All right, veggie side dishes, step aside because there’s a new kid in town. It’s roasted leeks, with their caramelized exterior and tender, melt-in-your-mouth layers topped with a creamy parmesan garlic sauce that will WOW you.
Whether it’s a weeknight dinner or a holiday, these have a place at your table. If you loved our stovetop creamed leeks, you’re gonna love these. Roasting this veggie spotlights the natural sweetness, mild flavor, and earthy undertones. It’ll leave you feeling fancy, but its ready in just 20 minutes with minimal effort.
Preparing Leeks
First things first, the leeks need to be properly prepped. That requires a little cleaning because they can get pretty dirty between the layers. I have an entire guide on how to clean leeks, but here are the basics for this recipe:
- Cut off the root end and the dark tops. They’re too tough to eat, so save them to make homemade vegetable stock.
- Cut the white and light green parts in half, then between the layers, removing any dirt or sand between them.
- Dry them well, laying them cut side down on a paper towel to help. It’s important to ensure they’re dry so they caramelize beautifully in the oven.
How to Roast Leeks
Keep the layers of the leeks intact; they will roast cut side down as a whole. This helps them caramelize up and become really tender, melt-in-your-mouth layers.
Brush olive oil on each side and sprinkle a pinch of kosher salt. Place them cut side down and roast for about 15 minutes, depending on their size. The thicker they are, the more time they’ll need, and vice-versa.
Once the cut side is golden brown and caramelized, flip them over for another 5 minutes or so until they are fork tender. Et voila, roasted leeks are ready!
Serve with Parmesan Sauce
Now, while the leeks are baking it’s the perfect time to prep some garlic parmesan sauce…if you don’t have it on hand already, that is! This creamy, flavorful sauce pairs so well with the mildly sweet, oniony leeks. It’s a match made in heaven and one you don’t want to skip!
This recipe uses only part of the sauce, so it makes a great meal prep. You can use the rest with pasta, pizza, or a dip.
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating and review in the form below. I appreciate your feedback, and it helps others, too!
Oven Roasted Leeks with Parmesan Garlic Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 leeks
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- kosher salt
- ½ cup parmesan garlic sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Cut the root end and the dark green parts of the leeks off. Then, cut the white/light green cylinder in half, creating two long half-moon pieces. Wash carefully between the layers, keeping the leek intact. Dry the leeks well.4 leeks
- Place the leek halves on a baking sheet and brush olive oil on each side with a pinch of kosher salt. Place cut side down and bake for 15-20 minutes until the cut side is caramelized and golden. Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of your leeks.2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, kosher salt
- Flip, and cook for an additional 5 minutes as needed, until fork tender.
- Serve immediately with garlic parmesan sauce. Alternatively, a squeeze of fresh lemon and a sprinkle of parm is great, too!½ cup parmesan garlic sauce
Nutrition
The post Oven Roasted Leeks with Parmesan Garlic Sauce appeared first on Fork in the Kitchen.