Leek and Cabbage Pasta with Mushrooms & Bacon

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I was wondering how I could incorporate a little Saint Pat’s into a pasta dish. and here it is. Cabbage and leeks are common ingredients in Irish cooking, so I decided to use both of those as well as mushrooms, and tossed bacon in for good measure because everything is better with bacon. This creamy and delicious pasta dish is light because it gets its creaminess from cream cheese rather than loads of heavy cream. It is satisfying and delicious, gives you one of your daily portions of vegetables, but doesn’t weigh you down. Because there’s no cream to separate in reheating, this can be warmed successfully in the microwave the next day.

Leek and Cabbage Pasta with Mushrooms & Bacon

4 thick-cut bacon slices, chopped
8 oz. uncooked linguine
8 oz. Cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 t. kosher salt
½ t. freshly ground black pepper
2 c. shredded Napa cabbage
2 c. Melissa’s cleaned and sliced leeks
3 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
¼ c. shredded Parmesan cheese 

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking water.

Meanwhile, while pasta is cooking, in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, cook bacon, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate; reserve drippings

Add mushrooms to skillet, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Increase heat to medium high and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 8 minutes. Add cabbage and leeks, and cook until they wilt and have begun to caramelize, 5 minutes. Add cream cheese and all of the pasta water, and stir until smooth. Stir in bacon. Carefully stir in cooked pasta and heat through, about 2 minutes.

Serve immediately. Makes two main dish servings or 4 side dish servings.