Name: Leek Pasta Recipe (Buttery with Garlic and Lemon!)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons oil (any neutral oil ); 3 large large leeks (dark green tops only, thinly sliced and well-cleaned); 1-2 teaspoons kosher salt (to taste); 3 large large leeks (white and light green parts only, thinly sliced and well-cleaned); 16 ounces pasta of choice (we love bucatini, and recommend using a longer noodle); 4 tablespoons unsalted butter; 8 to 10 cloves garlic (minced); 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional and to taste); 1 to 2 cups reserved pasta water (as needed); 6 ounces parmesan (freshly grated); 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice; 1 tablespoon lemon zest; 3 tablespoons leek butter (optional (or sub unsalted butter)); ½ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper (to taste); 1 large leek (white and light green parts only, thinly sliced and well-cleaned); 4 tablespoons neutral oil

There's no shortage of pasta recipes that lean on a single hero ingredient, but this Leek Pasta Recipe takes the idea seriously. We're using leeks three ways: softened into a buttery, garlicky base, finished with homemade leek butter, and fried into crispy golden shards on top. Plenty of butter, lemon, garlic, and parmesan pull it all together into something that feels genuinely special, without being overly complicated.

45-degree shot of a a ruffled plate with leek pasta surrounded by parmesan cheese, bread, black pepper, and fresh leeks.

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This Buttery Leek Pasta Belongs in Your Regular Rotation 🧅

Lots of recipes treat leeks as a background ingredient, but this one puts them front and center, and uses them three different ways to build real depth of flavor. The base is slowly cooked buttery leeks with garlic and lemon. We finish it off with plenty of Parmesan cheese and homemade leek butter stirred in at the end for an extra hit of that sweet, oniony flavor. And on top: crispy fried leeks add the perfect crispy texture!

The whole thing comes together in about 45 minutes and uses a short ingredient list, but really brings a ton of flavor. When photographing this one, a lot of it didn't even make it to the plate. We ate it right out of the pan. I think that's all you need to know! 😂

🧈Ingredients for This Leek Pasta

This recipe uses a short list of mostly pantry-ready ingredients, and the leeks do the heavy lifting.

Ingredients to make leek pasta laid out on a table and labeled to denote each ingredient.

🧈 Ingredient Spotlight: Leek Butter

This is the secret weapon of the whole dish. Our homemade leek butter gets stirred in at the very end and adds an extra layer of that sweet, savory leek flavor you just can't get any other way. It can be made up to 7 days ahead and kept in the fridge, so it's easy to have ready to go.

🤔 Don't want to make it? Swap it 1:1 for regular butter. You'll still get a great result.

How to Make This Leek Pasta Recipe ✨

Don't let the three-leek technique intimidate you! The steps are straightforward, and most of the work is just letting things cook.

Light and dark green parts of leeks separated from each other in bowls of water getting cleaned.

Step 1: Separate the dark green tops of the leeks from the white and light green parts. Place each into its own bowl of cold water and let them soak for about 10 minutes, gently swishing them around to release any trapped dirt. Drain and dry very well on a paper towel-lined tray.

💡Leeks hide a lot of dirt in their layers. This step isn't optional. Skipping it means gritty pasta, and no one wants that. 😅

Dark green parts of leeks in a large dutch oven with a wooden spoon.

Step 2: Heat a large Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add oil and the dark green parts of the leeks with a pinch of salt.

Dark green parts of leeks cooking down in a dutch oven.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until the dark green parts have softened considerably.

💡 Dark greens go in first because they're tougher than the lighter parts and need more time. Starting them together means you'd end up with half the leeks mushy and half still tough.

White and light green parts of the leeks added to a Dutch oven.

Step 3: Add the white and light green parts of the leeks with another pinch of salt.

Cooked light and dark green parts of leeks in a Dutch oven.

Continue cooking until everything is nice and soft.

Garlic, red pepper flakes, and butter added to cooked leeks in a Dutch oven.

Step 4: Add the butter, garlic, and red pepper flakes.

Cooked down leeks in a Dutch oven that have become caramelized.

Cook, stirring continuously, until the garlic is fragrant - about 30 seconds to a minute.

⚠️ Don't walk away here. Garlic goes from fragrant to burnt fast, and burnt garlic will make the whole base bitter. Keep stirring and keep an eye on the heat.

Meanwhile, cook your pasta in well-salted boiling water for a couple of minutes less than the package directions for al dente. It'll finish cooking in the sauce, so you want it slightly underdone. Make sure to reserve plenty of pasta water before draining.

💡 Save more pasta water than you think you need. It's the key to a silky, cohesive sauce - and it's great for reheating leftovers too.

Cooked bucatini pasta added to a dutch oven with cooked leeks.

Step 5: Reduce the heat to low, then add the cooked pasta directly into the leek base with a few ladles of pasta water. Toss to combine.

Cooked bucatini pasta added to a dutch oven and topped with parmesan cheese.

Step 6: Add the parmesan in small handfuls, tossing between each addition and adding more pasta water as needed to keep things loose and glossy.

🧀 Add the cheese slowly. Dumping it all in at once causes clumping. Small handfuls with constant tossing is what gives you a smooth, emulsified sauce. Also: hand-grate it yourself! Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting properly.

Large scoop of leek butter added to bucatini in a pot.

Step 7: Once all the parmesan is incorporated, add the leek butter, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Remove from heat and toss until everything is glossy and well combined. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.

Light green leeks beginning to turn golden brown in oil in a saucepan.

Step 8 (Optional): Fried Leeks. Heat oil in a small, deep saucepan. Once hot, add cleaned and very well-dried light green leek rounds. Cook, stirring often, until you start to see golden brown bits appearing.

Crunchy leeks on a paper towel lined plate to catch extra grease.

Remove with a slotted spoon onto a paper towel-lined plate, sprinkle with salt, and let them cool.

⚠️ Keep a close eye and stir frequently. These go from golden to burnt quickly, and burnt leeks turn bitter. Pull them as soon as you see color.

Plate the pasta and top with crispy fried leeks and extra freshly grated parmesan. Enjoy!

Flat lay shot of a plate of leek pasta surrounded by fresh leeks, parmesan, bread, and a linen napkin.

What to Serve With Leek Pasta 🍝

This pasta works well as a lighter main, but it also makes a great side alongside something bright and fresh to start. We love serving it with our burrata and prosciutto arugula salad (that also uses leeks as a delicious ingredient!) The peppery arugula and creamy burrata are a perfect contrast to the rich, buttery leek pasta.

If you want to take things over the top, a spoonful of cherry tomato confit on top of the pasta adds a jammy, sweet-acidic pop that plays really well with the lemon and garlic notes in the dish.

Make it a hearty meal by cooking up some lemon and herb chicken, salmon filets, or baked sea bass.

🌟Leave a Review!

If you make this buttery leek pasta recipe, we'd love to hear from you! Leave a comment below with your rating for the recipe. Share with us by tagging us on Instagram! We love seeing your creations! 📸