Pasta and noodles · 30 min
Creamy Leek & Bacon Pasta with Goat Cheese
- 30 min
- 2–6 servings
- 623 kcal / serving
A creamy, leek-forward pasta with bacon and goat cheese that comes together quickly for weeknights. The leeks add sweetness and the goat cheese creates a silky sauce around al dente penne.
Free on iPhone · servings scaled, grocery list written for you.
Ingredients
- 3 slicesbacon
- ½ (4 oz) loggoat cheese
- 2leeks
- 1 ozParmesan cheese
- 5 ozpenne pasta
From the pantry: black pepper, salt
Cookware
chef's knife · colander · cutting board · grater · measuring cups · measuring spoons · medium saucepan · mixing bowls · stainless steel or cast iron skillet · stirring spoon
Kitchen help: cups to grams · tablespoons to cups · oven temperatures · butter conversions · what each cooking tool is for · ingredient substitutes
More dinner ideas: easy dinners · dinners for two
Shopping list by aisle
Produce
- 2leeks
Meat & seafood
- 3 slicesbacon
Dairy, eggs & chilled
- ½ (4 oz) loggoat cheese
- 1 ozParmesan cheese
Pantry & dry goods
- 5 ozpenne pasta
4 aisles for this recipe. Plan a week in MealPot and it merges every dinner into one list in this order, scaled to your household.
Ingredients for 2, 4 and 6 servings
| Ingredient | 2 servings | 4 servings | 6 servings |
|---|---|---|---|
| bacon | 3 slices | 6 slices | 9 slices |
| goat cheese | ½ (4 oz) log | 1 (4 oz) log | 1 ½ (4 oz) logs |
| leeks | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| Parmesan cheese | 1 oz | 2 oz | 3 oz |
| penne pasta | 5 oz | 10 oz | 15 oz |
Quantities in US units. Any other household size: MealPot scales the recipe and the grocery list for you.
Directions
- Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil and cook the penne according to package directions until just tender; drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water.
- In a skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until lightly browned but not crispy; transfer the bacon to a bowl and leave the fat in the skillet.
- Trim the ends of the leeks, slice them crosswise into thin pieces, and season with a pinch of salt and pepper; cook in the skillet with the bacon fat until they are tender, 6–8 minutes.
- Stir the goat cheese into the hot pasta along with 3/4 cup grated Parmesan and the reserved cooking water; add the bacon and toss to combine until the mixture is smooth and glossy.
- Return the drained pasta to the skillet if needed and cook a minute or two, adjusting seasoning with salt and pepper as desired.
- Divide the pasta among bowls, top with the remaining Parmesan, and finish with a grind of black pepper.
- Serve and enjoy.
Two tips
- Prep ahead: cook the pasta and bacon, then store separately; reheat together with the leeks added at the end for a quick plate.
- Serving idea: pair this with a simple side salad or steamed greens for balanced weeknight meals.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 623 kcal
- Protein
- 26 g
- Carbs
- 67 g
- Fat
- 28 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 405 mg
Estimates from the recipe's published nutrition data; they change with the version you pick above.
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Ingredient quantities, timing and nutrition follow the original Mealime recipe ↗ (captured 2026-09-12). The photo is MealPot's AI-rendered illustration of the finished dish; the description, directions, aisle list and serving table are MealPot's.