Bacon Leek Pasta

This Bacon Leek Pasta is an incredibly easy 30 minute meal where the star of the dish really is the bacon and the leeks. Quick to make, perfect for a weeknight dinner, this pasta dish can also be as divers as you want it to be!

Creamy, rich, salty, savory, and packed full of pasta, what more could anyone want? I know that’s about it for me, I could just dive into a big bowl of this stuff and rest happy. The best part is it’ll be ready and on your table in just 30 minutes, packed full of flavor and so satisfying.

This pasta is perfect for when you’re feeling like a home made big bowl of comfort, but want some interesting flavor and dimension to your dinner. Just because a recipe is quick and satisfying doesn’t mean it has to be one dimensional! This dish combines mild and perfectly softened leeks, crispy bacon, and perfectly al dente rigatoni, delish!

What’s The Deal With Leeks?

Leeks are wonderful, so good for you and packed full of a beautifully mild onion flavor. They are great in sauces like this creamy, rich sauce, studded with crispy salty bacon. If you’ve never played around with leeks in your kitchen before, then allow me to introduce you to your new favorite week night dinner. Truth be told, I’m a leek freak. I love making omelettes with it, add it to sauces, soups, you name it.

This dish also is great for making ahead, just prepare the sauce whenever you’d like and store it in the fridge or freezer. I’ve included detailed instructions near the bottom of the page that details exactly how to do this. So let’s get into it!

Ingredients

Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.

• Pasta – Rigatoni, ideally we want a shaped pasta with lots of nooks and crannies for our sauce to cling to. However, feel free to use whatever you have in your pantry.
• Bacon – We’re using lots of bacon today, none of that pre cooked crumbled up stuff please.
• Leeks – Thinly sliced to be perfectly softened when we saute it.
• Cream – I used heavy cream but if you’d like to cut the fat feel free to choose a fat reduced variety.
• Cheese – Parmesan freshly grated.
• Seasoning – Salt and pepper to taste.

How To Make Bacon Leek Pasta

1. Cook the pasta: According to package instructions. Reserve a cup of pasta water. Drain and set aside.
2. Cook the bacon: Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it’s cooked to your preference. Remove the bacon from the skillet and transfer to a paper towel-line plate to soak up the fat. Reserve 1 tbsp of the bacon fat in the skillet and discard the rest.
3. Make the sauce: Reduce the heat to medium and add the leaks to the skillet. Season with salt and 1/4 tsp pepper and stir occasionally until they soften; about 3 minutes. Pour in the heavy cream and cook down for about 2 minutes or until slightly thickened.
4. Finish the dish: Add the cooked pasta, Parmesan, bacon, 1/2 cup of the pasta water, and remaining pepper to the skillet. Toss everything until the pasta is well coated. If the pasta starts getting too dry, keep in mind it will soak up that sauce as it start to cool a bit, add the remaining 1/2 cup of pasta water, or as much as needed.
5. Garnish and serve: Garnish with some fresh parsley and serve while warm.

Can’t Find Any Leeks?

Leeks have a mild onion flavor. They can be substituted with green onions (scallions) or white onions.

What To Serve With

This rich, creamy dish pairs beautifully with light and simple sides like salads and roasted veggies. This bacon leek pasta is completely satisfying on its own so if you’d rather just curl up on the couch with a big old bowl, I won’t stop you.

• Creamy Cucumber Salad
• Greek Salad
• Mediterranean Couscous Salad
• Kale And Quinoa Salad With Lemon Vinaigrette
• Tabbouleh Salad
• Italian Roasted Mushrooms And Veggies

Can I Use Other Types Of Pasta?

This dish will work with many other types of pasta if you have some in the pantry you’d like to use up. The name just says pasta for a reason, it’s good with anything! I like to use a shaped pasta so that there’s lots of ridges for the sauce to cling to but if regular old spaghetti is what you have lying around, don’t be afraid to use that instead!

Leftovers

Fridge

You can store this dish in an air tight shallow container in the fridge for 3 – 4 days. Just be sure to allow it to fully cool before placing it in the fridge.

Freezer

You can freeze this dish as well! Just hold off on adding the pasta till you’re ready to eat it. Freeze the sauce in a shallow airtight container once fully cooled. Allow to thaw overnight in the fridge before heating back up on the stove top and incorporating your pasta.

More Incredible Pasta Recipes To Try:

• Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Gnocchi
• Garlic and Parsley Butter Chicken with Gnocchi
• One Pot Chicken Florentine Gnocchi
• Chicken And Gnocchi Dumpling Soup
• One Skillet Ham And Cheese Gnocchi
• Pasta Alla Gricia
• Creamy Parmesan Orzo with Chicken and Asparagus