Sweet, meaty, smooth and satisfying, this Sausage Leek Pasta recipe is quick, easy and satisfying. This dish is great fresh and as leftovers.
As I write this, the sun is rising and yellow leaves are falling from the trees here in Maine. It's a pretty scene, but I know that outside world comes with a chill in the air. The season is shifting fast, and I am more and more thinking about comfort food when I cook dinner or meal prep for weekday lunches on the weekends.
Pasta, to me, is comfort food. And there's so many ways to prepare this comfort food that both makes delicious dinners and can reheat well. Stuffed shells, lasagna, Linguine with Chorizo Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce ... they all are perfect for this.
So is Sausage Leek Pasta, the dish I am about to implore you to make.
This is one of those times where the recipe name doesn't cover all the ingredients. The robust sausage and sweet sauteed leeks lend so much flavors to this that they are the stars of the show. But sundried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, garlic and white wine all play supporting roles in making this a delightful, nuanced dish. Finish it all off with a sprinkle of parsley and it's pretty too.
I love to make this for dinner and portion off three portions to heat for lunches later.
I don't know about you, but meals like this are my favorite — hearty, robust and satisfying. Especially at this time of year when the outside world begins to settle in for the chill of late fall and winter.
This is great by itself, or served with a tossed salad and garlic bread. Either way, it's perfect.
Sausage Leek Pasta
Sweet, meaty, smooth and satisfying, this Sausage Leek Pasta recipe is quick, easy and satisfying. This dish is great freshly made, and even better as leftovers.
Ingredients
- ½ lb sweet Italian sausage links
- 2 medium leeks, white and light green parts halved and sliced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup white wine
- 14 oz can artichoke hearts, chopped
- ¼ cup sliced sundried tomatoes
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ lb mezze rigatoni
- 1 tablespoon minced parsley
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the sausage link on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes before slicing.
- Meanwhile, place the leeks in a large bowl with cold water. Swish around and let sit. Swish again and then drain. Place the leeks on paper towels.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the garlic to the skillet and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant.
- Add the white wine to the skillet and stir thoroughly. Add the artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes, sausage, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper and stir well. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat a pot of water to boiling. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions. Scoop about ½ cup pasta water into the skillet with the sausage leek mixture and stir well. Drain the pasta.
- Add the pasta back to the pot (drained now) and pour the sausage leek mixture over. Toss to combine.
- Sprinkle with minced parsley and serve immediately.
