Bacon Leek Pasta

4.44 from 23 votes

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!

Prep Time5

Cook Time25

Total Time30

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Keyword: bacon, bacon leek pasta, leek

Servings:

Calories: 684kcal

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: 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.
Make the sauce: 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.
Finish the dish: 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 and serve: Garnish with some fresh parsley and serve while warm.

Notes

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.
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.

Nutrition