I don’t know about you, but for me the hardest part of planning a menu is deciding on the side dishes! The entree is easy, right? It’s usually just your choice of protein. But those sides! I mean, who wants green beans every single night of the week? And, of course, whatever you choose must be quick and easy to prepare. Well, these Roasted Leeks meet all of that criteria!
They’re 1) delicious, 2) easy, prep is about 5 minutes, 3) go with almost everything, and 4) did I mention they’re delicious? I’ve served these with roasted chicken, sauteed pork chops, rack of lamb, and roast beef. I believe that would be considered versatile :-)
If you’re not so familiar with leeks, just pick up a few next time you’re at the grocery store and give them a try. Although they belong in the same family with onions and garlic, leeks are quite mild in taste with a pleasant earthy flavor. Kind of like the air right before a summer rain. You know that smell, right? Leeks always make me think of that.
Clean the leeks thoroughly under cold running water, leaving the root end intact. Cut away the root fibers, but don’t cut off the area where the leaves attach to the base of the stem. You want the halved leeks to stay together during baking and if you completely cut off the roots, they’ll fall apart.
Trim away the tough, dark green tops. You can save those for stock if you’d like. They’re especially nice to add to chicken stock.
Split the leeks in half lengthwise. Check for any dirt that may be inside the leeks and rinse again if needed. Pat the leeks dry with a paper towel.
Note: leeks are notoriously dirty. They grow upward through the dirt capturing it in their leaves as they go. I always try to find the cleanest ones available in the grocery store, but you just can’t see what’s really in there until you get them home and cut them. If you see more dirt when you split the leeks, gently rinse them again under cold water being careful not to pull the leaves off.
Preheat the oven to 475.
Place the leeks in a single layer in a casserole or baking dish. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the salt, pepper, and chopped fresh parsley. Turn the leeks several times to coat all sides with the oil and seasonings.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, turning once, until the leeks begin to blacken.
Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving dish. Or not :-)
Enjoy!
Roasted Leeks
Ingredients
- 4 large leeks
- 4 tblsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
- 2 tblsp. chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Clean the leeks thoroughly but leave the root end intact. Cut away the root fibers, but don’t cut off the area where the leaves attach to the base of the stem. Trim away the tough, dark green tops. Split the leeks in half lengthwise. Check for any dirt that may be inside the leeks and rinse again if needed.
- Preheat the oven to 475.
- Place the leeks in a single layer in a casserole or baking dish. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the salt, pepper, and chopped fresh parsley. Turn the leeks several times to coat all sides with the oil and seasonings.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, turning once, until the leeks begin to blacken.
Notes
All text and photographs on Never Enough Thyme are copyright protected. Please do not use any material from this site without obtaining prior permission. If you'd like to post this recipe on your site, please create your own original photographs and either re-write the recipe in your own words or link to this post.
Other recipes featuring leeks that might enjoy from around the internet:
- Leeks Vinaigrette from Simply Recipes
- Pancetta Wrapped Leek Gratin from Food Wishes
- Lemony Leeks with Chickpeas and Feta from My New Roots
- Creamy Mushroom and Leek Pasta from Natasha’s Kitchen
- Blackeyed Peas and Leeks from 101 Cookbooks
- Roasted Cauliflower and Leek Soup from Love and Lemons
What I was up to…
- One year ago: Creamy Ham and Red Bell Pepper Pasta
- Two years ago: Chocolate Little Layer Cake
- Three years ago: Apple Pies – Baked Not Fried
- Four years ago: BLT Bites
- Five years ago: Fresh Salad Green with Classic Vinaigrette and Croque Monsieur
I don’t know about you but the hardest part of cooking leeks is cleaning them, once you get past that, it’s easy going. I have cooked with them many times, but never have eaten them alone. Can’t wait to try… and can’t wait for vidalias either, should be soon…. and the first thing they’re hitting is the grill…
You are so right, Drick! Every once in a while I get some really, nice clean ones but most of the time they’re just full of mud.
I saw some baby Vidalias in the grocery store today. They’d be really good in this recipe, too.
I love leeks, these are just so wonderful. I need to try doing this on the grill. Looks so good.
I’m sure they’d be equally delicious grilled, Kim. Great idea!
The dish looks fabulous. I agree that the sides are the hardest part of meal planning. It’s just a constant struggle to try to come up with something different.
You can do this quickly on an indoor grill…. you know, the kind named after a boxing legend. I use that thing at least once a week.
Miss P
Why can I never think of getting that grill out of the cabinet and using it!?! These would be really good grilled that way. I might microwave them a few minutes first, though, to get the cooking started.
I agree, side dish choices can be tricky. For me it always what am I in the mood for. I love the idea of roasted leeks, and they would be great tossed with maybe mushrooms too! Fun idea! Hugs, Terra
I love leeks but I most often make dishes that require I slice them so I can just throw them in water and make sure they’re clean. This might tempt me though…I’m a huge fan of grilled veggies.
You’re right, Barb. Leeks can be tough to clean. I’ve been very lucky in getting beautifully clean leeks lately. Little cleaning needed!
Thank you so much for linking to my pasta recipe. If you like leeks, you’ll love that pasta! I love your idea of roasted leeks. Yum!!