tablespoon of butter.
- Sauté the leeks and onion until soft, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add in the garlic and sauté 30 seconds longer.
- Add the mustard powder and a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Stir to combine.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and add in the heavy cream and cheese.
- Stir to combine and allow the sauce to thicken, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Remove the creamed leeks from the heat and add a pinch of nutmeg.
- Roughly chop the bacon and fold it back in.
- Finish the leeks with a pinch of lemon zest and serve hot.
Notes
- Clean leeks thoroughly before cooking them, as the dirt from in between the leaves can be difficult to remove.
- A clean cast iron skillet is the key to smooth cooking. Make sure you clean and season your cast iron before cooking!
- These are great topped with a handful of crispy onions.
Nutrition
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Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! You can make these 2-3 days ahead of time and reheat on the stovetop!
Look for leaks that don’t have a ton of layers of leaves, as these will get discarded before cooking. Try to find leeks around the same size with a decent amount of light green and yellowish-white on the bottom.
Fantastic. Will be a go to side with Prime rib.
Thats a great menu combination!