How to Make BLT Pasta
Earlier 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.
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
- 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.)
- Slice cherry tomatoes in half.
- 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 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!
- Sooooo good! Kiddos loved it!
BLT Pasta (w/ vegetarian option)
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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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Pasta my favorite food and that’s good look. its very tasty food and awesome posting . yummy
B&B Brugge
Corey, I love all the colors in this dish! Great recipe. Healthy and delish!! :)xoxo~
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. 😉