Creamy Leek and Bacon Gnocchi Recipe — beragampengetahuan Travels – Beragampengetahuan

Our creamy leek and bacon gnocchi recipe makes a quick and easy pasta that comes together in half an hour, yet it’s so deliciously rich it tastes like it’s taken longer. Nothing if not versatile, you could skip the cream in warm weather, and drizzle on plenty of good extra virgin olive oil. Serve at the centre of the table for a casual meal with dishes of grated Parmigiano Reggiano and chopped flat leaf parsley for guests to help themselves, and a simple tomato salad and crusty sourdough for mopping up the creamy sauce.

Like prosciutto and melon, and tomato and buffalo mozzarella, and broccoli and bacon, leek and potato is one of those classic ingredient couplings that’s so good they work together in virtually anything form, from fritters, frittatas and pies to soups, stews and pastas. Add crispy bacon (or bacon cooked however you like) or even crispy pancetta or prosciutto, and you’ve got a sublime combination of flavours and textures.

You’ll love this creamy leek and bacon gnocchi recipe if you’re a fan of quick and easy pasta recipes that you can dish up in 30 minutes or less, and you’re a lover of creamy pastas, especially plump pillowy gnocchi swimming in creamy sauces that you can mop up with crusty sourdough. Having said that, this recipe is super versatile. In summer I’ll skip the cream, add a splash of white wine to braise the leaks, and drizzle loads of extra virgin olive oil over the gnocchi.

If you are a gnocchi lover, try this crispy pan fried gnocchi with broccoli and bacon, my pan fried pumpkin gnocchi with brown butter sage sauce, our creamy tomato pasta sauce with gnocchi recipe, this spinach ricotta gnocchi recipe with creamy pesto, asparagus, broccolini and dukkah and my basil pesto with gnocchi recipe.

For more quick and easy pasta recipes, see our canned tuna pasta with scallions and capers, penne Bolognese recipe for a ‘cheat’s Bol’, cherry tomato feta pasta recipe, basil pesto pasta with potatoes and green beans recipe, fusilli with a creamy pumpkin pasta sauce, and canned sardine pasta with gremolata and pangrattato.

Now before I tell you more about this creamy leek and bacon gnocchi recipe, I have a favour to ask. beragampengetahuan is reader-supported. If you’ve enjoyed our recipes, please consider supporting beragampengetahuan. You could buy a handcrafted KROK, the best mortar and pestle ever; book a cooking class or meal with locals on EatWith; or buy something on Amazon, such as these cookbooks for culinary travellers, classic cookbooks for serious cooks, or gifts for Asian food lovers and picnic lovers.

Looking for more cooking inspiration? We’ve got thousands of recipes in our archives from around the world from places we’ve lived, worked, travelled, and loved. And note that you can save your favourite recipes in a private account by clicking on the heart on the right of the post. Now let’s tell you all about this creamy leek and bacon gnocchi recipe.

Creamy Leek and Bacon Gnocchi Recipe

Our creamy leek and bacon gnocchi recipe makes a comforting pasta of pillowy potato gnocchi swimming in a simple cream sauce of silky soft leeks that’s packed with umami courtesy of the Parmigiano Reggiano (parmesan cheese). Crispy bacon adds salt, porky goodness and crunchy texture, while chopped flat leaf parsley or continental parsley adds freshness of flavour.

I have to confess that I haven’t been a fan of creamy pasta sauces since I was in my teens and early twenties and thought carbonara was made with cream. It wasn’t until Terence and I travelled to Italy that I appreciated the simplicity of a handmade pasta drizzled in a good quality extra virgin olive oil and (generously) sprinkled with Parmigiano Reggiano. That was about the same time I learnt that pasta was served as a primi or starter, not a main course, in Italy.

But my mother adores creamy pastas and since I’ve been back in Australia taking care of her I’ve cooked more creamy pastas during my time here than I’ve cooked in my entire life. Mum would happily tuck into a bowl of gnocchi with a creamy bacon and mushroom sauce every day. But I’d go crazy if I had to cook the same thing every evening, plus I need to sneak more green veggies into her diet, hence this creamy leek and bacon gnocchi recipe.

Leeks are wonderful. Like garlic, chives, shallots, onions, spring onions (also called Chinese onions), and scallions, leeks are a member of the allium family. Yet leeks aren’t stinky and won’t make you cry. And if you’re not a fan of the sharp and pungent flavours of some of the other family members, you’ll love the mellow sweetness of leeks. I also adore the bright lime-green colour of less-cooked leeks in broths such as this chicken and leek soup for my take on a cock-a-leekie.

And, yes, green. Because you can use the light green parts of leeks. You can ignore most recipes that tell you only to use the white part of the leek, which is the stalk. The light green part of the leek is also lovely and gives a dish gorgeous colour as much as floral flavour when just-cooked.

The longer you cook the leeks the more they lose their colour, but on the plus side they develop a silky soft texture and the sweetest flavour. That’s why one of the most popular ways of cooking leeks in Italy and France is by doing very little at all to them except braising the leeks in olive oil, butter and wine. Yum.

It’s the dark green leaves of the leek that aren’t great and often chopped off by supermarkets and would be tough to chew if you tried. Don’t. Although some chefs say they use the dark green leaves of the leeks in stocks and remove them as you would other veg, leaves and bones when straining the stock.

I only have a few tips to making creamy leek and bacon gnocchi recipe, as it’s a cinch to make and comes together quickly.

Tips to Making this Creamy Leek and Bacon Gnocchi Recipe

Just a few tips to making this creamy leek and bacon gnocchi recipe.

Ingredients

Let’s start with the ingredients, beginning with the key ingredient, the leeks.

Leeks

The leeks I’ve been buying are very clean, because I’m told by the grocer that these days leeks are thoroughly washed when processed on farms in Australia. But I remember quite a bit of dirt and grit being trapped between the leaves of leeks in the past, especially the homegrown leeks my grandfather grew.

If you’ve bought leeks that are dirty then that probably means there’s some grit trapped between the layers. After chopping off the dark green tops, slice the leeks in half lengthwise (vertically) so you can wash each layer, which is best done under a tap of running water. Pat them dry and slice them horizontally. For this dish I chop them into thick slices.

Bacon

Our creamy leek and bacon gnocchi recipe calls for rashers of bacon, as we like a bit of fat on our bacon. Slice the rind off if you haven’t bought rindless bacon and dice the bacon.

Gnocchi

Our recipe calls for store-bought potato gnocchi. Feel free to use fresh potato gnocchi or shelf-stable potato gnocchi. What’s the difference? You’ll find fresh gnocchi in the cold section of the supermarket and shelf-stable gnocchi in the pasta section.

I’ve used shelf-stable potato gnocchi and I’ve actually used a small, spherical potato gnocchi that while called potato ‘gnocchi’ on the packet is actually called ‘chicche di patate‘ in Italy. However, use whatever gnocchi you prefer and even make your own if you like. It’s so easy and we will share a recipe for homemade potato gnocchi at some stage.

Parsley

Our recipe calls for flat leaf parsley, also called continental parsley here in Australia, but I’ve been using a lot of curly parsley recently, which my grandmother called ‘butcher’s parsley’, as it used to be used to enliven boring meat displays. I bought curly parsley for the first time in years just recently, only because I didn’t have a choice, and found it had so much flavour.

Parmigiano Reggiano

We prefer using authentic Parmigiano Reggiano. While it’s more expensive than the ultra fine supermarket ‘Parmesan cheese’, it’s worth the extra cost. You should find that with the real stuff less is more because it has so much more flavour. But obviously use whichever kind of Parmesan you prefer.

Instructions

Here’s a quick step by step guide to cooking our creamy leek and bacon gnocchi recipe.

Cook the Bacon

Use a big frying pan or skillet that’s large and deep enough to hold the gnocchi. Over medium, heat a tablespoon of olive oil, then add the bacon and sauté the bacon until cooked to your liking.

For this dish I like the bacon done until it’s just about to crisp up, but crispy bacon adds more crunchy texture. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked bacon to a small bowl, then remove any burnt bits, leaving the porky oil in the pan.

Cook the Leeks

To the same frying pan/skillet, you’ll add two tablespoons of olive oil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, add the sliced leeks, and stir them to ensure the leek slices are completely coated in the porky olive oil. Cook the leeks, stirring them occasionally, until the leeks start to soften.

Make the Creamy Sauce

When the leeks start to soften, pour the cream into the pan, and return half the cooked bacon to the pan. Stir well to combine the lot, then increase the heat to high, and simmer to reduce the sauce until it’s thick and creamy. There’s no need to add flour, it will reduce.

Boil the Gnocchi

While the creamy leek and bacon sauce is reducing, cook your gnocchi. Put a big pot of salted water on the stove to boil. Italians say that the water should be as salty as the sea and to be very generous. However, since I was diagnosed with high blood pressure I reduced my salt intake dramatically and only use a pinch of salt in my pasta water. It’s enough.

Cook the gnocchi according to the time on the packet directions. I use a timer. However, gnocchi is normally ready when it floats to the surface. If you’re not sure if the gnocchi is ready, you could always taste a dumpling to make sure. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the gnocchi to the pan.

Finish the Creamy Sauce

Once your gnocchi is in the pan, add a quarter of a cup of the cooking water (more if you prefer a looser sauce), half the Parmigiano Reggiano, and stir. Season with salt and pepper to your taste (these days I skip the salt and grind on just a little pepper), and, if needed, simmer for a little longer to further reduce the sauce. The sauce should continue to thicken and cling to the gnocchi.

Serve the Creamy Leak and Bacon Gnocchi

Distribute the creamy leak and bacon gnocchi between bowls. Drizzle on a little extra virgin olive oil, grind on some fresh cracked black pepper, and shower generously with grated Parmigiano Reggiano and chopped flat leaf parsley.

I like to leave the rest of the parmesan and parsley in small dishes on the table, along with flaky sea salt and a pepper mill so guests can help themselves. While I can happily tuck into this creamy leek and bacon gnocchi on its own, I like to serve a simple garden salad or tomato salad with the pasta, along with slices of crusty sourdough to mop up the creamy sauce.

Creamy Leek and Bacon Gnocchi Recipe

Creamy Leek and Bacon Gnocchi Recipe with Parsley and Parmesan

AuthorLara Dunston

This creamy leek and bacon gnocchi recipe makes a quick and easy pasta that comes together in half an hour or less, yet it’s so deliciously rich it tastes like it’s taken longer. Nothing if not versatile, you could skip the cream if serving in warm weather, and drizzle with plenty of good extra virgin olive oil. Serve at the centre of the table for a casual meal with dishes of grated Parmigiano Reggiano and chopped flat leaf parsley for guests to help themselves, and a simple tomato salad and crusty sourdough for mopping up the creamy sauce.

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course main, lunch, dinner

Cuisine Italian

Servings made with recipeServings 4

Calories 670 kcal

• 2 tbsp olive oil – divided
• 2 bacon rashers – diced
• 1 leek – large, white and soft green part, sliced thickly
• 300 ml thickened cream
• 500 g potato gnocchi – store-bought, fresh or shelf-stable
• ½ cup Parmigiano Reggiano – grated
• 1 cup parsley leaves – flat-leaf, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil – for drizzling

• In a large frying pan or skillet over medium, heat a tablespoon of olive oil, add the bacon and sauté until cooked to your liking. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked bacon to a small bowl, and remove any burnt bits, leaving the porky oil in the pan.

• To the same pan/skillet, add two tablespoons of olive oil, reduce to medium-low, add the sliced leeks, and stir to ensure the leeks are coated in the porky olive oil. Cook, stirring occasionally until the leeks start to soften.

• Pour the cream into the pan, return half the cooked bacon, stir to combine, increase the heat to high, and simmer to reduce the sauce.

• Put a large pot of salted water on the stove to boil and cook the gnocchi according to the time on the packet directions.

• When the gnocchi float to the surface, use the slotted spoon to transfer them to the pan.

• Add a quarter of a cup of the cooking water (more if you like for an even looser sauce), half the Parmigiano Reggiano, stir, season with salt and pepper to taste, and, if needed, simmer for a little longer to further reduce the sauce.

• Distribute the gnocchi between bowls, drizzle on a little extra virgin olive oil, grind on some fresh cracked black pepper, shower generously with grated Parmigiano Reggiano and chopped flat leaf parsley, and leave the rest on the table for guests to help themselves.

• Serve with a simple side salad and crusty bread for mopping up the creamy sauce.

Calories: 670kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 14gFat: 47gSaturated Fat: 23gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 101mgSodium: 742mgPotassium: 234mgFiber: 4gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 2922IUVitamin C: 24mgCalcium: 267mgIron: 6mg

Please do let us know if you make our creamy leek and bacon gnocchi recipe as we’d love to know how it turns out for you.