Leek Gratin Recipe
Baked Leek Gratin is easy to prepare, full of flavor, and great to make year round. Hard boiled eggs and sweet, mild leeks are baked in a luscious creamy cheese sauce. Plus, it's flexible and can be served as a side dish or light entrée. Make it after Easter to use up all those hard boiled eggs, or as a side dish at Thanksgiving instead of traditional creamed onions. It's also perfect as part of a Mother's Day brunch!
Servings: 8 to 10 servings
Calories: 296kcal
Ingredients
- 8 hard boiled eggs peeled
- 10 medium medium leeks
- 6 tablespoons butter divided use
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup shredded white Cheddar cheese around 2 ounces, divided use
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- Cut each egg into 8 pieces. Arrange in a single layer in a 1 1/2 to 2 quart gratin dish (or a 10-inch pie pan). Set aside.
- Remove dark green portion of leeks and throw away. Cut off the root end and cut each leek in half lengthwise. Rinse well, making sure to remove all the dirt. Pat dry. Coarsely chop leeks.
- In a large skillet, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook until tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Spoon the cooked leeks over the top of the eggs in the gratin dish – don’t wash the skillet!
- In the same skillet, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over low heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 3 minutes, whisking constantly. Slowly begin to whisk in the milk, increase the heat to medium and cook sauce, whisking, until bubbly and thickened. Whisk in 1/4 cup of the Cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese and cayenne pepper. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Pour sauce evenly over the leeks and eggs.
- Sprinkle top with remaining 1/4 cup Cheddar cheese. Bake for 10 minutes or until bubbly and top is golden brown.
Video
Notes
Make ahead: Gratin can be assembled but not baked up to 24 hours in advance, covered and stored in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before baking.
Gluten free: use gluten free flour blend.
Note: This recipe was originally published in my cookbook A Well-Seasoned Kitchen®.
Nutrition
Calories: 296kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 224mg | Sodium: 265mg | Potassium: 346mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 2572IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 237mg | Iron: 3mg