White Wine Braised Leeks with Garlic and Red Pepper Flakes
Leeks cut into thick rounds, arranged cut-side up, and braised in white wine, garlic, and red pepper flakes until silky and caramelized at the edges. Finished with fresh parsley. Simple technique, big payoff.
Equipment
- Sharp knife
- Cutting board
- Oven-safe baking dish or braiser (large enough to fit leeks cut-side up in a single layer)
- Foil (if dish has no lid)
Ingredients
For Leeks:
- 4 large leeks dark green tops trimmed off (about 2 lbs / 900g trimmed)
- 3 tbsp 45ml olive oil
- 5 cloves garlic minced, divided
- 1/2 tsp 2g red pepper flakes, plus more to taste
- 3/4 cup 180ml dry white wine
- 1/2 cup 120ml vegetable broth
- 1/2 tsp 3g salt, plus more to taste
- Black pepper to taste
To Finish:
- 1/4 cup 10g fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- Lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Trim the root ends off the leeks and cut each leek into rounds about 1.5–2 inches thick. Rinse the rounds well under running water, gently separating the layers with your fingers to get any grit out, since leeks hide dirt like it's their job.
- Pat the rounds dry and arrange them cut-side up in your baking dish, packing them in fairly snugly.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, 3 cloves of the minced garlic, red pepper flakes, white wine, vegetable broth, salt, and black pepper.
- Pour the mixture evenly over the leeks, letting it pool into the bottom of the dish.
- Cover tightly with a lid or foil and braise for 25 minutes, until the leeks are tender when pierced with a knife.
- Remove the cover and roast for another 8–10 minutes, until the tops start to caramelize and the liquid reduces slightly.
- Remove from the oven and immediately scatter the remaining minced garlic and chopped parsley over the top. The residual heat will take the raw edge off the garlic without cooking it all the way down.
- Serve warm with lemon wedges on the side.
Notes
No white wine on hand, use an extra 3/4 cup vegetable broth plus a squeeze of lemon juice for acidity.
A handful of chopped walnuts or toasted pine nuts on top adds crunch. A few thyme sprigs braised in with the leeks work well too.
Cooking tip: Don't skip the double rinse. Leeks grow in sandy soil and grit hides deep between the layers, so a lazy rinse means a gritty bite.
Storage: Keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a covered skillet with a splash of broth or wine to loosen things back up.