Cheesy Leek and Spinach Pasta

4.10 (32)
⏱ 35 mins 🍽 Serves 4 🌶 mediterranean ✅ Easy 🏷 Main course

This Mediterranean main course is the ultimate comfort food. Penne pasta is tossed in a rich, creamy sauce made with crème fraîche, wholegrain mustard, Danish blue cheese, and sundried tomatoes. The sauce is packed with softened leeks and fresh baby spinach, creating a hearty and flavourful dinner for four that is ready in just 35 minutes.

Cheesy Leek and Spinach Pasta

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

Method

  1. Combine the butter and oil in a large pan and melt them together. Add the sliced leeks and a splash of hot water. Cover the pan and cook, stirring now and then, for about 10 minutes until the leeks have softened.
  2. As the leeks cook, boil the penne in salted water following the packet directions. To the leeks, add the crème fraîche, sundried tomatoes, mustard and three-quarters of the blue cheese. Season generously and stir until the cheese has melted, then remove the pan from the heat.
  3. Drain the cooked pasta, keeping some of the cooking water. Transfer the pasta into the sauce and mix, adding a little of the reserved water so the sauce clings to the pasta. Mix in the spinach leaves a handful at a time until they wilt, adding more water if necessary. Finally, scatter over the remaining cheese and serve.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories808 kcal
Fat35 g
Saturates18 g
Carbs103 g
Fibre9 g
Protein27 g
Sodium812 mg
Salt2 g

Recipe details

Skill levelEasy
CategoryMain course
Cuisinemediterranean
DietVegetarian