The Underrated Vegetable That Will Beautifully Thicken Your Pan Sauce

In general, adding vegetables to a pan sauce doesn't do much aside from boosting the earthiness of the dish and upping your vitamin intake. Yet, while most vegetables aren't needed in a sauce, some of them can act as helpful thickeners — and today we're talking about leeks.

Leeks are alliums that resemble softer, sweeter onions. Many people's introduction to them is as a stringy vegetable that often accompanies potatoes in soup, but there are a number of leek recipes that are anything but bleak, showcasing the allium's versatility. The earthy sweetness of leeks takes on many forms, but we love them when they're tender. When cooked down, leeks turn incredibly soft, making them the perfect choice for thickening up a sauce.

Like potatoes, leeks are quite fibrous; they're also high in pectin. Both of these characteristics allow them to operate as a thickener. Just like you may sprinkle instant potato flakes into your simmering pot of chicken and dumplings or beef stew to give it a rich feel, leeks do the same. For the foundation of the sauce, chop up the leeks and saute them along with other alliums like shallots or garlic. Deglaze the pan and continue building your sauce, stirring every now and then and allowing the leeks to imbue it with a thick, creamy texture.

There's nothing better than a rich mushroom sauce for steak. Though our recipe doesn't call for it, slipping in some diced onions is an easy flavor boost for the umami sauce. However, if you want a dash of sweetness and a thicker feel to accompany the mushrooms, add some chopped leeks. Before adding the mushrooms to the hot skillet, soften the leeks for a more flavorful base.

Leeks make a delicious addition to fish, as well. Instead of using green onions, opt for leeks when whipping up this sweet and spicy skillet tilapia with coconut and gochujang. If there's a way to make coconut milk creamier than it already is, leeks are the answer. The earthiness of the allium complements the fiery ginger while tempering the squeeze of lime that completes the sauce. Thanks to their silky texture when cooked down, the leeks blend right into the meal of tender fish and fluffy coconut milk.

For a dish that's a little more savory, add leeks to baconified marry-me chicken. The bacon adds an umami twist to the recipe that the delicate leeks won't distract away from. Instead, they aid the lemon juice in keeping the sauce light and fresh while delivering a deliciously, velvety texture.