Cheesy leek and potato pie - quick, comforting and delicious

This is a gorgeous potato, leek and cheese pie with a flaky pastry top. It's quick to make, ultra comforting, and the cheese sauce is extra tasty and simple thanks to melty, tasty Primula Cheese.

Primula has been a leading family brand for over 90 years and is most famous for squeezy cheese tubes, with their great flavour that’s smooth, cool, savoury, mellow and perfect for a variety of dishes.

Primula combines cheese with real, tasty ingredients to offer a range of tube flavours: Original Cheese, Cheese with Chives, Cheese with Ham, Cheese with Prawns, Cheese with Salmon, Cheese with Jalapeños and Light Cheese. For this recipe, I used Original, but you could use any flavour you like to make this pie even more special.

Primula recently asked 2,000 UK adults to choose their favourite winter warmers and topping the charts are cottage pie, lasagne and roast dinners. Other dishes making the most-popular list include beef stew, spaghetti bolognese and cauliflower cheese, as well as mac and cheese, fish and chips and bangers and mash.

Primula also discovered that while six in 10 people rate winter warmers as one of their favourite things about the colder season, 74% take shortcuts when cooking due to lack of time.

Now, cooking with Primula Cheese is brilliant because you can pack in the flavour but take out the fuss, plus it melts beautifully. So I took on the challenge to create a much-loved pie, using Primula to save time and add flavour.

So, let's make a large, hearty cheesy leek and potato pie that will easily feed four to six, with enough for seconds.

Instructions

To make the filling

Place the potatoes in a large pan of cold water and bring to the boil. Cook for 8 minutes until parboiled. Drain, and rinse with cold water. Set aside to cool.

Melt the butter in a large pan over a low heat.

Add the leeks, garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper and sweat for a couple of mins until soft.

Add the peas, stir through and set aside to cool.

To make the sauce

Put the milk, butter and flour in a pan.

Whisk over a low heat until it thickens.

Taste to make sure the flour has cooked out, then add the Primula and whisk through. It will melt easily into the sauce.

Season if necessary and set aside to cool.

To bring it all together

Preheat the oven to 200C (180C fan, 400F).  Grease a high-sided, medium-sized roasting tray, not larger than your puff pastry sheet. Make sure it’s a tray with a lip for the pastry to sit on.

Tip the cooled veggies into the tray.

Pour the cooled cheese sauce over the veggies.

Unroll your sheet of puff pastry and lay on top of your roasting tray.

Press a fork around the edges to seal. I find dipped the fork in a little flour helps it to press without sticking.

Trim the edges with a sharp knife.

If you like, you can use your pastry offcuts to create a pattern on top of your pastry lid.

Beat the egg with a splash of cold water to create an egg wash, then brush all over the pastry. Make a little hole in the centre of the pie to allow steam to escape.

Place the tray in the oven and bake for 25-30 mins until golden.

Enjoy! Which are your favourite Winter comfort foods?

Pointers, tricks and troubleshooting tips for the perfect cheesy leek and potato pie

Is cheesy leek and potato pie easy to make?

Yes! This cheesy leek and potato is one of our favourite winter warmers and making it is really simple.

Each step to make the filling only takes a few minutes, you can do this one at a time at a leisurely pace or have multiple pans on the go at the same time to speed things up if you like.

Using Primula cheese in the sauce makes it so delicious and creamy, and using one of the different flavours is such an easy way to add an extra dimension to your pie. It saves time not grating all that cheese for the sauce as well!

Will I need any special equipment for this recipe?

Everything you need will be to hand in most kitchens. Once the vegetables are prepared with a chopping board and knife, you’ll need a saucepan to parboil the potatoes and then make the cheese sauce. A frying pan to saute the leeks and garlic and an oven dish to create the pie in. 

Where can I buy Primula cheese?

Primula is a UK based squeezy cheese company that started life in 1924, you can usually find it in larger supermarkets or with your online shop. If you’re not in the UK you can try using an alternative cheese spread. 

Is cheesy leek and potato pie suitable for vegetarians?

Yes, as long as you use a Primula cheese that is suitable for vegetarians, some of the flavours contain ham or fish so do check which one you pick up at the supermarket. This is such a comforting and hearty vegetarian dinner, perfect for warming a grey day. 

Is cheesy leek and potato pie suitable for vegans?

This recipe would not be suitable for vegans as it is made with dairy milk, butter, and Primula cheese, as well as an egg wash on the pastry top.

I haven’t tried making a vegan version of this pie yet but you should be able to get pretty good results as most ready-made pastries are vegan.

The main hurdle is the cheese sauce which you can make using a neutral milk alternative, vegan butter, and nutritional yeast. To replace the egg wash you can use a bit of melted vegan butter or milk alternative.  

Is cheesy leek and potato pie gluten-free?

For our cheesy leek and potato pie, I’ve used a ready-made pastry that is made from wheat flour so it would not be suitable for someone who needs to avoid gluten. The cheese sauce also contains wheat flour, used to thicken the sauce. 

If you want to make this pie gluten-free simply find a gluten-free ready-made pastry and make sure to use gluten-free flour in your cheese sauce. Do check anything else you intend to serve with the pie is also gluten-free. 

Is cheesy leek and potato pie keto-friendly?

With the potatoes and pastry top, this recipe is too high in carbohydrates to be considered keto-friendly. 

Is cheesy leek and potato pie safe to eat while pregnant?

There isn’t anything in this recipe that would usually pose a risk to a pregnant or breastfeeding woman. There is an egg wash on top of the pie, and the advice regarding egg safety can vary in different countries so please check information local to you. 

Whenever cooking and preparing food for pregnant people care should be taken to ensure the ingredients are in good condition, and the meal is prepared hygienically. 

A Mummy Too does not offer medical advice, if you have any questions or concerns please speak to your health professional. 

Is cheesy leek and potato pie suitable for babies and toddlers?

This cheesy leek and potato pie is suitable for all the family. As long as babies are over 6 months old and comfortably eating solid foods, you can serve them a small portion of this pie.

Make sure to cut up the potatoes into small manageable pieces for them, and allow their food to cool well before feeding as this will be very hot when it comes out of the oven.

The NHS has some super resources and guidance on feeding little ones, and if you need further help please speak to a healthcare professional. 

What goes well with cheesy leek and potato pie?

This pie is packed with potatoes and veggies so is a meal contained in one. If you like you could serve your pie with some steamed carrots and broccoli or some leafy greens. 

I haven’t got new potatoes, can I use a different type?

I love using new potatoes in this recipe as they are small, and theres usually no need to peel them, the skins adding a little texture to the pie.

That said, if you don’t have new potatoes you can use any other kind really, give them a good scrub and leave the skins on if you like, or peel if you prefer.

Any large potatoes will need to be cut down to roughly 4cm (1.5inch) pieces. You can also use different veggies instead of potato, cauliflower, or broccoli work well, they will only need to be parboiled for 5 minutes. 

Can I add extra veg to my cheesy leek and potato pie?

The pie is already jam packed so you won’t be able to add more veg without substituting something out. The easiest way to have more veggies with this meal would be to serve them on the side. 

How should I store cheesy leek and potato pie?

Any leftovers should be cooled and kept in the fridge, or freezer. Carefully transfer the pie filling into a suitable container, and then replace the pastry lid on top. 

How long does cheesy leek and potato pie keep?

This pie will keep for up to 4 days in the fridge, or if you’ve frozen some on the day of making it will keep for up to 2 months in the freezer. 

Can I leave cheesy leek and potato pie out on the counter?

No, other than for serving and cooling this pie should not be left out for any longer than 2 hours. It’s important to cool any leftovers and get them into the fridge as soon as you can. 

Can I make cheesy leek and potato pie ahead?

The fillings can be prepared in advice if you want to save time. Either earlier in the day, or the day before get all your filling elements made and combined.

If you have space in the fridge you can put the filling directly into your greased oven tray, if not use a suitable container to store the filling in the fridge until you’re ready to cook the pie.

When it’s time, finish off the pie with the pastry top and cook in a preheated oven as the recipe advises.

If you’ve decided to make your pie in this way bare in mind you won’t really be able to keep any leftovers as the filling will have been cooked twice already and it’s not a good idea to reheat food too many times. 

Can I keep cheesy leek and potato pie in the refrigerator?

Yes, any leftovers need to be kept in the fridge to help keep them fresh. Transfer your leftovers into a container or cover on a plate. 

Can I freeze cheesy leek and potato pie?

Yes, you can freeze any leftover pie, remove the pastry top, and put the filling into a container, putting the pastry back in on top. This will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. When you want to eat the pie it's a good idea to defrost it in the fridge the night before so you can heat it up without burning the pastry. 

What is the best way to reheat cheesy leek and potato pie?

The simplest way to reheat this pie would be to do it in the microwave, however this will lead to soggy pastry.

To reheat in the oven, preheat the oven to 180C/356F (160C fan/320F fan), if you’re heating up leftovers transfer them into your small oven dish so the filling doesn’t spread out too much, put the pastry back on top.

Cover with tin foil and heat in the oven for 15 minutes, at this point remove the tin foil and check how the pie is doing, return to the oven for a further 5 minutes to crisp up the pastry and finish heating up the filling. Make sure the food is piping hot before serving. 

Can I make cheesy leek and potato pie in a different quantity?

Yes, if you want to make more or less of this cheesy leek and potato pie then you can simply change the number of servings on the recipe card below which will automatically update the ingredients for you.

To change the servings click or hover over the number on the recipe card and a little slider will pop up that you can move up or down to get the amount you want to make. 

Can I make cheesy leek and potato pie in individual portions?

If you have enough small oven dishes then go right ahead and make individual pies if you like.

Before you fill your dishes check you’ll have enough pastry to fill them all as you may need extra depending on the size and shape of your dishes. 

Can I make cheesy leek and potato pie in a different tin/tray?

Any deep, medium oven dish will work just fine for this pie, I’ve used a metal roasting tray but you can use a ceramic or glass one, as long as it’s oven safe, well greased and the pastry will cover it. 

How can I make sure my cheesy leek and potato pie is perfectly cooked?

Before the pie goes into the oven, make sure you’ve made a hole in the pastry to let out the steam, and given the top an egg wash to help create that lovely golden top. The pie should take about 30 minutes to cook to perfection, you can keep an eye on it through the oven door. 

Why did my cheesy leek and potato pie turn out dry and burnt?

Assuming the ingredients for the filling have all been added in the correct amounts the pie has probably been left in the oven too long, or the oven was too hot.

Or if the pastry isn’t sealed around the tray properly too much steam will be able to escape, which will dry out the filling.

Next time, make sure to crimp around the edge of the pie with a fork to create a good seal and make a single hole in the middle of the pastry to allow the pressure of the steam to escape, without releasing all the moisture.

If you find things are burning a lot in your oven it may be worth getting an oven thermometer so you can check the actual temperature in the oven and adjust accordingly. Setting a timer for a little less than the time on the recipe is also a good idea so you can check on the pie before it's too late. 

Why did my cheesy leek and potato pie turn out wet and soggy?

If the oven isn’t hot enough when the pie goes in the pastry will just sweat and not crisp up. Next time make sure to preheat the oven so the pastry can cook properly.

Why did my dish taste bland?

Did you include the garlic? This is a simple comforting recipe that to some palettes may be a little mild.

You can increase the seasoning in the sauce as you’re cooking, remember if cooking for little ones not to add salt at this stage, adults can add it at the table if they like. 

How can I add/change the flavours in this dish?

I love the leek and potato combination with cheesy sauce, but you can play around with different veggies, why not try broccoli and cauliflower. I used the classic cheese Primula but you could try using one of the different flavours to add another level to your pie.

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