Leek Pancetta Pasta

4.34 from 6 votes

This Leek Pancetta Pasta is a healthy weeknight dinner! It's prepared with sautéed leeks, spinach, lemon, and made without heavy cream.

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Diet: Gluten Free

Keyword: pancetta leek pasta, pancetta spinach pasta, leek pasta no cream

Servings:

Calories: 554kcal

Author: Christine Rooney

Ingredients

4 cloves garlic
2 large leeks yields 2-3 cups sliced
2 Tbsp. olive oil
4 oz. pancetta diced
2 packed cups spinach or hearty greens of choice
1 package gluten free penne pasta can use regular penne pasta if not gluten free
¼ cup low sodium chicken broth
1 lemon zest and juice
½ tsp. kosher salt split
¼ tsp. pepper
½ cup Parmesan cheese grated
fresh herbs such as basil or parsley for garnish optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For The Leeks:

To clean the leeks, remove any dirty or damaged outer layers from 2 large leeks.
Remove the hairy bottom portion and the fibrous, dark green leaves from the leeks and discard.
Cut the white/light green portion of the leeks into slices. Place the sliced leeks into a bowl of cold water and shake the bowl to remove any excess dirt. Allow the leeks to soak for a minute or two.
Drain the leeks and place them onto a cloth towel or some paper towels to dry.

For The Pasta:

Prepare 1 package of gluten free short pasta (such as penne, rotini, or fusilli) (can use regular short pasta if not gluten free) and cook just until al dente.
Once the pasta is al dente, drain and rinse under cold water. This helps to keep the gluten free pasta from becoming mushy (rinsing under cold water is not necessary if using regular pasta).
Allow the pasta to sit in the strainer while preparing the rest of the dish.
Mince 4 cloves of garlic.
Roughly chop 2 packed cups of spinach (or hearty greens of choice, such as kale, Swiss chard, or arugula).
Place a large skillet on the stove top and heat to medium. Add 2 Tbsp. olive oil to the skillet. Once heated, add 3-4 oz. diced pancetta to the skillet. Sauté the pancetta for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. This will allow the pancetta to become crispy and helps to render any fat.
Once the pancetta is crispy, remove and set aside, keeping any rendered fat in the skillet.
Add the sliced leeks, along with ¼ tsp. kosher salt to the skillet and sauté over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The leeks should soften and caramelize a bit as they cook.
Add the minced garlic to the skillet after 10 minutes and sauté the garlic along with the leeks for 1-2 minutes, stirring often.
Add the drained and rinsed pasta to the skillet, along with the cooked pancetta, spinach (or hearty greens of choice), ¼ cup low sodium chicken broth, and ¼ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper. Stir all of these ingredients until combined.
Using a Microplane or small zester, add the zest of 1 lemon. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze all of the juice to the pasta, being careful not to get any of the seeds in the dish.
Add ½ cup of grated Parmesan cheese to the pasta (can sub Asiago or Pecorino Romano if desired). Stir all of these ingredients until completely combined and cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, or until the spinach has wilted down, the cheese melted, and the pasta heated through.
To Serve: Serve with some extra grated Parmesan cheese, lemon zest, and fresh herbs such as basil or parsley (optional).

Notes

Feel free to add a bit more chicken broth if you feel that the pasta is too dry.

Make sure to use a quality brand of gluten free pasta, such as Jovial, Tinkyada, or Barilla for best results. Gluten free pasta can easily become mushy, so it's important not to overcook it.

Diced bacon may be subbed for pancetta if needed.

Nutrition