Description
Roasting leeks in the oven yields a luscious, melt-in-your-mouth texture and caramelized flavor you’re going to love. You need just a handful of ingredients to make this roasted melted leeks recipe – leeks, olive oil, salt, pepper, thyme, and parmesan cheese. Serve roasted leeks as a side dish with dinner, or on top of toast.
Ingredients
- 3–4 small leeks
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped – optional for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Cut off the dark green leaves of the leeks and discard. Then cut the leeks in half widthwise so each piece is 3-4 inches long. Cut the leeks in half lengthwise.
- Clean the leeks by fanning them out and running them under cold water to remove dirt and debris (see notes for more details). Pat them dry.
- In a 7×10 ceramic or glass baking dish, drizzle the olive oil. Then sprinkle in half of the parmesan cheese, half of the dried thyme, and half of the salt and pepper.
- Place the leeks cut side down in the pan, all in a row next to each other but not overlapping.
- Drizzle with a touch more olive oil and the other half of the parmesan cheese and dry seasonings.
- Cook in the oven for 25-30 minutes, until leeks are super soft and “melted” and edges are deeply golden brown and caramelized.
Notes
How to clean leeks
Leeks, like onions, are made up of lots of layers. Leeks grow submerged in the soil, so as they grow, they collect dirt and sand in between their layers.
Because they are so dirty, it is crucial to properly clean leeks before cooking and eating them.
To clean leeks for this recipe, start by cutting the leeks in half lengthwise. then, run each half under cold water in your sink, fanning out the layers so any dirt and sand run out with the water.
Pat the leeks dry with a clean dish towel and they’re ready to use!
Keywords: roasted leeks, roasting leeks, melted leeks