How to Make BLT Pasta

BLT Pasta served on a white plate, topped with parmesan cheeseEarlier this year I tried out a BLT mac & cheese. My family loved it, so when I saw a different kind of BLT pasta, I had to give it a try!

This pasta is packed with tons of healthy veggies, and topped with a beautiful, light sauce. The colors make it irresistible to eat, and really draw in the younger kids.

I had some black pasta on had, so I did half & half with regular wheat pasta to add even more color. Those of you who shy away from veggies, please don’t let this one scare you off. Believe it or not, I am the biggest fan of tomatoes. I love marinara sauce, salsa, ketchup, just not plain tomatoes. The veggies in this dish are caramelized & sauted to perfection, and really taste amazing. So please do give it a try.How to Make BLT Pasta served on a white plate

One last IMPORTANT note about the optional crushed red pepper. Being a lover of spicy foods, I thought that kick would be an awesome touch to this pasta. Since I was serving this to the kids too, I made some with and without.

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At the first bite, Darryl (the vegetarian who hates veggies) said ” Wow, this is fresh… delicious!” 15 seconds later…. “YIKES! That spice burned all the flavor off my mouth!” I totally felt the same way. The heat kicks in a couple seconds later, and really wipes the flavor off your pallet. Because of that, I really would leave that spice out. I hope you all love this as much as we did!

BLT Pasta

  1. First thinly slice your leeks… (ps… if you have not worked with leeks before, they can hold a lot of sand. So make sure to rise well before you start slicing.)
  2. Slice cherry tomatoes in half.
  3. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta. Add pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package. pasta in a pot of boiling water
  4. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a skillet. Caramelize tomatoes and sugar in the skillet over a medium heat. Cook until the tomatoes begin to brown, 5 minutes.
  5. Add leeks, saute until wilted, about 4 minutes. sliced leeks and tomatoes in a cooking pan
  6. Deglaze skillet with the 1/4 cup wine. Simmer until liquid in nearly evaporated.
  7. Add broth, vinegar, pepper ( and optional crushed red pepper). Simmer until liquid is reduced by a third, about 5 minutes.
  8. Add spinach, thyme, cooked, diced bacon (or veggie bacon), and pasta to the tomato mixture. Toss to coat, season with salt & serve!sauted leeks, tomatoes, pasta and fresh spinach in a pan
  9. Sooooo good! Kiddos loved it!2 children sitting at a table eating BLT Pasta

5 from 1 vote

BLT Pasta (w/ vegetarian option)

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • - 4 Strips of cooked bacon or veggie bacon
  • 1.5 cup halved grape tomatoes
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 cup thinly sliced leeks
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken both or veggie broth
  • 2 tsp red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 8 oz dry bucatini or spaghetti
  • 2 cups fresh spinach leaves
  • 1/4 tsp minced fresh thyme
  • Optional-1/4 tsp crushed red pepper.

Instructions

  • First thinly slice your leeks
  • and slice cherry tomatoes in half.
  • (ps... if you have not worked with leeks before, they can hold a lot of sand. So make sure to rise well before you start slicing.)
  • Bring a pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta. Add pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package.
  • Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a skillet. Caramelize tomatoes and sugar in the skillet over a medium heat. Cook until the tomatoes begin to brown, 5 minutes.
  • Add leeks, saute until wilted, about 4 minutes.
  • Deglaze skillet with the 1/4 cup wine. Simmer until liquid in nearly evaporated.
  • Add broth, vinegar, pepper ( and optional crushed red pepper). Simmer until liquid is reduced by a third, about 5 minutes.
  • Add spinach, thyme, cooked, diced bacon (or veggie bacon), and pasta to the tomato mixture. Toss to coat, season with salt & serve!

Nutritional Disclaimer: Family Fresh Meals is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.

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3 Comments

  1. Pasta my favorite food and that’s good look. its very tasty food and awesome posting . yummy
    B&B Brugge

  2. Corey, I love all the colors in this dish! Great recipe. Healthy and delish!! :)xoxo~

  3. My daughter has necrophobia, which is why she’s been a vegetarian since she was 4 years old. But because she has SPD, most veggies bother her. I had to laugh at your statement above because we teaser her ALL THE TIME about being a vegetable hating vegetarian. We call her a carb-o-tarian. 😉