Do you believe in food soul mates? It's probably not surprising to you that I do. In the way most of us know that peanut butter and jelly were destined to be together, forever intertwined, they are not the only ones. Spaghetti and meatballs, milk and cereal, bacon and eggs - they're out there! They need each other. They love each other. And yes, they are food soul mates. You might be thinking the next soul mate I will mention is potatoes and cheese, but alas, there is a soul mate even sweeter than cheese to pair with my beloved potato. Leeks. And so I give you the best potato & leek casserole recipe that keeps it simple and allows these soul mates to shine like no other.
Let Potatoes Be Potatoes As Much as You Can
For those new to my website, you are most likely unaware of my affinity for potatoes. And to those who are regulars who know how much I love them - thanks for hanging in there while I blather on a minute about my favorite food... again. Also, if you haven't read my Ode To Potatoes it can be found in the blog post for red bliss potatoes w/ginger, garlic and parsley.
Potatoes are at their best when they are being potatoes. They taste great with a lot or a little of other ingredients - depending on what those ingredients are. Everything in moderation works. Excess doesn't usually work. So when it comes to potatoes, my priority is to let the natural soft texture shine as much as possible. Yukon or Russet potatoes will work for this recipe, but I felt that Russet makes a slightly better pairing with leeks and gruyere cheese.
The choice to use milk for this was easy. And yes, heavy cream will work too, but it will be a much richer dish. And I think the leeks add a certain richness as well so going with milk gave the potatoes a better chance to remain the star of this dish.
Leek Lovers Unite: Celebrating Food Soul Mates
You need to love leeks to make the best potato & leek casserole. I mean, if you're spending the money to buy leeks, you must really like them. They can be pricey and I really don't understand why. Anyone know why leeks are a little expensive? They are absolutely delicious and - so we are clear - they aren't just another kind of onion. Leeks don't taste like vidalia onions and vidalia onions don't taste like leeks.
When leeks cook, they sweat out this almost creamy liquid and the smell of it all makes me so happy. You know when you cook and that smell fills the house? The smell of amazing food? That is leeks. So, when pillowy soft potatoes and creamy elegant leeks come together, well, it's food soul mates who finally found each other. And this is something to celebrate.
Would you like to save this?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
You'll also be the first to hear about new recipes in my weekly-ish newsletter! 🙂
And by the way if you love leeks, you should definitely try my dijon chicken w/apples, leeks and fennel, my savory chicken and leek galette or my rainbow carrot tart with leeks & boursin cheese. This will give you a great introduction to using leeks in your cooking and how it can transform your flavor profile. 🙂
Easy Steps to Making The Best Potato & Leek Casserole
Oh, So You Want More Potatoes? Me Too - Always!
- Cheesy Tomato Potatoes
- The Best Crispy Smashed Potatoes
- Lemony Herby Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
- Potato Bacon Croquettes w/Gorgonzola Bechemel
- Yukon Potatoes w/Fried Onions Garlic & Cumin
- Baked Skillet Potatoes w/Chorizo
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes w/Toasted Hazelnuts
The Best Potato & Leek Casserole
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 portions 1x
Description
When food soul mates, potatoes and leeks, get together they make the absolute best potato & leek casserole ever. You’re going to love this one.
Ingredients
- 4 cups sliced leek rings (2 large leeks)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt (to season leeks)
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper (to season leeks)
- 2 ¼ cups shredded gruyere cheese
- 3 large Russet potatoes
- ¾ cup whole milk
- Additional salt and pepper, to taste
- Parsley or fresh thyme garnish, optional
NOTE: you will need an 8x8 baking dish for this.
Would you like to save this?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
You'll also be the first to hear about new recipes in my weekly-ish newsletter! 🙂
Instructions
- Cut the fuzzy tops from the end of the leeks, then cut the dark green part off too. We’re only using the white and light green part for this recipe.
- Slice the leeks into ¼” rings then place them in a large bowl filled with water. Leeks can be very dirty and we want to get them clean… there can be dirt between the rings so push down on the leeks and separate some of the rings while soaking and cleaning them. Strain them in a colander. I like to run cold water over the leeks again once in the strainer and then they’re done.
- Heat olive oil and butter in a pan on medium heat until butter is melted. Add leeks to pan along with salt and pepper. Stir to coat. Let leeks cook for 10-15 minutes until soft and slightly browned. Stir a few times while they are cooking. Then set aside in a bowl until ready to assemble the dish.
- While the leeks are cooking, shred the gruyere cheese and set aside in bowl.
- Peel the potatoes, then slice into very thin rounds – should be about ⅛” in thickness. You can use a mandolin for this or a knife like I did.
- If you are using fresh parsley to garnish, you should chop that too.
- Layer half the potatoes in your 8x8 baking dish (my video shows this well), then a pinch or two of salt. Spread half the cooked leeks on top of the first layer, then half of the shredded gruyere cheese on top of that. Layer the rest of potatoes on top, another pinch or two of salt, then the rest of the leeks on top of that. Add the remaining cheese on top, then pour the milk evenly over the top of everything.
- Place baking dish on a foil-lined sheet pan (in case it bubbles over) and cook in a pre-heated oven at 375 degrees for about 40-45 minutes.
- Let cool for 10-15 minutes once out of the oven and then serve. This side dish goes well with chicken, beef or pork. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley if you like. A fresh or dried thyme would go well with this too.
Sarah
Can I make this a day ahead of time and bake it the next day?
Stacey
Yes. Just assemble (don't add milk until the next day before going in the oven) and refrigerate. Leave out on counter once out of the fridge to let it get closer to room temperature before putting in the oven. Cold baking dish straight into oven can cause a break or crack in your baking dish. Good luck!