Bacon and Leek Pasta Bake
This is a recipe for bacon and leek pasta bake, which is another one of my wife’s favourites. I make this for her when she needs cheering up – it never fails!!
Frying the bacon
Again it is another one of those great meals you can prepare upfront and pop in the oven when you need to cook it. A great recipe for dinner parties and the bacon/leek combination with cheese always pleases.
The breadcrumbs on the top give a delicious crispy topping in the oven.
The preparation time is quick and a little dependent on how many pans you like to have on the go at any one time.
I like to re-use a single frying pan, so it takes me a bit longer than it needs to, but you can prepare it quicker if you have the pans and do not mind the extra washing up!
Alternatively, if you have an air-fryer, which I did not have when I first wrote this recipe, you can pre-cook the bacon in there instead of frying it. This makes the recipe even easier!
Leeks and the Welsh
The Welsh people have a number of national emblems. The leek is one of them. As I drove East to West through Wales this week in the pouring rain I wondered whether it shouldn’t be ‘leak’ rather than ‘leek’! It was throwing it down!!
This link about the Leek will tell you a bit more about that if you are interested. The daffodil, the dragon and Prince of Wales Ostrich feathers are also well-known national Welsh symbols.
All of which you will see if you go and watch Wales play rugby live.
We think the leek goes better in this dish than the daffodil!
Softening the leeks
The benefits of Leeks
Leeks, a member of the Allium family, are a vegetable that can be enjoyed in a variety of dishes. From soups to salads, they add a distinct flavour to any meal. But besides their taste, there are several advantages to eating leeks.
Firstly, leeks are a great source of vitamins and minerals. They are particularly high in vitamins A and C, which can help to boost the immune system and protect against illness. They also contain a good amount of potassium, which is essential for maintaining healthy blood pressure levels.
Additionally, leeks are low in calories and high in fibre, making them a great food for weight loss or maintenance. The fibre in leeks can also help to keep you feeling full and satisfied, which can prevent overeating.
Another advantage of eating leeks is that they contain a unique compound called kaempferol, which has been linked to a reduced risk of chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease.
Lastly, leeks are versatile and easy to prepare. They can be boiled, roasted, sautéed, or even eaten raw in salads. Their mild flavour makes them a great addition to a variety of dishes, from omelettes to casseroles.
In conclusion, incorporating leeks into your diet can provide numerous health benefits while adding flavour and variety to your meals.
Which Pasta to use?
I normally use penne for this recipe, but find that fusilli also works well. But really you can use all types of pasta.
Bacon and leek pasta bake in a cheese sauce
Recently I had some Five Colours Conchiglie pasta leftover which I used up with this recipe. I used a lot of leeks and made plenty of cheese sauce and it turned out to be superb! It certainly had a lot more colour than using just penne.
Here are a few pictures:
The prepared ingredients, ready to mix
After adding the cheese sauce
The final colourful delicious result
Bacon and leek pasta bake
This creamy leek and bacon pasta bake is simple to make and uses an Alfredo type cheesy sauce, which coats the pasta beautifully.
The breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese on the top give it a lovely crispy chewy surface. The cheese sauce for the pasta really goes very well with the combination.
It is a bit like a baked mac and cheese with bacon and leeks added.
Delicious crispy breadcrumbed surface
Make sure that you use the right size dish for the amount of ingredients, so that you have enough of the creamy cheese sauce to cover the pasta/leeks/bacon.
The recipe amount below fills a 3-litre dish (approx. 100 fl. oz US) and will feed about 6-8 people (depending on how much you like to eat!)
Using leftover ham
This recipe is another good recipe for using up any leftover ham, if you have any, after Christmas or Thanksgiving.
Just replace the bacon in the recipe with ham. Or add both! I like to fry the ham in the pan a bit before adding it to the dish. The result looks pretty much the same as a penne version and tastes great. Here I used some macaroni pasta.
Using leftover ham in the recipe
Leek and ham pasta bake
This recipe is also a great meal prep recipe. You can make more than you need and keep the single portions in the fridge for a few days until you want to eat them.
Here I made a few days’ food with some separate portions for my daughter who is unfortunately fussy about leeks.
Meal prep. Note the portions without leeks and the mix of bacon and ham
I hope you enjoy making this recipe. It is one of our favourites. If you do, please let me know how you get on in the comments section below!
How to make this cheesy pasta bake recipe
Bacon and leek pasta bake recipe
A delicious creamy and cheesy leek and bacon pasta bake recipe. This never fails to please and the crispy topping makes it special.
Ingredients
- 220g streaky bacon (or leftover ham if you have some, chopped into pieces)
- 3 x large leeks, chopped
- 1 x 25 g butter for the leeks and 1 x 50g butter for sauce
- 2 x cloves garlic, minced
- 3 x heaped tbsp plain flour
- 150 g grated medium strength white cheddar cheese
- 800ml milk
- 350g dried pasta (fusilli, penne or whatever needs using up)
- powdered nutmeg to taste
- Salt & pepper
- 125ml x cream
- 2 x tbsp Philadelphia cream cheese
- Parmesan cheese, finely grated or flaked
- Breadcrumbs
Instructions
Prepare leeks and bacon
- Start by boiling a pan of water and then cook the pasta for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, sieve and run under the cold tap to stop it cooking further. Then set it aside in the baking dish.
- At the same time fry the bacon until the majority of fat has rendered and it is crispy (or cook it in the air-fryer until crispy). Then put it aside on a plate until cool, and chop into small 1cm size pieces and place in the baking dish.
- Before chopping the leeks make sure you have cleaned them properly by running a knife lengthways and running them under a cold tap to get rid of any dirt that may be inside them. Then chop them laterally into 1cm thick pieces. I use the leek up to about halfway up from the transition from white to green, so there is a mix of white and green.
- Next, melt 25g of butter in a pan and use it to sweat the leeks on a low heat until they are soft. Do not burn them. When done, add to the pasta and bacon.
Make the sauce
- At the same time make the white sauce: melt the 50g piece of butter in a saucepan and add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Then add the flour and mix together and cook for another minute.
- Then slowly add the milk bit by bit, whisking with a hand whisk to get rid of any lumps. Cook until it starts to get thick, then add the cheddar cheese to the sauce, stirring all the time. Finally add the cream, the cream cheese and the nutmeg, and season to taste, mixing all the time.
Combine
- Then mix all the contents of the baking dish and add the sauce to the contents and stir properly to make sure the sauce settles to the bottom and covers the pasta.
- Then cover the top with breadcrumbs, (not too much) and sprinkle the Parmesan on the top.
- The mix can now be covered with tin foil and put into the fridge until ready to cook. To cook, place uncovered in a pre-heated oven at 180C for 40 minutes or until the top is nicely browned and the sauce is bubbling away.
Notes
Put the hot dish in the middle of the table, take a big serving spoon and help yourself. But be quick as everyone will want the crispy bits on the top!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 509Total Fat: 34gSaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 96mgSodium: 867mgCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 22g
This nutrition information was automatically calculated by Nutritionix, but may not be 100% accurate.
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