Bacon Leek Pasta

4.46 from 24 votes

This Bacon Leek Pasta is a creamy, comforting weeknight dinner made with crispy bacon, sweet leeks, and rigatoni tossed in a silky Parmesan sauce. It’s simple, satisfying, and ready in 30 minutes, perfect when you want something quick but still crave worthy.

Prep Time5

Cook Time25

Total Time30

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Keyword: bacon, bacon leek pasta, leek

Servings:

Calories: 682kcal

Author: Joanna Cismaru

Equipment

12-inch Cast Iron Skillet

Ingredients

12 ounce rigatoni uncooked, or pasta of your choice
6 slices bacon sliced into bite-sized pieces
2 large leeks cleaned and sliced thin
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
¾ cup heavy cream 35%+
½ cup parmesan cheese grated

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Reserve a cup of pasta water. Drain and set aside.
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 tablespoon of the bacon fat in the skillet and discard the rest.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the leaks to the skillet. Season with salt and ¼ teaspoon 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.
Add the cooked pasta, Parmesan cheese, bacon, ½ 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 ½ cup of pasta water, or as much as needed.
Garnish with some fresh parsley and serve while warm.

Video

Notes

Cook the pasta al dente to keep it from getting mushy when tossed with the sauce.
Save at least 1 cup of pasta water, it’s essential for loosening the sauce and keeping it silky.
Clean leeks thoroughly, they hide grit in every layer.
Use freshly grated Parmesan for the best flavor and a smooth, creamy sauce.

Nutrition