Braised Leeks

Name: Braised Leeks
Total time: 32 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 4 piece Leek; 40 g Unsalted butter; 3 piece Fresh thyme; 1 piece Bay leaf; 1 tsp Salt; 2 pinch Ground black pepper; 150 ml Water

32 min · 4 min 30s active · makes ~800 g · Easy

Braised leeks in butter and thyme develop tender, caramelized layers with subtle bay leaf aromatics. Serves 4 as a refined side dish.

See more →

Braised Leeks

Braised leeks in butter and thyme develop tender, caramelized layers with subtle bay leaf aromatics. Serves 4 as a refined side dish.

See more →

TOTAL TIME

32 min

ACTIVE TIME

4 min 30s

QUANTITY

~800 g

DIFFICULTY

Easy

CUISINE

—

Who’s eating

Cooking for A typical adult.

This may be a little light — some at the table might still be peckish.

Portions & fullness

Ingredients0/7

Tools0/8

Ingredients

0/7 gathered · 4 servings

4piece

40g

3piece

1piece

1tsp

2pinch

150ml

#	Quantity	Notes	State
1	4piece	—	—
2	40g	—	—
3	3piece	—	—
4	1piece	—	—
5	1tsp	—	—
6	2pinch	—	—
7	150ml	—	—

Tools

8 items

Serveware

1 item

Procedure

16 steps

1 of 16

Cut away the dark green tops and root ends of the leeks, leaving only the white and pale green parts.

Leek · 4 piece

⏱ 1 min

ResultTrimmed leeks

2 of 16

Halve each trimmed leek lengthways through the middle.

Trimmed leeks · step 1

⏱ 30s

ResultHalved leeks

3 of 16

Transfer the halved leeks to the colander.

Halved leeks · step 2

⏱ 10s

ResultHalved leeks

4 of 16

Hold the leek halves cut-side down under cold running water, fanning the layers open to flush out any grit.

⏱ 30s

ResultRinsed leeksused in step 7

5 of 16

Add the butter to the wide shallow saucepan.

Unsalted butter · 40 g

⏱ 5s

ResultUnsalted butter

6 of 16

Set the pan over a medium-low heat and let the butter melt gently, swirling the pan so it coats the base without browning.

⏱ 1 min

ResultMelted butter

7 of 16

Lay the rinsed leek halves cut-side down in a single layer in the pan.

Rinsed leeks · step 4

⏱ 10s

ResultMelted butter and rinsed leeks

8 of 16

Tuck the thyme sprigs in among the leeks.

Fresh thyme · 3 piece

⏱ 5s

ResultMelted butter and rinsed leeks and fresh thyme

9 of 16

Add the bay leaf to the pan.

Bay leaf · 1 piece

⏱ 5s

ResultRinsed leek mixture

10 of 16

Scatter the salt evenly over the leeks.

Salt · 1 tsp

⏱ 5s

ResultRinsed leek mixture

11 of 16

Add a couple of pinches of black pepper over the leeks.

Ground black pepper · 2 pinch

⏱ 5s

ResultRinsed leek mixture

12 of 16

Pour the water into the pan around the leeks.

Water · 150 ml

⏱ 10s

ResultRinsed leek mixture

13 of 16

Set a tight-fitting lid on the pan.

⏱ 10s

14 of 16

Keep the heat at a gentle simmer and leave the leeks to braise, undisturbed, until they are completely tender when pierced with the tip of a knife — about 25 minutes.

⏱ 25 min

ResultBraised leeksused in step 16

15 of 16

Lift the lid and set it aside.

⏱ 5s

16 of 16

Carefully lift the braised leeks onto a warm serving dish, then spoon the buttery pan juices over them.

Braised leeks · step 14

⏱ 20s

ResultBraised leeks

Total Time32 min

#	Product	Action
1	4 piece	Cut away the dark green tops and root ends of the leeks, leaving only the white and pale green parts.⏱ 1 minResultTrimmed leeks
2	Trimmed leeksstep 1	Halve each trimmed leek lengthways through the middle.⏱ 30sResultHalved leeks
3	Halved leeksstep 2	Transfer the halved leeks to the colander.⏱ 10sResultHalved leeks
4	—	Hold the leek halves cut-side down under cold running water, fanning the layers open to flush out any grit.⏱ 30sResultRinsed leeksused in step 7
5	40 g	Add the butter to the wide shallow saucepan.⏱ 5sResultUnsalted butter
6	—	Set the pan over a medium-low heat and let the butter melt gently, swirling the pan so it coats the base without browning.⏱ 1 minResultMelted butter
7	Rinsed leeksstep 4	Lay the rinsed leek halves cut-side down in a single layer in the pan.⏱ 10sResultMelted butter and rinsed leeks
8	3 piece	Tuck the thyme sprigs in among the leeks.⏱ 5sResultMelted butter and rinsed leeks and fresh thyme
9	1 piece	Add the bay leaf to the pan.⏱ 5sResultRinsed leek mixture
10	1 tsp	Scatter the salt evenly over the leeks.⏱ 5sResultRinsed leek mixture
11	2 pinch	Add a couple of pinches of black pepper over the leeks.⏱ 5sResultRinsed leek mixture
12	150 ml	Pour the water into the pan around the leeks.⏱ 10sResultRinsed leek mixture
13	—	Set a tight-fitting lid on the pan.⏱ 10s
14	—	Keep the heat at a gentle simmer and leave the leeks to braise, undisturbed, until they are completely tender when pierced with the tip of a knife — about 25 minutes.⏱ 25 minResultBraised leeksused in step 16
15	—	Lift the lid and set it aside.⏱ 5s
16	Braised leeksstep 14	Carefully lift the braised leeks onto a warm serving dish, then spoon the buttery pan juices over them.⏱ 20sResultBraised leeks
Total Time		32 min

Nutrition

per serving

Estimated · pre-cooking · 100% ingredients covered

Nutrient	Per serving
	165kcal
	4g
	9g
	5g
	21g
	4g
	3g
	614mg

Ingredients0/7

Tools0/8

Recipe

Braised Leeks

Braised leeks in butter and thyme develop tender, caramelized layers with subtle bay leaf aromatics. Serves 4 as a refined side dish.

What you’ll doYou will trim and halve the leeks, then rinse them carefully to remove grit. Melt butter gently in a shallow pan, arrange the leeks cut-side down with thyme and bay leaf, season them, add water, and cover tightly. The leeks will braise undisturbed for about 25 minutes until completely tender, then you will transfer them to a serving dish and spoon the buttery pan juices over them.

Serves4

Total32 min

LevelEasy

Ingredients

Leek4 piece
Unsalted butter40 g
Fresh thyme3 piece
Bay leaf1 piece
Salt1 tsp
Ground black pepper2 pinch
Water150 ml

Tools

Pan lidServing dishChef's knifeWooden spoonColanderWide shallow saucepanLarge spoonChopping board

Method

Cut away the dark green tops and root ends of the leeks, leaving only the white and pale green parts.

1 minChopping board, Chefs knifeLeek · 4 piece

Halve each trimmed leek lengthways through the middle.

30sChopping board, Chefs knifeTrimmed leeks · step 1

Transfer the halved leeks to the colander.

10sColanderHalved leeks · step 2

Hold the leek halves cut-side down under cold running water, fanning the layers open to flush out any grit.

Result · Rinsed leeks · used in step 7

30sColander

Add the butter to the wide shallow saucepan.

5sWide shallow saucepanUnsalted butter · 40 g

Set the pan over a medium-low heat and let the butter melt gently, swirling the pan so it coats the base without browning.

1 minWide shallow saucepan, Wooden spoon

Lay the rinsed leek halves cut-side down in a single layer in the pan.

10sWide shallow saucepanRinsed leeks · step 4

Tuck the thyme sprigs in among the leeks.

5sWide shallow saucepanFresh thyme · 3 piece

Add the bay leaf to the pan.

5sWide shallow saucepanBay leaf · 1 piece

Scatter the salt evenly over the leeks.

5sWide shallow saucepanSalt · 1 tsp

Add a couple of pinches of black pepper over the leeks.

5sWide shallow saucepanGround black pepper · 2 pinch

Pour the water into the pan around the leeks.

10sWide shallow saucepanWater · 150 ml

Set a tight-fitting lid on the pan.

10sWide shallow saucepan, Pan lid

Keep the heat at a gentle simmer and leave the leeks to braise, undisturbed, until they are completely tender when pierced with the tip of a knife — about 25 minutes.

Result · Braised leeks · used in step 16

25 minWide shallow saucepan

Lift the lid and set it aside.

5sWide shallow saucepan, Pan lid

Carefully lift the braised leeks onto a warm serving dish, then spoon the buttery pan juices over them.

Result · Braised leeks

20sServing dish, Large spoonBraised leeks · step 14

Printed 28 September 2026