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Bacon Pasta
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If you like creamy alfredo pasta and love crispy bacon, then this bacon pasta is the perfect recipe! While carbonara is made with eggs, this pasta is made with heavy cream, whole milk, and fresh parmesan cheese to get the rich, creamy sauce that everyone loves!
MORE RECIPES:
Bacon Spaghetti Pasta Carbonara | Creamy Garlic Alfredo | The Best Bacon Recipes
Weeknight dinners can sometimes be hard to make and it seems like pizza would just be a better option, but this recipe only takes about 35 minutes to make and will surely fill everyone up! Pasta recipes are easy to make, and spice things up a little by adding crispy bacon to make an easy bacon pasta dinner!
The Cheesecake Factory has a delicious bacon carbonara pasta, and you can easily recreate that without the eggs when you make this recipe! If you don’t have spaghetti or fettuccine, use any type of pasta that you have on hand and it will still be delicious!
If you like to buy your bacon in bulk and freeze it for later, then try this bacon pasta recipe for dinner and use up some of that bacon! There are so many different ways to use bacon and not all of them are breakfast recipes.
Bacon Pasta Ingredients
- Penne Pasta
- Bacon
- Table Salt
- Minced Garlic
- Heavy Cream
- Whole Milk
- Grated Parmesan
- Onion Powder
- Black Pepper
- Kosher Salt
- Parsley
There are so many bacon pasta recipes out there, and you can really customize them however you like. Change up the ingredients by adding peas, mushrooms, and even some shredded mozzarella to make this extra cheesy!
If you want to add a little spice to this dish, try throwing in a pinch of cayenne powder or garnishing the plated dish with red pepper flakes. You can also add in your favorite steak seasoning to give this recipe some extra flavor!
The nice part about this bacon pasta recipe you can use many different types of meat depending on what you have on hand. Use grilled chicken instead of bacon, or add it to the bacon to make a delicious chicken bacon alfredo pasta dinner.
However you cook this recipe, the creamy sauce with the crispy bacon is sure to be a hit amongst friends and family!
How to Make Bacon Pasta
FIRST STEP: Fill a 4-5 quart stock pot with water and teaspoons of table salt. Heat the salted water on medium-high heat. Once the water comes to a low rolling boil, add the pasta and cook until the pasta is al dente. Drain the pasta and set aside.
SECOND STEP: In a 10”-12” skillet, over medium to medium-high heat, cook the diced 14 strips of bacon until completely cooked and browned. Remove the bacon only to a plate or bowl lined with paper towels, but leave the bacon dripping in the pan.
THIRD STEP: Pour the excess bacon drippings into a heat safe bowl. If possible, try to keep the crunchy bacon-ey bits in the bottom of the skillet.
FOURTH STEP: Reduce the heat to low, and return the skillet to the heat.
FIFTH STEP: Using a whisk, add the minced garlic and saute for 1 ½ to 2 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic.
SIXTH STEP: Continue whisking and slowly add the heavy cream and the whole milk. Whisk continually until the milk reaches a very low simmer, being sure to scrape the bottom of the skillet to release all the delicious bacon bits.
SEVENTH STEP: Continue to whisk and evenly sprinkle the ¾ cup of parmesan cheese, kosher salt, black pepper and onion powder. Remove the skillet from the heat and continue to whisk.
EIGHTH STEP: Using a wooden spoon, stir in the pasta until it is evenly coated.
NINTH STEP: Sprinkle the parmesan cheese evenly over the top of the pasta.
TENTH STEP: Sprinkle the cooked crumbled bacon over the pasta.
ELEVENTH STEP: Sprinkle the flat leaf parsley over the top of the pasta before serving. Serve immediately. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Cooking Tips
Change up this recipe by adding chicken, sausage, or any other type of meat you want! Also consider adding veggies like green beans, broccoli, or even peas.
If using a cast iron skillet, turn up the heat slowly while cooking the bacon. If the pan gets too hot too quickly, it will burn the bacon and any other food you put in it.
Leave your milk and cream on the counter for about 20-30 minutes before cooking. This will help the sauce come together better and faster because they are as cold when trying to heat them up.
Storing this Recipe
IN THE FRIDGE: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
IN THE FREEZER: Since this recipe contains heavy cream, it may not freeze well. The heavy cream may separate when thawed and can change the consistency of the sauce. If you do freeze, store in an airtight container for up to 3 months in the freezer. Thaw slowly in the fridge before reheating.
NOTE: Reheat over the stovetop and add a little heavy cream or milk if the meal was frozen. This will help correct any issues with freezing the heavy cream.
Bacon Pasta
This creamy bacon pasta is the perfect weeknight dinner, ready in 35 minutes.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 5
Ingredients
- 3 cup penne pasta dry
- 2 tsp table salt
- 14 strips bacon diced
- 1 tbsp fresh garlic minced
- 1 ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup whole milk
- ¾ cup grated parmesan
- 2 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp grated parmesan for topping
- 1 ½ tbsp finely chopped fresh flat parsley or 2 teaspoons dried parsley (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Fill a 4 to 5 quart stock pot with water and teaspoons of table salt. Heat the salted water on medium-high heat. Once the water comes to a low rolling boil, add the pasta and cook until the pasta is al dente. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- In a 10 to 12 inch skillet, over medium to medium-high heat, cook the diced 14 strips of bacon until completely cooked and browned. Remove the bacon only to a plate or bowl lined with paper towels, but leave the bacon dripping in the pan.
- Pour the excess bacon drippings into a heat safe bowl. If possible, try to keep the crunchy bacon-ey bits in the bottom of the skillet.
- Reduce the heat to low and return the skillet to the heat.
- Using a whisk add the minced garlic and saute for 1 ½ to 2 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- Continue whisking and slowly add the heavy cream and the whole milk. Whisk continually until the milk reaches a very low simmer, being sure to scrape the bottom of the skillet to release all the delicious bacon bits.
- Continue to whisk and evenly sprinkle the ¾ cup of parmesan cheese, kosher salt, black pepper, and onion powder. Remove the skillet from the heat and continue to whisk.
- Using a wooden spoon, stir in the pasta until it is evenly coated.
- Sprinkle the cooked crumbled bacon over the pasta.
- Sprinkle the flat leaf parsley over the top of the pasta before serving. Serve immediately. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Calories: 848kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 58g | Saturated Fat: 28g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 156mg | Sodium: 2106mg | Potassium: 403mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1361IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 289mg | Iron: 1mg
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Comments
G says
Yummy