How to Cook Leeks - Cooks Illustrated

Published March 1, 1995.

A two-step cooking process, starting with presteaming, is the secret to perfectly prepared leeks.

The Problem

Which was the best way to cook leeks? We tried boiling, braising, baking the leeks three ways, sautéing, and steaming.

The Goal

To make the most of the unique, onion-like sweetness of leeks, which make a delicious side dishwhether served hot or cold.

The Solution

Steaming turned out to be the hands-down winner. When we steamed leeks, the results were full-flavored, moist, and tender. Steamed leeks not only tasted better than boiled leeks, with a stronger and sweeter onion-like flavor, they also retained more of their nutritional value. Steaming turned out to be not only an excellent method of cooking leeks but also a very useful intermediate step when cooking leeks by other methods. The steaming softens the leeks and leaves them better suited to grilling, sautéing, braising, or baking.

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