As the weather is getting colder and the days are getting shorter, I’ve been craving comfort food more and more. This bacon leek pasta is comfort in a bowl or what I like to call a hug in a bowl. There is something so flavorful about the combination of bacon and leeks. I love it in everything from quiche to soup.
But, I came up with this specific recipe by accident. One morning, I was planning on making a bacon and leek quiche. But when it was time to start cooking, it was pretty late. I was hungry and didn’t feel like waiting for a quiche to cook, so I had some yogurt and fruit and called it a day. When I went to make dinner that evening, I didn’t have much else in the fridge except for bacon, leeks, heavy cream and some Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. I then checked the pantry and had a box of pasta. I love everything else bacon and leek so why not try a bacon and leek pasta? It can’t be that bad?
Not only was it not that bad, it was delicious! I love this meal so much that it has become one of my go-to’s for a pick-me-up meal. It just makes the day better!
So, whether you have had a bad day or just craving something super flavorful, you should definitely try this bacon and leek pasta!
Bacon & Leek Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 6 slices of thick-cut bacon sliced (applewood smoked is my go-to choice)
- 1 bunch of leeks about 2-4, cleaned and sliced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 lb pasta
- chopped fresh basil optional topping
Instructions
- Fill a large pasta pot or sauce pot 3/4 of the way with water and add enough salt to "salt it like the ocean." Cover and heat on high heat until boiling.
- In a large saute pan, skillet or braiser, heat the olive oil and bacon on medium-high heat. Cook the bacon until it starts to turn brown but not crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the leeks to the pan and cook for a couple of minutes until cooked through.
- Add the cream and cooked bacon to the pan with the leeks. Stir and cook until the cream thickens. Add in the salt, Parmigianno-reggiano, and fresh ground pepper and stir.
- Meanwhile, add the pasta to the pot with boiling water and cook for 2 minutes less than what the instructions say on the packaging.
- Once the pasta is ready, add one full ladle of pasta water to the sauce (about 1/2 cup) and stir. Strain the pasta and add to the sauce. Cook in the sauce for one minute.
- Top with freshly ground pepper and chopped basil and serve.
