Best 4 Fresh Leek And Spinach Pasta Recipes

Unleash the flavors of spring with a delectable feast featuring fresh leeks and tender spinach, masterfully combined in a symphony of pasta perfection. Indulge in a culinary journey where vibrant colors and textures dance on your palate, creating a dish that is both visually stunning and utterly irresistible. From classic Italian recipes to innovative fusion creations, embark on an exploration of the best recipes that capture the essence of these seasonal delights. Prepare to be captivated by the tantalizing aromas and flavors that await you as you embark on this culinary adventure.

Here are our top 4 tried and tested recipes!

CHEESY LEEK & SPINACH PASTA

Cheesy leek & spinach pasta image

Comfort food at its best - penne with a blue cheese and tomato cream sauce with added vegetables

Provided by Good Food team

Categories Dinner, Main course

Time 35m

Number Of Ingredients 9

Ingredients

good knob of butter
1 tbsp olive oil
2 large leeks , total weight about 450g/1lb, thinly sliced
500g packets penne rigate or your favourite pasta shape
200ml tub crème fraîche
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
125g packet Danish blue cheese , roughly diced
8 sundried tomatoes in oil, drained and thinly sliced
225g bag baby spinach leaves

Steps:

Melt the butter with the oil in a large pan, tip in the leeks and splash in a little hot water. Cover and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes until no longer squeaky.
While the leeks are cooking, boil the penne in salted water according to the packet instructions. Meanwhile, tip the crème fraîche, sundried tomatoes and mustard into the leeks, add three-quarters of the cheese and season well. Stir until the cheese melts. Take off the heat.
Drain the pasta, reserving the cooking water. Tip the pasta into the sauce and stir, adding enough cooking water to make the sauce coat the pasta. Stir in the spinach, a big handful at a time, until it wilts, splashing in a little more water if needed. Toss in the remaining cheese and serve.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 808 calories, Fat 35 grams fat, SaturatedFat 18 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 103 grams carbohydrates, Fiber 9 grams fiber, Protein 27 grams protein, Sodium 2.03 milligram of sodium

SHRIMP, LEEK AND SPINACH RISOTTO

Shrimp, Leek and Spinach Risotto image

This is a great recipe!

Provided by MRSPETEL

Categories Main Dish Recipes Rice Risotto Recipes

Time 1h

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 11

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 cups Arborio rice
4 cups boiling vegetable broth
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 medium leek, chopped
1 fresh red chile pepper, chopped
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
½ pound small scallops
1 (14 ounce) bag fresh spinach leaves
½ red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Steps:

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Pour in the rice, and stir until the rice is coated in oil and has started to toast, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in one-third of the boiling vegetable broth; continue stirring until incorporated. Repeat this process twice more, stirring constantly. Incorporating the broth should take 15 to 20 minutes in all.
While you are cooking the rice, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a pan. Stir in the garlic, leeks, red chili, shrimp, and scallops. Cook until the seafood is just beginning to turn color. Add the red bell pepper and spinach; cook until the seafood is opaque. Combine with the rice, and season to taste with pepper.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 714.3 calories, Carbohydrate 108 g, Cholesterol 191.2 mg, Fat 10.2 g, Fiber 5.5 g, Protein 44.9 g, SaturatedFat 1.4 g, Sodium 804.7 mg, Sugar 5.5 g

CHEESY LEEK AND SPINACH PASTA

Cheesy Leek and Spinach Pasta image

BBCgoodfood.com recipe that jumped out at me while I was at the Dr's office. Photocopied it and then forgot about it. It comes from a November 2003 (The Dr's wife & I share recipes and she had left the magazine there by mistake.)

Provided by Manami

Categories Penne

Time 35m

Yield 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 13

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large leeks, total weight about 1lb, thinly sliced
16 ounces penne rigate or 16 ounces your favourite pasta
6 3/4 ounces creme fraiche or 6 3/4 ounces sour cream
1 tablespoon coarse grain mustard
4 3/8 ounces danish blue cheese, roughly diced
8 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and thinly sliced
7 7/8 ounces baby spinach leaves
salt, to taste
fresh coarse ground black pepper, to taste
crushed red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)
chopped pistachio nut (to garnish)

Steps:

Melt the butter with the oil in a large pan, put in the leeks and splash in a little hot water.
Cover and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes until no longer squeaky.
While the leeks are cooking, boil the penne in salted water according to the packet instructions.
Meanwhile, add the creme fraiche and mustard into the leeks, add three-quarters of the cheese and season well.
Stir until the cheese melts.
Season the leeks mixture with salt and pepper, to taste.
Take off the heat.
Drain the pasta, reserving the cooking water.
Pour the pasta into the sauce and stir, adding enough cooking water to make the sauce coat the pasta.
Add crushed red pepper flakes, if using.
Stir in the spinach, a big handful at a time, until it wilts, splashing in a little more water if needed.
Toss in the remaining cheese and serve.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 831, Fat 38.7, SaturatedFat 21.4, Cholesterol 104.1, Sodium 566.4, Carbohydrate 96.9, Fiber 6, Sugar 4.2, Protein 25.1

FRESH LEEK AND SPINACH PASTA

Fresh Leek and Spinach Pasta image

This is a do-it-yourself pasta sauce, which I consider really versatile. I use whatever is on hand, but my preference is to at minimum have leeks and spinach, hence the title! Add more of whatever you like, omit what you don't. Throw in something new! I'd love to hear what you think and what kinds of tweaks you make to it. I'm posting the way I most recently had it, but the wild leek pesto is a rare treat, it's available to me only in the spring at the farmers' market. I usually don't add any pesto in, but now that I've tried it, I might experiment with others to see what works (arugula might be nice!) Sometimes I add tuna, or slices of the sun-dried tomato tofurky sausages for some protein.

Provided by Cyllene

Categories Spinach

Time 30m

Yield 2 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 leek
1/2 red pepper
1 small med-hot bell pepper, stuffed with
cream cheese
2 sun-dried tomatoes, in oil, sliced
10 kalamata olives, halved
10 grape tomatoes, halved
1/3 bunch spinach, stems removed
1 piece feta cheese (~1x1x2-inch)
180 g whole wheat pasta, short broad noodles
2 tablespoons wild leek pesto sauce

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.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 536.1, Fat 18, SaturatedFat 2.5, Sodium 304.2, Carbohydrate 85.8, Fiber 5.2, Sugar 4.9, Protein 17.3

Tips:

Choose fresh, high-quality ingredients: The freshness and quality of your ingredients will greatly impact the taste of your dish. Look for leeks and spinach that are vibrant in color and free of blemishes.
Wash your leeks thoroughly: Leeks can trap dirt and grit between their layers, so it's important to wash them thoroughly before using them. Cut off the root end and any tough outer leaves, then rinse the leeks under cold water, separating the layers to ensure all the dirt is removed.
Don't overcook the leeks and spinach: Both leeks and spinach cook quickly, so be careful not to overcook them. Overcooked leeks can become tough and stringy, while overcooked spinach can lose its vibrant color and nutrients.
Use a flavorful cheese: The cheese you use in your pasta dish will add a lot of flavor, so choose one that you enjoy. A sharp cheddar, Parmesan, or Gruyère are all good options.
Season your pasta water: Adding salt to your pasta water helps to season the pasta as it cooks. You can also add a bay leaf or two for extra flavor.
Serve immediately: Pasta is best served immediately after it's cooked. If you need to hold it for a short time, toss it with a little olive oil to prevent it from sticking together.

Conclusion:

This fresh leek and spinach pasta is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that's perfect for a weeknight meal. With its vibrant colors and flavors, it's sure to be a hit with the whole family. So next time you're looking for a quick and tasty pasta recipe, give this one a try!