Here is a quick and easy pasta with baby spinach, leeks and fresh garden tomatoes, all tossed in a delicious creamy goat cheese sauce.

About the recipe

This is the ultimate comfort food that is packed with good for you veggies and feel-good pasta.

I love spinach!

I grew up with Mom making spinach often, and it’s to the point now that I miss it if I haven’t had any it in a while. Any opportunity to use spinach I am all for it – in rice, quinoa, daal, curry, salads, and of course pasta!

I especially love spinach in pasta

Spinach wilts into warm pasta so delicately and always tastes great. In this pasta I used a good amount of spinach to give us a healthy dose of greens. Then added in leeks for a lovely green oniony flavor. It’s an easy pasta to make for a stay-at-home Thursday night dinner or a Friday night dinner or on any night really.

Creamy Goat Cheese Fettuccini with Spinach and Leeks
serves 4-5

Ingredients:

• 1 lb fettuccini
• 2-3 leeks white and light green parts finely cut
• 4-6 garlic cloves minced
• 1/2 to 1 lb baby spinach finely cut
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes or 2 medium tomatoes cut into small pieces
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 10oz or 300g Goat cheese – 1 log of goat cheese
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk or 1 cup cream
• Salt and pepper
• Red chili flakes optional

Directions:

• Prepare the pasta as per package directions.
• While the pasta is cooking, make the goat cheese, leek and spinach sauce.  In a large pot heat butter and olive oil. Sauté garlic and leeks until leeks are tender, about 2-3 minutes. Add chili flakes if using at this point.
• Once leeks are tender add tomatoes and continue cooking for a couple more minutes.
• Next add goat cheese by crumbling it directly into the veggies and add milk, salt and black pepper to taste. Melt goat cheese by constantly stirring to make a creamy sauce. This will take a couple of minutes.
• Next add all the spinach and stir into the sauce.
• Add cooked pasta and toss together to coat all the pasta with the sauce. You may add more milk or water if the sauce becomes too thick. Taste and add more salt if needed. Pasta is ready.
• Serve pasta warm with garnish of Parmesan cheese.

Cook’s Notes: Try this dish with broccoli, peas, carrots or cauliflower as well.