This spicy tomato and leek sauce works well on any type of pasta, but I love it on a big pasta shape, like paccheri or rigatoni.
Leeks work exceptionally well in this flavorful tomato and leek sauce, but you can replace them with any type of onion. If you need to replace the leeks, I recommend using a sweet onion or shallots but really, any onion will do.
You can have this spicy tomato leek sauce whipped up in about 30 minutes. Before you start the sauce, you’ll want to get a big pot of water boiling so you can have the pasta ready to toss into the sauce right away.
I used a little over a pound of cherry tomatoes in this recipe, but you can use a can or two of crushed or diced tomatoes, depending on how saucy you want it to be. If you want a thicker sauce, use two cans of tomatoes. Otherwise, use one. I preferred it to be a little less saucy because I didn’t want to lose the flavor of the leeks, but that’s really up to your preference!
This spicy tomato and leek sauce is a perfect mid-week dinner. It’s fast, easy, and delicious!
Looking for more vegetarian recipes? Check my archives!
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Spicy Tomato and Leek Sauce
Equipment
- Large pot
- Colander
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta of your choice
- 2 teaspoons neutral oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 leeks trimmed, rinsed, and thinly sliced into rounds
- 1½ pounds cherry tomatoes or 1 or 2 15-ounce cans crushed or diced tomatoes
- 5 cloves garlic peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 cups vegetable stock more or less, as needed
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper more or less, as needed
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh minced parsley optional, for serving
Instructions
Prepare the Pasta:
- Bring a large pot of water to boil. 10 minutes before the sauce finishes simmering, add the pasta and cook to package instructions. Reserve ¾ cup pasta cooking water. Drain.
Start the Sauce:
- In a wide pot, heat the neutral oil over medium heat. Add the butter. Once frothy, add the leeks and cook for 5 minutes until just beginning to soften.
- Add the tomatoes and turn the heat to medium-high. Once the tomatoes begin to blister and burst, add the garlic and stir, gently breaking up the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper.
Simmer the Sauce:
- Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and season with crushed red pepper. Simmer for 25-30 minutes until thickened and reduced. If the sauce has too much liquid, turn the heat to a low boil to continue reducing it to a jammy consistency. Taste and season again to your preferences.
Sauce the Pasta:
- Add the pasta cooking water to the pot and stir to incorporate. Add the pasta and cook for 1-2 minutes, tossing gently, until all the pasta is coated with the sauce. Turn off the heat.
To Serve:
- Divide the pasta between shallow bowls and garnish with parsley and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, if desired. Enjoy!
