I was in the mood for some pasta but wanted something a little different so I made this BLT Pasta Bake with some Leeks. Very similar to Mac and Cheese and packed full of flavor. And by the way, the "L" in "BLT" stands for Leeks, not Lettuce.
This pasta bake recipe is pretty simple to make. The only challenge you might face is if you've never worked with Leeks before. Don't worry though, it's a lot easier than you think.
🥬 How to Prepare Leeks
Trim off the roots and the coarse dark green part of the tops. Cut the leeks in half lengthways. Wash thoroughly. Slice to the desired size.
💭 What is Al Dente
When making pasta, it's important to cook the pasta al dente to ensure to best texture possible. If you are not familiar with the term "al dente", it means cooking the pasta so it's still chewy and firm and that it will hold its shape when the sauce is added to it.
🧀 Gruyère Substitutes
Gruyère Cheese can be pretty pricey depending on where you live. If you don't want to spend the money for just this pasta bake recipe you can substitute for a different kind of cheese. Just make sure it's a good melting cheese. And also remember it will change the overall flavor of this dish.
When I made this recipe to publish, I paid $4.88 for a 6 oz block. This recipe calls for 3 ½ cups of shredded gruyère cheese which is about 14 ounces since 1 ounce of shredded cheese equals about ¼ cup. You can do the math from here on.
I used elbow macaroni for this recipe because I always have a couple of boxes on hand and it's probably the one that most people are familiar with. That being said you can substitute for whatever kind of macaroni you want. Rotini (spiral) would be a good choice as it absorbs all the cheese sauce really well.
If you've ever wondered what part of the pig Bacon comes from check out the picture below. Surprised?
For more great recipes like this one, I suggest you check these recipes out:
📋 What Ingredients do I need
You will need the following ingredients to make this BLT Pasta Bake with Leeks recipe (see recipe card for quantities): Elbow Macaroni, Coarse Salt, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Bacon, Leeks, Ground Black Pepper, Unsalted Butter, All Purpose Flour, Cayenne Pepper, Paprika, Whole Milk, Low Sodium Chicken Broth, Gruyere Cheese, Dijon Mustard, Cherry Tomatoes and Bread Crumbs.
🥣 How to make BLT Pasta Bake with Leeks
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Refer to the times listed on the package.
Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and chopped bacon and cook until crisp.
Thinly slice the washed leeks into half-moons. Add the leeks to the bacon mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook the leeks until tender, about 3 to 4 minutes.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the butter and once melted add the flour, cayenne and paprika. Whisk together until it starts to bubble. Cook for one more minute.
Whisk in the milk and broth and bring to a boil then simmer, for about five minutes or until thickened.
Remove from the heat and whisk in 3 cups of the grated cheese and the mustard. Set aside.
Add the cherry tomatoes to the leeks and bacon mixture and continue to cook for two minutes. Remove from the heat and reserve.
Drain the pasta and add it back to the pot. Add the leek mixture and the cheese sauce to the pasta and mix until well combined. Salt and pepper to taste.
Transfer the pasta to a baking dish. Combine the remaining ½ cup of grated cheese with the breadcrumbs. Top the pasta with the breadcrumb mixture.
Place the dish under the broiler until the cheese melts and the breadcrumbs are brown.
BLT Pasta Bake with Leeks
Equipment
- Baking Dish
Ingredients
- 1 lb Elbow Macaroni
- Coarse Salt
- 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 8 slices Bacon, coarsely chopped
- 2 large Leeks, trimmed, split and washed
- Ground Black Pepper
- 3 tablespoon Unsalted Butter
- 3 tablespoon All Purpose Flour
- ½ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- 3 Cups Whole Milk
- 1 Cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth
- 3 ½ Cups Gruyere Cheese, divided
- 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
- 1 pint Cherry Tomatoes
- ¾ Cup Bread Crumbs
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Refer to the times listed on the package.
- Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and chopped bacon and cook until crisp.
- Thinly slice the washed leeks into half-moons. Add the leeks to the bacon mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook the leeks until tender, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the butter and once melted add the flour, cayenne and paprika. Whisk together until it starts to bubble. Cook for one more minute.
- Whisk in the milk and broth and bring to a boil then simmer, for about five minutes or until thickened.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in 3 cups of the grated cheese and the mustard. Set aside.
- Add the cherry tomatoes to the leeks and bacon mixture and continue to cook for two minutes. Remove from the heat and reserve.
- Drain the pasta and add it back to the pot. Add the leek mixture and the cheese sauce to the pasta and mix until well combined. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Transfer the pasta to a baking dish. Combine the remaining ½ cup of grated cheese with the breadcrumbs. Top the pasta with the breadcrumb mixture.
- Place the dish under the broiler until the cheese melts and the breadcrumbs are brown.
Nutrition
Nutritional information provided for this recipe is based on 1 serving. This information is an estimate and may vary based on several factors. If nutritional information is important to you and your diet, please verify this recipe with a Registered Dietitian.
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