This Roasted Leek and Bacon Pasta is a delicious and different pasta dish. The roasted leeks are sweet yet savory with a mild onion flavor, which perfectly pairs with the salty bacon.
This leek and bacon pasta dish is perfect for those who want a fantastic meal without spending too much time in the kitchen. It is a delicious, quick-to-make dish that the whole family will love.
An aromatic blend of leeks, bacon, spaghetti, and a generous helping of cheese makes this one a surefire hit for any occasion. It is easy to whip up and requires minimal ingredients, perfect for busy weeknights or impressing dinner guests alike.
Best bacon for pasta
This delicious pasta depends on bacon! When it cooks, it releases all of its gorgeous bacony fats. This oil is part of the sauce for the pasta, coating everything in bacony goodness.
Avoid turkey bacon or trimmed bacon eyes because you want bacon with a higher fat content. Typically, grocery store back-bacon works well for this.
You want to cook the bacon over medium-high heat to allow the fat to render off and the bacon to crisp up nicely.
How to roast leeks
When leeks are roasted in the oven, they become sweet and caramelized. To roast leeks, you'll need to prep them first by trimming off the root end and the dark green top. Slice leeks into ½-inch rounds and place them on a baking sheet.
Toss the leeks lightly in olive oil and season them with salt and pepper Roast for 20-25 minutes at 350°F/180ºC until they are softened inside and a little crispy on the edges.
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The gift of the pasta cooking water
Ah, the magical ingredient that is pasta cooking water! If you're a regular reader of my pasta recipes, you'll know that I can't stop raving about it. But for those who are first stumbling onto this site for the first time (hi), what makes this seemingly ordinary liquid so enchanting?
As pasta bubbles away in its hot bath, it generously shares some of its starchy essence with the water. This transforms the once-plain water into a versatile culinary wizard capable of thickening your sauce, giving it a glossy sheen, and reducing the need for extra oil or cream. How you ask? It's all due to its mystical power of creating an extraordinary emulsion of oil and water, enveloping your pasta in a velvety-smooth blanket of deliciousness that marries pasta and sauce flawlessly. So say goodbye to those sad pools of sauce at the bottom of your bowl, and behold the magic of pasta cooking water!
Serving Suggestions:
Side: For this roasted leek and bacon pasta, serve a crisp green vegetable like steamed broccoli or green beans. Drizzle them with extra virgin olive oil, some course sea salt, and a grinding of black pepper.
Wine: Generally, leeks don't pair well with red wines; however, after they have been roasted, the smoky flavor can take a light red wine like Pinot Noir. This also works fabulously with the bacon and would be our first choice. A Grenache would be a close second.
We suggest a Sauvignon Blanc or a good Pinot Grigio if you are in the mood for white wine.
As a great and fun alternative, pair this bacon and leek pasta with a cider, which will compliment the bacon and leeks splendidly.
Enjoy x
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Get the Recipe
Roasted Leek and Bacon Pasta
Ingredients
For the leeks
- 2 leeks
- 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper
For the sauce
- 8 oz bacon
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon butter
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
For the pasta
- 10 oz spaghetti
- 1 tablespoon salt
- ¼ cup parmesan, grated
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF/180ºC.
Start by prepping the leeks.
- Cut the root end and the dark green end off the leeks.2 leeks
- Remove the outer strips of the leek and then cut them into half-inch thick rounds.
- Add them to a roasting tin and drizzle with the extra virgin olive oil.3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Season with salt and black pepper, then roast for 25-30 minutes until tender.
While the leeks are roasting, cook the pasta and the bacon.
For the bacon
- Cut the bacon into small pieces and add it to a large non-stick skillet with olive oil.8 oz bacon1 tablespoon olive oil
- Cook over medium-high heat until cooked and starting to crisp.
- Add the butter and the parsley and remove from the heat.2 tablespoon butter½ teaspoon dried parsley
Cook the pasta
- Bring a large pan of water to a boil, then add the salt.1 tablespoon salt
- Add the spaghetti and cook for 1 minute less than the packet suggests.10 oz spaghetti
- Once the pasta is cooked, reserve a cup of the pasta cooking water and then drain the pasta.
- Once you have drained the pasta (and reserved the cooking water), add the pasta and ½ cup of the cooking water to the bacon and butter mixture and stir over high heat until well combined and emulsified. Add extra cooking water if needed.
- Stir in the cooked leeks, taste, and add more salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve with fresh parmesan.¼ cup parmesan, grated
Nutrition
Nutrition is per serving
Lisa says
The simple sauce and leeks added to pasta made an easy dinner last night. It even tasted great today as a leftover for lunch.
GRETA says
This was interesting yet delicious. It was my first time having leek in my pasta, but it was surprisingly delicious. Definitely doing this again.
Elizabeth S says
I love how simple this recipe is... tons of flavor, rich, feels like a classic from grandma's. Will make again.
Gina says
I seldom think to roast leeks. They were delicious that way in this pasta!
Claire McEwen says
Oh So happy you enjoyed it Gina
🙂
Cx
Sharina says
Can't get enough of this leek and bacon pasta! Love to have this served with fried chicken! So impressive!