Best Cheesy Leek And Spinach Pasta Recipes

FRESH LEEK AND SPINACH PASTA

Steps:

• Slice up the light green sections of the leeks. Use as much as possible, it will cook down quite a bit! Put into a colander and rinse the sand/dirt off.
• Slice the red pepper into long thin slices.
• I get these nice little stuffed peppers from the deli/olive bar. Squeeze the cream cheese out and set aside. Cut the hot pepper into small bits (~ 1/2 cm x 1/2 cm).
• Get enough water into one pot for the pasta and start bringing to a boil. (Add salt to water and pasta once it's boiling).
• In the meantime, heat a nonstick fry pan (that will be large enough for the full 2 servings of pasta) over med-high heat.
• Add olive oil to the pan and heat.
• Add the leeks and red pepper. Saute for about 3 minutes.
• Add the hot pepper. Saute another 5 minutes. The leeks should just start to brown (but don't burn them!).
• While sauteeing, add the spinach to the colander and rinse.
• Toss the sun-dried tomatoes and the olives in with the leeks. (If adding meatless sausage or tuna, this would be a good time to add it, too).
• Reduce the heat to med-low and saute for another couple of minutes.
• Add the reserved cream cheese and mix all together. Add the tomatoes.
• Once the pasta is cooked, pour gently over the spinach and drain.
• Crumble the feta cheese into the vegetables.
• Add half pasta to pan. Add pesto and stir.
• Add rest of pasta/spinach to pan. (If I'm not using pesto, I usually drizzle another tbsp of olive oil in at this point).
• Adjust to low heat. Cover and heat for 2 minutes.
• Stir everything together and serve.

CHEESY LEEK & PASTA BAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200°C.
• Cook pasta according to package directions. Steam leeks until just tender over the boiling pasta.
• Put shells in a buttered casserole dish. Top with the leeks and season lightly with salt & pepper. Sprinkle the chopped parsley and thyme over the top.
• Put milk in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add cheeses and stir to melt. If sauce seems a bit thin, you can thicken it by adding the 2tsp cornstarch to 2 Tbsp water and adding this mixture to the milk & cheese mixture and cook until thickened.
• Pour the sauce over the leeks and top with the breadcrumbs. Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly and golden.

CHEESY PASTA, LEEK AND BACON BAKE

Steps:

• Cook the pasta in boiling water until al-dente and drain.
• Meanwhile saute the leeks, bacon and mushrooms in a pan until soft and cooked. Put to one side. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Melt the butter in a pan and add the garlic clove taking care not to let it.
• start to burn. Add the flour bit by bit to create a roux (paste).
• Bit by bit add the milk stirring all the time (you might want to change to a whisk) until you have a smooth white sauce. Add 3/4 of the grated cheese and the mustard and stir until melted.
• Stir the leek mixture and the cooked pasta into the cheese sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Pour into a baking dish, top with the remaining cheese and sliced tomatoes and spinkle with herbs.
• Bake in the oven for 20-30 mintues until hot and bubbling.

EASY PASTA BAKE WITH LEEK AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain.
• Bring a second large pot of lightly salted water to a boil and cook leek for 2 minutes while penne is cooking. Drain well.
• Preheat oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). Grease a baking dish with some butter.
• Heat cream and butter in a saucepan over low heat until hot. Whisk in Emmentaler cheese until melted. Season with salt and pepper. Mix cooked penne and leek and add to the prepared baking dish. Pour cheese sauce on top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.