This creamy leek pasta with cream and white wine is a quick and easy midweek dinner that everyone will love.

Easy Vegan Creamy Leek Pasta with Cream & White Wine

Name: Easy Vegan Creamy Leek Pasta with Cream & White Wine
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 22 min
Cuisine: Italian, vegan
Ingredients: 400g (14 oz) spaghetti; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 2 medium leeks, sliced; 2 cloves garlic, crushed; 1/2 vegetable stock cube; 5 tablespoons white wine; 250ml (1 cup) vegan double cream; 1 pinch salt & black pepper

My latest pasta creation is this comforting bowl of creamy leek spaghetti.

It's one I have been craving a lot recently, as it's perfect for a busy weeknight dinner.

Easy to make and quick too, but so much flavour.

I hope you try it.

Why you will love this creamy pasta

Here are the reasons you are going to love this quick vegan midweek dinner.

Seasonal produce - leeks are in season for more than half the year in the UK and they are a cheap option
Creamy sauce - the creamy leek pasta sauce is delicious and satisfying
Quick to make - the sauce can be cooked while the pasta is cooking
Easy to make - anyone can make this simple pasta dish
Cheap dinner - this is a cheap dinner for four (90p per portion at the time of writing)

Love quick midweek dinners? Have a look at these 21 Quick Vegan Meals for Midweek Dinners.

Leeks for a softer flavour

Leeks are a good option instead of onion as they have a softer and sweeter flavour.

And they are milder than onions, so gentler on the stomach, if that is a worry for you.

Cleaning leeks

Leeks can hold a lot of dirt and grit between their green leaves, so it's important to clean them well.

First, trim the root end, then cut the leek just below the darkest green leaves.

The loose dark green leaves can be tough.

You still want green, not just the white parts but the lighter green too, where the leaves are more compact and not loose.

Next, cut a section of the green end down the middle and run the leek under water to wash, slightly opening up the section you have cut through to remove any dirt or grit.

Chopping leeks

To chop the leeks, just slice as thick as you like from one end to the other.

You can also cut in half lengthways and cut into half-moon shapes.

The circles of sliced leek will loosen out and separate as they cook, although you can give them a nudge with your wooden spoon to give them a wee helping hand.

What you need to make easy vegan creamy leek pasta

Here are the simple ingredients you need to make this quick creamy spaghetti.

Spaghetti - white or wholemeal
Olive oil - or rapeseed oil
Leeks
Garlic cloves
Vegetable stock cube - or a little vegetable broth
White wine
Vegan double cream (heavy cream) - or cashew cream
Salt & black pepper

The full printable recipe with ingredients, tips and nutritional information is at the bottom of this page.

Is white wine vegan?

Not all white wines are vegan.

It has to do with the processing of the wine.

However, many are and they are usually well labelled, so do check the label if you aren't sure if it's suitable for vegans.

The website Barnivore have a list of vegan wines, if you need some inspiration, it's a great way to be sure you are buying the right wines.

Can I skip the white wine?

White wine adds lots of flavour to pasta sauce and most of the alcohol is cooked off while the sauce cooks.

However, if you would still rather skip the wine, you could add a squeeze of lemon juice or some lemon zest to brighten the sauce and add flavour.

Not too much though.

Variations

Here are a few ideas for varying this creamy leek pasta, including adding extra veggies.

Cheese - you can add some grated vegan parmesan or nooch (nutritional yeast) to the sauce to make it cheesy (or any of your favourite vegan cheeses)

Mushrooms - if you love mushrooms, you can add chestnut mushrooms, white mushrooms (cremini mushrooms) or flat cap mushrooms and cook them with the leeks, season them while they cook

Spinach - you could add spinach to cook with the pasta

Fresh herbs - try adding some fresh herbs at the end of cooking the sauce for extra flavour, chives or parsley would work well but dill might be nice too

Chilli flakes - or red pepper flakes for a bit of warmth

Want another quick pasta dish? Try quick and easy homemade arrabbiata pasta.

Pasta shapes that work well with a creamy sauce

I love to serve this creamy leek sauce with spaghetti, but it's good with other pasta shapes too.

Here are a few I would recommend to serve with a creamy vegan sauce.

Spaghetti
Tagliatelle
Linguine
Penne
Rigatoni
Farfalle

Of course, you can use your favourite pasta.

Tips for the best pasta

Here are a few top tips.

Make sure you cook the pasta in a big pot with plenty of salted water - It needs room to cook.
Don't add oil to water - It will leave the pasta oily and the sauce won't stick. There is no need for oil, if you make sure there is plenty of water and it's bubbling fast it won't stick together.
Give the pasta a stir as soon as it is added to the boiling water - And a couple of times during cooking.
Cook the pasta according to the package instructions - But check it a couple of minutes before the cook time, you want it to be al dente.
Taste the sauce to check for seasoning - And adjust accordingly.
Drain the cooked pasta well - But don't worry if the pasta still has some pasta water clinging to it, this will mix with the sauce for a velvety sauce.
Mix the drained pasta with the cream sauce - The pasta should be well coated.
Serve right away - While the pasta is hot.

What to serve with creamy leek spaghetti

You can serve this creamy pasta on its own as it is, but here are a few serving ideas.

Vegan parmesan - try this easy homemade vegan parmesan
Garlic bread - try this quick garlic bread that can be cooked in the air fryer or oven
Green salad - dress it before serving
White wine - for the adults only

Storing leftover pasta

Vegan leek pasta is best served fresh, but if you do have leftover pasta, you can store it in the fridge.

Let it cool quicker, by spooning it into an airtight container, then add the lid and keep in the fridge for a couple of days.

Reheat gently in the microwave or a pot on the cooker.

If the sauce has thickened, you can add a splosh of plant milk (I use oat milk or coconut milk) to loosen it.

creamy courgette & potato pasta in a pan.

More vegan pasta recipes to try

Here are a few more creamy vegan pasta sauces for you to try next.

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How to make Easy Vegan Creamy Leek Pasta with Cream & White Wine

A step-by-step photo guide followed by a full printable recipe.

Step 1

Boil the water for the pasta and pop the pasta in, giving it a good stir.
In a large pan saute the leeks and garlic in olive oil until soft.
Then crumble in the stock cube.

Step 2

Add the wine and cook for a couple of minutes.
Now add the cream.
Season with salt and pepper.

Step 3

Add the freshly cooked and drained pasta, then pour into the sauce and mix well.
Once well coated taste to check the seasoning.
Serve and enjoy!

vegan pasta, creamy leek pasta, creamy vegan spaghetti, pasta, spaghetti, quick vegan pasta, quick vegan dinner

dinner

Italian, vegan

Yield: 4

Author: Jacqueline Meldrum