Vegetarian one-pot leek pasta with cream cheese and Alpine cheese

Vegetarian one-pot leek pasta made with fusilli, leeks, vegetable stock, cream cheese and Alpine cheese with nutmeg and chives, all in one pot. A quick, budget-friendly dinner in 25 minutes.

At a glance

• Serves 4
• Prep time: 10 min
• Cooking time: 15 min
• Total time: 25 min
• Calories: 612 kcal per serving
• Protein: 23 g
• Fat: 20 g
• Carbs: 82 g

Ingredients

• 400g fusilli
• 2 stalks of leek
• 80g Alpine cheese
• 150g cream cheese
• 2 garlic cloves
• 15g butter
• 900ml vegetable stock
• 1 pinch of nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 bunch of chives

Method

You’ll need: saucepan · chopping board · knife · grater · wooden spoon

1. Halve the leeks lengthways, wash them thoroughly and cut them into thin rings. Chop the garlic.
2. Soften the leeks and garlic in the butter in a wide pan for 4 min.
3. Add the fusilli and stock, bring everything to the boil and simmer uncovered for 10 to 12 min, until the pasta is al dente. Stir often.
4. Grate the Alpine cheese. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the cream cheese and Alpine cheese until you have a creamy sauce.
5. Season with nutmeg and pepper, snip the chives and scatter them over.

Good to know

Cheese and leek is familiar as a soup; here it becomes a one-pot pasta dish. The pasta cooks in the stock, and the starch and cream cheese make the sauce creamy without cream. Leeks cost little in winter.

Swaps

Fusilli → wholewheat pasta. Cream cheese → soured cream or cottage cheese. Alpine cheese → Emmental. Leeks → spring onions and spinach.

Cooking tips

Only add the cheese once the pan is off the heat, so it doesn't turn stringy. If the sauce is too thick, stir in a splash of hot water.

Storage

Keeps for 2 days in the fridge; reheat with a little milk or water.

Allergens

Contains gluten (wheat) and milk. Suitable for children. Suitable in pregnancy if the Alpine cheese is made from pasteurised milk or cooked; here it melts in the hot sauce. For a strictly vegetarian dish, choose a cheese made without animal rennet.