💡 At a Glance
- •The Dish: Hearty cheesy leek pasta with savory diced ham in a rich herb cream cheese sauce.
- •Time Required: Ready to serve in under 30 minutes—the ultimate quick weeknight dinner.
- •How It’s Made: The sauce cooks up effortlessly in the Thermomix® while your pasta boils on the stovetop.
We’ve all been there: you get home after a long day, you’re absolutely starving, but you just don’t have the time to spend hours in the kitchen. That’s exactly when this cheesy leek pasta saves the day!
While the pasta boils on the stovetop, your Thermomix® does all the heavy lifting to whip up a deliciously rich, creamy sauce. It makes dinner practically effortless, so you aren’t stuck standing over the stove all evening.
In no time at all, you’ll have a cozy, comforting meal on the table that the whole family will love and that actually keeps everyone full.
Why you’re going to love this dish:
- Takes just 15 minutes of quick prep time
- The ultimate cozy comfort food for busy weeknights
- Super beginner-friendly if you’re new to the Thermomix®
- Made with simple, budget-friendly everyday ingredients
- Incredibly rich and creamy thanks to herb-flavored cream cheese
- Ideal for satisfying those quick post-work cravings
- A delicious, savory flavor combo of ham and tender leeks
- Also tastes amazing paired with potato gnocchi!
My top tips for recipe success
To wash the leeks, slice them lengthwise down the center, leaving the root end intact. This keeps the stalk together while you fan out the leaves under cold running water to rinse away any hidden dirt or grit.
Always give your leeks a good shake to dry them off before slicing into rings. That way, you won’t accidentally add extra unwanted water into your mixing bowl!
Get your pasta water boiling early! If you boil the pasta while the Thermomix® works its magic on the creamy leek sauce, everything will come together piping hot at the exact same time.
Make sure to use cold milk for the sauce. Adding cold milk to the sautéed flour keeps lumps from forming, giving you a gorgeously silky-smooth sauce every single time.
Can you make this ahead and store leftovers?
Yes, this makes fantastic leftovers! For best results, store the sauce and pasta in separate airtight containers in the fridge.
Everything will stay fresh and delicious for 1 to 2 days.
When reheating on the stovetop or in the microwave, simply add a small splash of milk to the leek sauce if the cream cheese made it thicken up a bit too much in the fridge. It’ll bring back that silky, creamy consistency in no time!
Recipe Variations
Switch up the base: Like I mentioned, you don’t have to stick strictly to pasta! Potato dumplings (like gnocchi or Schupfnudeln) pair amazingly well with this rich, savory sauce.
Adjust the seasoning: Depending on how salty your diced ham and vegetable broth are, give the sauce a quick taste test at the end. Adjust with salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg until it tastes completely perfect to you.
What You’ll Need for Cheesy Leek Pasta
- 5.3 oz (150 g) diced ham
- 12 oz (350 g) leeks, sliced into rings
- 1.5 tbsp (20 g) cooking oil
- 1/4 cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (500 g) milk
- 5.3 oz (150 g) herb cream cheese (like garlic & herb spread)
- 2 tsp vegetable bouillon powder
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 pinches ground nutmeg
Plus:
- 1 lb (500 g) pasta of your choice
How to Make Cheesy Leek Pasta:
First, get a pot of salted water heating up on the stove so you can boil your pasta right alongside making the quick leek sauce.
Trim off any wilted dark green tops from the leeks. Slice them in half lengthwise down to just above the root end, then give them a really good rinse under cold running water. Be sure to gently fan out the layers to wash away any hidden dirt or grit!
Shake the leeks dry, slice off the root ends, and cut them into thin half-moons or rings.
Add the oil, diced ham, and sliced leeks to your mixing bowl and sauté for 5 min / 120°C / Reverse / Gentle Stir.
Sprinkle in the flour and cook it off for 2 min / 100°C / Reverse / Gentle Stir.
Next, pour in the milk and vegetable broth, then add the black pepper and a pinch of nutmeg. Cook for another 7 min / 100°C / Reverse / Gentle Stir.
Finally, drop in the herb cream cheese and mix it through for 15 sec / Reverse / Speed 2.5.
Give the sauce a quick taste test, season with extra salt if needed, and serve warm over your favorite pasta or pan-fried potato dumplings.
Enjoy!
Alright, now I hope you have so much fun whipping this up! Happy cooking!
Looking for another delicious recipe? Check out my Creamy Salmon Pasta!
Best,
Christoph
Cheesy Leek Pasta
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Zutaten
Ingredients
- 150 g Diced ham
- 350 g Leeks sliced into rings
- 20 g Oil
- 30 g All-purpose flour
- 500 g Milk
- 150 g Herb cream cheese
- 2 tsp Vegetable broth
- Salt and pepper
- 2 Prisen Nutmeg
Also needed
- 500 g Pasta choice of pasta
Zubereitung
- 350 g LeeksFirst, trim off the wilted tops of the leeks. Slice them in half lengthwise, stopping just before the root end, and rinse thoroughly under cold water. Be sure to pull the green leaves apart slightly to wash away any hidden dirt or grit. (Keeping the root intact keeps the leek from falling apart while you wash it!) Shake the leeks dry, trim off the root, and slice them into thin rings.
- 500 g PastaBring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook your pasta according to package directions while you prepare the leek sauce.
- 150 g Diced ham, 350 g Leeks, 20 g OilAdd the oil, diced ham, and leeks to the mixing bowl and sauté for 5 min. / 120° C / Reverse / Gentle Stir.
- 30 g All-purpose flourAdd the flour and cook for 2 min. / 100° C / Reverse / Gentle Stir.
- 500 g Milk, 2 tsp Vegetable broth, Salt and pepper, 2 Prisen NutmegNext, add the milk, vegetable broth, pepper, and nutmeg, then cook for another 7 min. / 100° C / Reverse / Gentle Stir.
- 150 g Herb cream cheeseFinally, stir in the herb cream cheese for 15 sec. / Reverse / Speed 2.5 until smooth and creamy.
- Salt and pepper, 500 g PastaTaste and adjust seasoning with extra salt if needed, then serve the sauce over your hot pasta.Pro tip: This sauce is also amazing served over German potato noodles (Schupfnudeln)!
Cheesy Leek Pasta
Click stars to rate now
Zutaten
Ingredients
- 150 g Diced ham
- 350 g Leeks sliced into rings
- 20 g Oil
- 30 g All-purpose flour
- 500 g Milk
- 150 g Herb cream cheese
- 2 tsp Vegetable broth
- Salt and pepper
- 2 Prisen Nutmeg
Also needed
- 500 g Pasta choice of pasta
Zubereitung
- 350 g LeeksFirst, trim off the wilted tops of the leeks. Slice them in half lengthwise, stopping just before the root end, and rinse thoroughly under cold water. Be sure to pull the green leaves apart slightly to wash away any hidden dirt or grit. (Keeping the root intact keeps the leek from falling apart while you wash it!) Shake the leeks dry, trim off the root, and slice them into thin rings.
- 500 g PastaBring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook your pasta according to package directions while you prepare the leek sauce.
- 150 g Diced ham, 350 g Leeks, 20 g OilAdd the oil, diced ham, and leeks to the mixing bowl and sauté for 5 min. / 120° C / Reverse / Gentle Stir.
- 30 g All-purpose flourAdd the flour and cook for 2 min. / 100° C / Reverse / Gentle Stir.
- 500 g Milk, 2 tsp Vegetable broth, Salt and pepper, 2 Prisen NutmegNext, add the milk, vegetable broth, pepper, and nutmeg, then cook for another 7 min. / 100° C / Reverse / Gentle Stir.
- 150 g Herb cream cheeseFinally, stir in the herb cream cheese for 15 sec. / Reverse / Speed 2.5 until smooth and creamy.
- Salt and pepper, 500 g PastaTaste and adjust seasoning with extra salt if needed, then serve the sauce over your hot pasta.Pro tip: This sauce is also amazing served over German potato noodles (Schupfnudeln)!
