Pasta with Sausage and Leeks

Pasta with Sausage and Leeks is a fantastic pasta main dish! Just add a salad and some warm garlic bread for a complete meal.

We’ve been on a bit of an Italian kick around here lately. Although most Italian recipes I cook use tomato-based sauces, this one has not a tomato in sight anywhere. The combination of leeks, sausage and Parmesan made a fantastic dish! BeeBop had seconds.

The original version of this recipe came from an old issue of Fine Cooking magazine. I, of course, tweaked that old recipe to put my own touch on it and I think it turned out really great. I also think you could also sneak some tomatoes into the sauce and it wouldn’t suffer any, either :-)

Pasta with Sausage and Leeks is a fantastic pasta main dish! Just add a salad and some warm garlic bread for a complete meal. Click To Tweet

How to Make Pasta with Sausage and Leeks

Cook the Pasta

Put a large pot of generously salted water on to boil and cook the pasta while you prepare the sauce. I used campanelle but any short-cut pasta would work.

I just like the way the campanelle looks. It looks something like a lily, one of my favorite flowers.

Make the Sauce

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.

Cook the sausage, breaking it up with a spoon or potato masher, until it’s golden in color; about 5 minutes.

Speaking of breaking up Italian sausage…you know the way ground beef crumbles so nicely and easily when you cook it? Well, Italian sausage does not cooperate in any way, shape or fashion like that. And, well, dadgum it, I want my sausage crumbled, so I just get in there with a potato masher and take care of it. Yes, I want things the way I want them and if it takes a potato masher to get it, so be it :-)

Add the leeks and cook, stirring often, until soft; about 8 minutes. You know, if you don’t want to fool with washing leeks, I wouldn’t blame you. Those things can be really gritty. I think a medium onion, diced, would substitute quite well for the leeks.

Stir in the shallot and cook for 1 minute. The original recipe called for that little bit of shallot and, honestly, I can’t tell that it made a bit of difference. So, if you want to skip it altogether go right ahead.

Add 1 tblsp of butter, the peas, and broth. Heat to a boil.

Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the skillet and keep the sauce warm until the pasta is ready.

Cook the pasta until al dente; about 12 minutes. Drain and return to the pot over low heat.

Combine the Sauce and Pasta

Add the sausage and leek sauce to the pasta and toss well. Remove from the heat and add the remaining 1 tblsp butter and the grated Parmesan. Toss again.

Transfer to a serving platter or individual bowls. Serve immediately with more grated Parmesan on the side.

Enjoy!

More Pasta Recipes on Never Enough Thyme:

• Pastitsio
• Pasta with Tomato Basil Sauce
• Baked Spaghetti
• Pasta d’Arrabiata
• Classic Macaroni and Cheese
• Bow Tie Pasta Salad with Tomatoes and Grapes

Pasta Recipes from Other Bloggers:

• The Ultimate Italian Sausage Pasta from Oh Sweet Basil
• Italian Sausage and Peppers Pasta from Lauren’s Latest
• One Pot Sausage Pasta from Two Peas and Their Pod
• Pasta with Italian Sausage, Kale, and Mushrooms from Gimme Some Oven

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Pasta with Sausage and Leeks

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

A perfect pasta main course with leeks and Italian sausage.

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Ingredients

• Kosher salt
• 2 tblsp. olive oil
• ¾ lb. Italian sausage, casings removed
• 2 large leeks, trimmed, light green and white parts cut into ½ inch pieces
• 1 tblsp. finely chopped shallot
• 2 tblsp. butter
• 1 cup frozen young peas, defrosted and drained
• 1 cup chicken broth
• Black pepper
• 1 lb. campanelle or other short-cut pasta
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese; more for serving if you like

Instructions

1. Put a large pot of generously salted water on to boil. Cook pasta while preparing sauce.
2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook the sausage, breaking it up, until golden in color; about 5 minutes.
3. Add the leeks and cook, stirring often, until soft; about 8 minutes.
4. Stir in the shallot and cook for 1 minute.
5. Add 1 tblsp of butter, the peas, and broth. Heat to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Cover skillet and keep warm until pasta is ready.
7. Cook the pasta until al dente; about 12 minutes. Drain and return to the pot over low heat.
8. Add the sausage and leek sauce to pasta and toss well.
9. Remove from heat and add remaining 1 tblsp butter and the grated Parmesan. Toss well.
10. Transfer to a serving platter or individual bowls. Serve immediately with more grated Parmesan on the side.
    

Notes

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 700 Total Fat: 41g Saturated Fat: 15g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 27g Cholesterol: 76mg Sodium: 1289mg Carbohydrates: 54g Net Carbohydrates: 0g Fiber: 5g Sugar: 7g Sugar Alcohols: 0g Protein: 30g

Nutrition information is calculated by Nutritonix and may not always be perfectly accurate. Use your own judgment.

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