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    Hungry Healthy Happy » Recipes » Pasta

    Creamy Leek Pasta

    Published: Mar 13, 2020 · Modified: Jan 30, 2023 by Dannii · This post may contain affiliate links · 26 Comments

    398 shares
    • 192
    Jump to Recipe
    Diet: Vegetarian
    Creamy Leek Pasta with a text title overlay.

    A creamy pasta dish is total comfort food and this one couldn't be easier. Just 5 ingredients go in to making this creamy leek sauce, which goes perfect on top of pasta, or even mashed potatoes. Creamy Leek Pasta is a great way to make use of the, in my opinion, underused leek, and something a little bit different for pasta night.

    Creamy Leek Pasta in a pink bowl next to a bowl of salad and a dish of roasted mushrooms.

    I love leeks, and I always forget how much I love them. I don't think they get enough love in the recipe website world, and we are trying to change them. Using them in a pasta sauce is such a simple way to include them more in your diet.

    Jump to:
    • Why you will love it
    • Step by step
    • Creamy sauce
    • How to prepare leeks
    • Ways to adapt it
    • Serving suggestions
    • Extra tips
    • More pasta recipes
    • Recipe
    • Feedback

    Why you will love it

    • Just 5 ingredients
    • Can be used on pasta, potatoes, steak or salmon
    • A new way to use leeks

    Step by step

    One: Put the pasta in a pan of boiling water and cook for 12 minutes.

    A saucepan with linguine cooking in it.

    Two: Put some oil it a pan and add the leeks. Gently cook on a very low heat for 5-7 minutes, until softened.

    A frying pan with leeks cooking in it.

    Three: Add the garlic, mustard, creme friache and cheese to the pan.

    A frying pan with cooked leeks, a dollop of creme fraiche, grated cheese and some mustard.

    Four: Stir well and cook on a very low heat for a further minute.

    A creamy leek sauce cooking in a frying pan.

    Five: Drain the pasta and stir in to the sauce.

    Creamy leek pasta cooking in a frying pan.

    Creamy sauce

    I mean, the recipe is really all about the sauce. And what a sauce it is! Low and slow cooked leeks mixed with plenty of garlic, mustard, creme friache and cheddar. It's creamy, has a bit of a punch from the mustard and plenty of kick from the garlic. It really is everything you could want from a creamy sauce.

    We have used reduced fat creme fraiche, however you could use full fat, or even cream if you wanted to. We also used a reduce fat cheddar, but you could swap the cheddar for mozzarella or Parmesan, or even a mixture of them.

    How to prepare leeks

    It's really easy to prepare and cut up a leek, so don't be put off doing it. Simply chop off the root end, and most of the green stem (these can be kept to make stock with).

    Cut the leek in half lengthways, and then each in half again until you have 4 long quarters. Slice them all up and then rinse them in water to make sure you have all the dirt off. Drain them and pat dry to get the excess water off.

    Leek linguine in a creamy sauce.

    Ways to adapt it

    We love a recipe that you can adapt, and this one is exactly that. You could add some chopped mushrooms (a mixture of types) to the leeks for extra flavour and texture. You could even add some small diced chicken breast, but note that cooking times would vary.

    We added a sprinkling of parsley at the end, however fresh chives or dill would work too. You could even add a sprinkle of red chilli flakes for some heat.

    Serving suggestions

    We went with linguine, as it's a classic, and the creamy leek sauce clings really well to it. But, you could use any of your favourite pasta shapes.

    You don't have to serve this with pasta, it is equally delicious spooned over some homemade mashed potato. We have also used it as a topped for steak and grilled chicken breast, and I might try it on grilled salmon next too. So many options!

    A plate of leek pasta

    FAQs

    Can leek pasta be reheated?

    Whilst I would always recommend cooking from fresh, especially when it is as quick and easy as this dish, if you have made too much and want to reheat it the next day, then you can.
    Put it in a pan on a very low heat and heat through until piping hot. You might want to add a tiny bit of water to loosen it a little.

    heart icon

    Extra tips

    • Add some extra flavour and texture by putting some mushrooms in the pan with the leeks.
    • You can use a mixture of cheeses like cheddar, parmesan and mozzarella.
    • Don't throw away the parts of the leek that you cut up - these can be used to make stock.

    More pasta recipes

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      Easy Smoked Salmon Pasta
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      Cheesy Broccoli Pasta Bake
    • A bowl of mac and cheese next to a bowl of salad leaves and some bread sticks.
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    If you’ve tried this leek pasta, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
    Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.

    Recipe

    Creamy Leek Pasta in a pink bowl topped with chopped herbs.

    Creamy Leek Pasta

    By: Dannii
    A creamy pasta dish is total comfort food. This one couldn't be easier. Just 5 ingredients go to making this creamy leek sauce, which is great with pasta.
    An illustration of a v-shaped plant.
    Vegetarian
    4.50 from 51 votes
    Pin Print Save recipe Recipe saved!
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: British, Italian
    Prep: 3 minutes mins
    Cook: 12 minutes mins
    Total: 15 minutes mins
    Servings: 2 servings
    Calories: 452kcal
    Allergens:
    An illustration of a carton of milk.
    Dairy
    An illustration of two ears of wheat.
    Gluten
    An illustration of a mustard bottle.
    Mustard
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 140 g (5 oz) Linguine
    • 1 tablespoon Olive oil
    • 2 Leeks - large; thinly sliced
    • 3 Garlic clove - crushed
    • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
    • 50 g (0.5 cups) Mature light cheddar
    • 150 ml (0.66 cups) Reduced fat creme fraiche

    Instructions

    • Put 140 g Linguine in a pan of boiling water and cook for 12 minutes.
    • Heat 1 tablespoon Olive oil in a pan and add 2 Leeks. Gently cook on a very low heat for 5-7 minutes, until softened.
    • Add 3 Garlic clove, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 150 ml Reduced fat creme fraiche and 50 g Mature light cheddar to the pan and stir well.
    • Cook on a very low heat for a further minute.
    • Drain the pasta and stir in to the sauce.

    Notes

    • Add some extra flavour and texture by putting some mushrooms in the pan with the leeks.
    • You can use a mixture of cheeses like cheddar, parmesan and mozzarella.
    • Don't throw away the parts of the leek that you cut up - these can be used to make stock.

    Nutritional Information

    Serving: 1portion | Calories: 452kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 279mg | Potassium: 334mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1535IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 179mg | Iron: 3mg
    DisclaimerThe nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Candace Stanley

      March 03, 2022 at 11:42 am

      5 stars
      Great recipe I make t this all of the time .I do add different vegetables and still works well

      Reply
    2. Nick

      June 03, 2021 at 6:45 pm

      This is seriously tasty and so easy. It just so happened that I had some leeks and the right amount of creme friache to use up. I used tagliatelle and added mushrooms as suggested because I love mushrooms! This recipe is very similar to one that make with asparagus.

      Reply
      • Dannii

        June 04, 2021 at 9:11 am

        So glad you enjoyed it :)

        Reply
    3. Jen

      March 15, 2020 at 1:48 pm

      5 stars
      I decided to take your advice and add mushrooms and chicken and it was delicious! My entire family cleaned thier plates at dinner.

      Reply
    4. Danielle

      March 15, 2020 at 1:22 pm

      5 stars
      Creamy and delicious - just the way a good pasta recipe should be. Excited to get everything I need for this recipe and give it a go!

      Reply
    5. Emmeline

      March 15, 2020 at 11:25 am

      5 stars
      I never thought to make a leek pasta sauce - I just use leeks as an ingredient in a regular pastas sauce. But my, what a great idea!! Especially paired with cheddar ;)

      Reply
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