Miso Leeks With White Beans Recipe (2024)

By Hetty Lui McKinnon

Published March 6, 2024

Miso Leeks With White Beans Recipe (1)

Total Time
45 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
Rating
5(720)
Notes
Read community notes

In this reinterpretation of the classic French dish leeks vinaigrette, tender braised leeks are bathed in a punchy miso vinaigrette, tossed with creamy white beans then served with an oozy soft egg for an easy, comforting midweek meal. Steady, gentle heat is the key to achieving the rich, jamlike leeks, coaxing out their sweetness while ensuring that they stay silky. The miso leeks can also be eaten in other ways — on a slice of toast, stirred through warm potatoes or pasta, or tossed with French lentils and peppery arugula for a simple salad. Make sure you use the whole leek. Many recipes recommend the white part only, but the green parts, while slightly tougher with a stronger flavor, can also be cooked and tenderized, especially in recipes where they are braised. The miso leeks improve over time and can be prepared up to 3 days ahead and stored in the fridge.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings (about 4 heaping cups)

    For the Leeks

    • 2large leeks (about 1 pound), roots and wrinkled tops trimmed, stalks halved lengthwise, white and green parts thinly sliced
    • Extra-virgin olive oil
    • Salt and pepper
    • 2garlic cloves, thinly sliced
    • 2fresh thyme sprigs
    • 4eggs
    • 2(14-ounce) cans white beans, such as cannellini or butter, drained
    • Handful tarragon or parsley leaves, roughly chopped, to serve
    • Toasted bread (optional), for serving

    For the Miso Vinaigrette

    • 4teaspoons white miso paste
    • 1teaspoon Dijon mustard
    • 1garlic clove, grated
    • 2teaspoons red-wine vinegar
    • 2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

1687 calories; 178 grams fat; 103 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 57 grams monounsaturated fat; 9 grams polyunsaturated fat; 19 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 11 grams protein; 925 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Miso Leeks With White Beans Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    Prepare the leeks: Place the sliced leeks into a colander and rinse them well, rubbing to loosen any dirt. Rinse them again and drain well. (There is no need to dry them, as the residual water is useful in cooking the leeks.)

  2. Step

    2

    Heat a large Dutch oven or skillet on medium-high for 1 to 2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, along with the leeks. Season generously with salt and black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid cooks off and leeks start to stick to the pan, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and thyme. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  3. Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high. Add the eggs and continue to cook over medium-high for 7 minutes. (Make sure you set a timer.) Set up an ice bath. Using a spider ladle or slotted spoon, remove the eggs from the water and immediately add them to the ice bath. Cool for 3 to 4 minutes, then peel and set aside.

  4. Step

    4

    Make the vinaigrette: In a large bowl, whisk together the miso paste, Dijon mustard, garlic, vinegar and olive oil.

  5. Step

    5

    Uncover the leeks — they will have reduced into a silky, jammy consistency. Discard the thyme, transfer the leeks to the bowl and stir to coat in the miso vinaigrette.

  6. Step

    6

    Stir in the white beans and leave to cool for a few minutes. Add about ¾ of the tarragon or parsley leaves and toss gently to combine.

  7. Step

    7

    Divide the leeks and beans among bowls and drizzle each with olive oil. Top with a halved jammy egg and finish with the remaining herbs. Serve with toast, if desired.

Ratings

5

out of 5

720

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Cold Beans

I heated the beans for 5 minutes with the leaks and it came out very nice. I would not leave the beans cold

Les is More

What great timing - we actually had just about everything on hand to make this (and admittedly not much else!). Subbed 4 scallions and half a yellow onion for the leeks, subbed TJ Everything but the Leftovers seasoning for the thyme. We warmed the beans for a couple minutes at the end - didn’t seem to need or benefit from 20 minutes. Perfect weekday dinner - quick, easy, cheap and tasty. A repeater.

Amber

ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS! The only reason I gave it 4/5 stars is I because I would rather have the white beans a little softer but I think it works well either way! Literally licking the bowl. So good.

suggestions

Are the beans not warmed up?

Emmy

Jamie Oliver has a great recipe for leeks and white beans in his Cook with Jamie which I make with or without the beans. But I always add a little liquid (chicken stock or white wine) when I braise the leeks, and I use both olive oil and a bit of butter to start the leeks. It's a fantastic base for any number of variations. Recently I added small cubed Yukon gold potatoes to the leeks before adding white wine and thyme. I finished the whole thing off with a little cream. A winner!

Jola

Made it exactly as written except adding drained beans to the leaks in the pan for a couple of minutes to warm up. Absolutely delicious! Lovely flavor of miso vinaigrette.

Alexandra G.

I hate runny and hard boiled eggs (sorry). What can I serve this with to make it a complete entree? I’m thinking pork loin…thoughts?

Jan Powell

This is a delicious dish. The miso dressing is amazing. But when I make it again, and I will, I’ll cut the leeks even smaller. They are jammy but a little stringy. Great recipe!

Kerri

I also added the beans and cooked them for a couple of minutes. We ate with arugula and French bread. It was delicious. I will definitely make again.

Leah

Was thinking that the miso vinaigrette plus the tarragon would make a killer potato salad. Has anyone tried that?

LCJ

Ok, this is definitely a big riff, but it was great: mix the vinaigrette, beans, garlic, and scallions (instead of leeks) together. Prepare parchment packets layering a lemon slice, the bean mix, and chunks of salmon. Drizzle a TB of EVOO and a TB of vermouth & salt and pepper and another lemon slice and thyme sprig. Seal up and bake at 450 for about 14 min. Very tasty and straight forward to make

M

Something very out of whack in the nutritional information for this recipe .. 1600 calories a serving?

Lorraine G

This was soo good. Fantastic flavor. I made a few tiny modifications to the steps. After combining the leeks with the vinaigrette, sautéed chopped asparagus in the pan. Then added my beans and combined with leek mixture when it was all warm. Everything melded beautifully. I lightly salted the leeks and put a bit of Maldon on top when I served. Not too salty. I always rinse my beans too. Wishing I had some crusty bread to eat with it. Next time.

Aliska

I was skeptical of using the entire leek but it works. I used navy beans, skipped the egg, and just served it on toast like bruschetta - it was delicious. The miso dressing is wonderful.

Molly

Wow. Don't be afraid to pile on the leeks. they look tough, but they melt. So good.

Rahul

I didn't really care for this. I felt like the dressing was missing something and it came together kind of like a dip? Maybe I did something wrong. I think the "Lemony Skillet Chicken" miso sauce is far superior and would work just as good here.

Sarah N.

Jeez this is great. Agree with others that it's better warmed through, not with cold beans. I made it exactly as written and all the proportions were perfect.

jules

Phenomenal. I added some ground chicken for added protein and mushrooms for texture. The flavors of miso Dijon combined are brilliant.

CSRcooks

Absolutely delicious and simple to make. Made it as written and served over polenta. Cooked the eggs to soft boiled so they became part of the sauce. This will enter the regular rotation.

C

We have a lot of bags of RG beans lying around our pantry, so I’m always excited to see a new recipe that’s a variation on a bowl of beans for dinner. Unfortunately our grocery store didn’t have miso or leeks, so we had to adapt this pretty heavily by using onions and ssamjang instead of miso. It still came out tasty! The jammy egg yolks really brought it over the top.

Monica

This was really good on its own but I plan to try the leftovers with lettuce for a salad. It was easy to make and exceeded my expectations! I also put the beans into the pan with leeks after they had been cooking for a while.

Lorraine G

This was soo good. Fantastic flavor. I made a few tiny modifications to the steps. After combining the leeks with the vinaigrette, sautéed chopped asparagus in the pan. Then added my beans and combined with leek mixture when it was all warm. Everything melded beautifully. I lightly salted the leeks and put a bit of Maldon on top when I served. Not too salty. I always rinse my beans too. Wishing I had some crusty bread to eat with it. Next time.

Joan

What a delicious dish — made more so since we had all of the ingredients on hand. One sub: Topped the beans & leeks with grilled shrimp in garlicky olive oil instead of eggs. We also plan to use that miso-mustard dressing for other dishes.

Betsy

This dish is so much better than you would think! That vinaigrette is fantastic. The leeks and beans are delicious. Added a splash on white wine for a touch of acidity to balance it out. Will make this again. It “slaps” is my new favorite way to describe my fave recipes here.

EBL

Very salty ( and I used less miso than called for). In general, tecipe was mediocre.

dimmerswitch

With so many recipes to try and so little time to make them all, there aren't a lot that end up "keep & repeat" but this is one of them. Made as written it is delicious. (Although I used beans cooked from scratch - I precook and have them in freezer in can sized equivalent to thaw, heat, use - and a firmer cook on egg because oozy yolk is not our jam.) Secret to getting the leeks jammy is thin slicing them and patience in cooking. I will use the leek vinaigrette with other dishes too.

Christy S

So good, fast and simple and huge on flavor thanks to the leeks. Definitely going into rotation in our kitchen. The dressing alone, which was done in a snap, is very versatile, could enhance many different dishes and salads.

Katherine

This was good! I made it as written, other than heating the beans, because cold beans straight out of the can did not sound appealing. Tarragon was delicious in this. Will make again, but I will not use canned beans. They were really one note, and that note was vaguely can flavored. Next time, I’ll cook the beans from dry in the instantpot with salt, garlic, and the fibrous leek ends. Dried beans soak up flavor from whatever you cook them in.

Leslie

Very filling and comforting. Made as detailed and took other commenters suggestion of heating beans. The eggs are pretty jammy, which was not a problem for us. Enjoyed leftovers as toast topper.

Andy Buck

I don't like to comment on a recipe that I adjusted, but this is SO good. Yeah, I heated the beans and used dried herbs. Fab! Thank you.

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Miso Leeks With White Beans Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What pairs well with leeks? ›

Leeks can be used in an endless amount of food combinations. Leeks, carrots, onions and celery are the essential aromatic vegetables that are used in European/Wesrern cooking. In culinary terms the above combination is referred to as ' Mire poix' which means roughly cut aromatic vegetables.

What kind of beans are used in miso? ›

Miso is traditionally made with soybeans and a grain koji like rice koji or barley koji, but if you are looking a modern spin on miso you can use any cooked legume such as chickpeas. We all have different styles in the kitchen.

What are leeks good for cooking? ›

When leeks are sliced or chopped, they can be used in place of onions or shallots in soups, stews, and casseroles. You can also showcase their subtle, sweet flavor in pasta dishes like our Red Lentil Rotini with Silken Leeks and Shiitakes or Vegan Penne with Artichokes, Leeks, and Lentils.

Can you make miso from other beans? ›

The hardest part of traditional miso is cooking and mashing the soybeans. They are so much firmer than other beans, so it takes a bit of work. This basic miso recipe can be made with any legume. Chickpeas are a classic alternative because the resulting miso has a very similar color to the traditional soy.

Are leeks good for your stomach? ›

With a milder flavour they are incredibly versatile in cooking and add a subtle yet punchy flavour to many dishes. Not only are leeks packed with essential vitamins and minerals they are rich in specific health promoting antioxidants and particular types of fibre known to promote a healthy gut.

What is the best season for leeks? ›

Plant leeks during the cool weather of early spring and fall. They grow well in raised beds, containers, and in-ground gardens.

Is miso soup good for your gut? ›

Miso soup contains several beneficial vitamins, minerals, and components that may improve your gut and heart health and may lower your risk of cancer. If you are on a low-salt diet, read the label on packaged miso soup to choose one that's low in sodium.

What is the best miso paste for miso soup? ›

Choosing miso paste for miso soup

I recommend making this recipe with white miso, also called shiro miso. It's fermented for less time than darker types of miso, such as red miso, and has a milder, sweeter flavor that works well with this miso to dashi ratio.

What are the two types of miso? ›

Unlike white miso, which is made with a higher proportion of rice and has a milder, slightly sweet flavor, red miso is made with a higher proportion of soybeans.

Why do you soak leeks in water? ›

Soak the stalks in a bowl of cold water for 10 minutes or so, then rinse under cold running water in the sink. The long soak allows the water to penetrate the leek's many layers, clearing out all the bits of debris. Once your veg is all cleaned up and dirt-free, it's time to get cookin'.

How does Gordon Ramsay cook leeks? ›

Season leeks with soy, maple, sesame oil, and mirin. Top with sliced garlic and a few knobs of butter around the outside of the pan. Add just enough stock to cover leeks halfway, bring to a boil and pop into over to roast until caramelized and tender when pierced with a knife.

Can you eat too many leeks? ›

Leeks are a healthy food and, like most foods, can be eaten in moderation as part of a balanced diet. Eating large amounts of leeks, however, can have some negative effects. First, leeks are high in fiber and can cause digestive discomfort, bloating, and gas if consumed in large amounts.

What are the 2 main ingredients in miso? ›

Miso, a.k.a. fermented soybean paste, is made by combining just three simple ingredients—soybeans, salt, and koji (a type of fungus cultivated on rice and other grains)—and allowing the mixture to age for months or even years.

What is bean miso? ›

It is a thick paste produced by fermenting soybeans with salt and kōji (the fungus Aspergillus oryzae) and sometimes rice, barley, seaweed, or other ingredients. It is used for sauces and spreads, pickling vegetables, fish, or meats, and mixing with dashi soup stock to serve as miso soup, a Japanese culinary staple.

Why can't you boil miso? ›

Boiling miso can harm the probiotic bacteria. At temperatures above 115 degrees Fahrenheit these delicate bacteria are destroyed. We recommend adding miso paste to soups just prior to serving.

What grows well with onions and leeks? ›

Plant Green Onions, Leeks and Scallions with the following companion plants:
  • Beets.
  • Cabbage family members.
  • Carrots.
  • Lettuce.
  • Parsnips.
Sep 28, 2018

Do leeks grow well with carrots? ›

Leeks: Leeks make great companion plants for carrots because they deter carrot flies, and carrots repel leek moths. Planting leeks and carrots together can help both plants grow without being damaged by pests. 3. Legumes: Legumes can enrich the soil around carrots through the nitrogen-fixing process.

Are leeks easier on stomach than onions? ›

In addition to their great flavor, leeks are also a good source of dietary fiber, and contain large amounts of folic acid, calcium, potassium, and vitamin C. They have laxative, antiseptic, diuretic, and anti-arthritic properties and are easier to digest than regular onions.

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