Vegan Creamy Leeks with Butter Beans

Leeks and onions in a creamy dairy-free sauce. Rich, flavourful and delicious served with potatoes or vegan sausages.

Welcome to my new favourite dish, for Spring. A super creamy sauce with leeks and butter beans.

So far I’ve served it with new potatoes (boiled and tossed in vegan butter and fresh parsley), vegan sausages and I even served it on top of some chips/fries, which tasted incredible.

You could even serve it cold in a wrap or sandwich too. I’m planning on trying it with my Mock “Crab” Cakes soon. 

This dish is inspired by my Creamy Leek & Mushroom Pie and the creaminess comes from… cashews.

Which, if you’re new to vegan or dairy-free cooking, might seem strange but works wonderfully and is also a healthier option too!

It’s important to use raw cashews, soaked overnight, or if you’re less patient, like me, boiled for 5 minutes.

This ensures a milder flavour (you don’t want this to taste like roasted cashews!) and that the cashews will be soft enough to blend into a thick, creamy sauce. 

Continue to Content

📖 Recipe

Vegan Creamy Leeks with Butter Beans

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 14 minutes

Total Time: 24 minutes

Creamy and full of flavour, these leeks and butter beans make the perfect Spring side dish. My favourite way to serve them is with some buttery baby potatoes.

Print

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3-4 large leeks, washed, trimmed and sliced into discs
• 1 x 400g / 14oz tin of butter beans, drained and rinsed

For the sauce

• 35g / ¼ cup / 1.2 oz raw cashews, soaked overnight in water or boiled for 5 minutes
• 240ml / 1 cup unsweetened dairy-free milk
• 1 ½ tbsp white wine vinegar*
• ½ tsp English mustard
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• ½ tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Before you start, remember to soak the cashews overnight or boil for a few minutes so they are soft.
2. Add the oil to a large frying pan on a low heat. Sweat the leeks for about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened. Stir in the butter beans.
3. Meanwhile, create the sauce by adding the soaked cashews to a blender, along with the rest of the ingredients and mix until you have a smooth mixture. It might be a little thin but will thicken as it cooks.
4. Add the cream to the pan (you might not need to use all of it) and cook on a medium heat for 1-2 minutes until warm, thick and creamy. If it gets too thick, simply add more water or dairy-free milk for the desired consistency.
5. Season with salt and pepper, if needed and serve.**

Notes

*You can use white distilled or apple cider vinegar instead, if that's all you have.

**Can be kept in an air-tight container for up to 4 days. To reheat - loosen with a little extra dairy-free milk or water and heat gently on the pan until hot.

Nutrition Information

Yield 4 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 234Total Fat 12gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 9gCholesterol 5mgSodium 130mgCarbohydrates 25gFiber 5gSugar 5gProtein 8g

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment, rate and share!