It has been a (cough) few years since I was in college, but I still have memories of a pasta I enjoyed from a local restaurant in town. The restaurant had some sort of 50s theme but a pasta with bacon and parsley was hiding out on the menu of burgers and fries. When I had cash at the beginning of the quarter I'd make sure to get my fix of this favorite meal. This Melted Leek and Bacon Pasta is my attempt at recreating the dish and I think I made it even better at home!
The flavors here are so good. Smoky and salty bacon does some heavy lifting, but the slow-cooked leeks add sweet and savory notes of their own. I love the parsley in there as a fresh counter to the rich pasta. Parsley and bacon make a great pairing that you'll see featured in the Baked Goat Cheese Dip, too. This pasta all comes together pretty quickly for a weeknight meal, but tastes fancy enough for company.
Looking for another great weeknight-friendly pasta dish? Try this Instant Pot Creamy Pesto Chicken Spaghetti, Boursin and pasta, Miso Mushroom Pasta, Chorizo Chicken Pasta, or this Angel Hair Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes next!
Ingredients and Preparation
A group of pretty simple ingredients combine to make a pretty special dinner here. There's nothing too fancy to buy, I get everything from my local supermarket. Before cooking, prep the leeks, garlic, parsley, and bacon. Leeks can have a good amount of sandy grit, so slice them vertically and give them a good rinse under the faucet before slicing them crosswise into half moons. Mince the garlic and chop the bacon into small chunks.
To make this meal in about 30 minutes, get the water boiling in a large pot ASAP. Once the spaghetti is cooked, reserve a quarter cup of pasta water and drain the rest. While that is cooking, start the bacon in a large skillet. I like to cook over medium heat so that the bacon doesn't get too dark. Transfer the cooked bacon to some paper towels to drain and add the leeks to the bacon fat. We are going for a confit-style of cooking for the leeks. Keep the heat at medium-low or even low to prevent them from actually browning. They will soften and smell heavenly after about 15 minutes. Add the garlic in for the last couple of minutes and I predict you will have more than one kitchen visitor stop in and ask what's for dinner. The aroma of bacon, garlic, and leeks is intoxicating!
Remove most of the fat from the pan once the leeks are done. This oil is a flavor bomb, find a way to use it to cook something else! Shrimp or chicken pieces would be so, so good. Leave about one generous tablespoon in there to coat the pasta and then add back in the reserved bacon, pasta, parsley, and pasta water. Use tongs to toss things around until all of the ingredients coat the pasta. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to your taste. I like a lot of black pepper in this dish. Your Melted Leek and Bacon Pasta is ready for the table!
Serving Melted Leek and Bacon Pasta
I often just bring the whole skillet to the table to serve this. Don't forget to bring the Parmesan, extra parsley, and the pepper mill too! All of those little additions over the top of a pile of this pasta make it extra in the best way. This pasta needs to be served right after you make it, don't let any table stragglers slow you down. I serve it with a salad for virtue points. Leftovers reheat well as long as the pasta doesn't dry out.
Try it and Share
I hope you try this Melted Leek and Bacon Pasta and enjoy the recipe as much as I do. I want to see your results! Tag your photo with #planeatpostrepeat and mention me @planeatpostrepeat on Instagram. I can give you a virtual high five and thank you for cooking one of my recipes! Comment below with any questions and please leave a review so others can find this recipe more easily.
Are you looking for more easy weeknight pasta meals? Try my Lemon Ricotta Shells for a vegetarian option, or some Pressure Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup for some cold-weather comfort.
Recipe
Melted Leek and Bacon Pasta
Ingredients
- 12 oz. bacon (diced)
- 2 cups leeks (5½ - 6 ounces, sliced in half moons)
- 1 pound spaghetti (linguine or any other long pasta)
- ½ cup parsley (chopped, plus extra for garnish)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper (ground)
- 2 oz Parmesan cheese (grated)
Instructions
- Start a pot of salted water to boil and cook spaghetti. Reserve ¼ cup of pasta water and drain the pasta.
- While the pasta water is coming to a boil, start the rest of the recipe. Chop the bacon and get that started while you prep the rest of the vegetables.
- Brown the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until golden. Take care not to let the bacon burn.
- Remove the bacon from the skillet and drain over paper towels. Add the leeks to the bacon grease and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes.
- Allow the leeks to soften but avoid any caramelization. Add the garlic for the last 2 minutes of cooking.
- Remove most of the bacon fat, reserving about one tablespoon. Add the reserved bacon and pasta to the skillet. Toss the pasta with the parsley and reserved pasta water until all ingredients are well combined. Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve with additional parsley and top with Parmesan cheese.
Notes
Nutrition facts are sometimes provided below and are calculated using an online calculator. With specific brands of ingredients and additions, omissions, or substitutions the nutrition facts may change. We encourage you to use your own nutrition facts calculator to obtain the most accurate nutrition facts for your meal.
Nutrition Facts
Cassie Waltman says
This pasta is so savory and comforting for a hearty meal!