Sometimes, there’s nothing better than a nice big pan of pasta in a light, creamy sauce – and that’s what we have here. This fennel, leek and mushroom pasta is a delicious, vegetarian option for dinner on a weeknight.
Leeks are one of my favourite vegetables. I love their fresh, slightly fragrant flavour. So, along with my Anglesey Eggs last night, I wanted to produce a few recipes which would celebrate this wonderful, underrated vegetable which somehow manages to cheer up the winter months.
This is a moreish, creamy pasta dish which I’m sure you’ll love. It’s completely vegetarian, ready in 20 minutes and warming on a cold, biting day (it’s supposed to warm up by Saturday apparently, but for now the Winter seems to be clinging on…).
This will serve 5-6.
Best made in a nice big casserole dish like this one.

Ingredients, Substitutions and Variations
- Fresh penne – penne is the perfect shape for this chunky vegetable sauce. You can use fresh (my preference) or dried.
- Butter – leeks and butter go together perfectly, so it’s the best fat to use to start the cooking process. However, you can switch for olive oil.
- Onion, leeks, fennel and mushrooms – these are your vegetables for the dish. You can switch the type of mushrooms if you like – chestnut would be nice.
- Crème fraiche – crème fraiche is all you need to make that creamy sauce.
- Oregano – earthy, fragrant oregano is the perfect herb for this recipe.

Top tips
- Deglaze If you like, you can deglaze the vegetables with a little white wine before adding the crème fraiche. Simply pour a small glass of white wine into the pan, let it reduce by half, then add the crème fraiche.
- Additions You could add some cheese to this recipe – both halloumi and feta would work nicely.
- Make ahead This fennel, leek and mushroom pasta is absolutely wonderful for lunches through the week. Simply store in the fridge and microwave your portion for 3 minutes before eating.
More quick and easy pasta recipes to enjoy:
- 15 Minute Creamy Chorizo and Leek Pasta
- 15 Minute Creamy Garlic Mushroom Pasta
- Parma Ham, Fig and Blue Cheese Spaghetti
- 4 Ingredient Pea and Cream Cheese Pasta
- Mushroom, Courgette and Ricotta Pasta
- Garlic, Chilli and Prawn Tagliatelle
- Quick and Easy Tagliatelle
- Artichoke and Pancetta Pasta
- Garlic Prawn Linguine
- Tuna, Black Olive and Tomato Pasta
- Pesto Pasta with Feta and Green Olives

28 Day Vegetarian Dinner Plan
Featuring 28 delicious, personally tested recipes suitable for all skill levels, this downloadable PDF includes weekly shopping lists and a perfect mix of quick and leisurely meals..
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Fennel, Leek and Mushroom Pasta
June 18, 2024Ingredients
- 500 g fresh penne or dried equivalent
- 10 g butter
- 1 onion
- 3 medium leeks
- 1 fennel bulb
- 200 g button mushrooms
- 200 ml creme fraiche
- 1 tsp dried oregano
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling water until al dente. Drain.
- Meanwhile, slice the onion, leeks and fennel. Add to a large saute pan with the butter and cook for 10 minutes until softened. Halve the mushrooms and add these – cook for a further 5 minutes.
- Stir in the creme fraiche and 200ml water. Add the oregano, bring to a simmer then season with salt and pepper.
- Mix the sauce with the pasta and leave to sit for 2 minutes. Enjoy!

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