This Creamy Bacon Pasta Recipe is indulgent, scrumptious, and easy to make!
Some days dinner just has to be a big bowl of creamy pasta with bacon. Quick to cook and comforting to eat. With its deliciously rich and creamy sauce, this creamy bacon pasta is a must on days like that.
Made with easy-to-find ingredients and on the table in under 20 minutes, this creamy pasta with bacon is an easy family meal. Serve it with a side salad if you want to feel virtuous or some garlic bread if you really want to indulge!
Creamy pasta is the ultimate hug in a bowl, and then when you add the smoky salt hit of crispy bacon, well, it is hard to beat!
This is an indulgent dish with cheese, heavy cream, and bacon. But it is so good! Silky pasta in a delicious bacony creamy sauce. And kids love it! Which is always a winner on a busy weeknight.
You can adapt it and add in some veg; I find most of my kids will eat veg when they are covered in a creamy bacon sauce!
Ingredient Notes
These notes are here to help make this recipe a success; they cover some but not all ingredients. For a complete ingredient list, check out the recipe card below.
Pasta: you can use any pasta you like for this recipe, I like spaghetti, but any long noodle will work.
Bacon: I would suggest going for something smoked as that adds lots of flavor, but other than that, use your favorite bacon. Or substitute ham if you have leftover ham.
Cream: Heavy cream or thickened cream is what you need for the recipe; half and half or single cream just doesn't thicken.
Onions: Use any you have to hand; brown, white or yellow onions will work or use a shallot or small leek.
Parmesan: Freshly grated at home is best; it melts into the sauce more evenly. However, if you use store-bought grated parmesan, you will need half the amount the recipe suggests as it is more compact.
Pasta cooking water: Before you drain the pasta, scoop out a large measuring cup (at least 1½ cups) of the cooking water, it helps to complete the sauce and is a vital step.
Recipe Tips
We've tested this recipe at least 3 times to ensure it works well for you. Have a look at our tips for getting the best dish you can!
- Salt the boiling water generously before adding your pasta; the recipe suggests 1 tablespoon of salt.
- To help get a perfect sauce consistency and allow it to coat the pasta, reserve 1½ cups of the pasta cooking water before you drain the pasta. Around ½ cup of pasta cooking water is added to the sauce, but it is a good idea to reserve extra in case the sauce thickens too much.
- When you add the cheese to the sauce, gradually sprinkle it over the surface
Adding vegetables to creamy pasta
The creamy sauce is easy to add to; some of our favorites include:
- Peas
- Sweet corn
- Mushrooms
- Spinach
- Broccoli florets
- Cauliflower florets
- Asparagus
Except for the spinach, they can all be cooked with the bacon and then added to the cream sauce. The spinach can just be added to the hot pasta at the end, and it will wilt almost instantly in the heat.
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FAQ'S
Unlike my garlic bacon pasta recipe (which is a fan favorite!!!), you don't need bacon with a lot of fat. So you can use the trimmed bacon eyes or even turkey bacon for this recipe.
I would suggest going for something smoked as that adds lots of flavor, but other than that, use your favorite bacon.
You can make the sauce ahead of time and just reheat gently. But don't add the pasta as it swell in the sauce and get very soft.
What to serve with Creamy Bacon Pasta
Sides for Creamy Bacon Pasta
I suggest a side salad and some good bread for nearly every pasta recipe on my site. They just work so well with pasta! But any green vegetable would make a delicious side dish. Try garlic green beans, roasted broccoli, or sauteed kale.
Wine for Creamy Bacon Pasta
For white wine lovers, a crisp Pinot Grigio or Soave is perfect for cutting the sauce's richness. If you like a smoother, richer wine, try a Gavi di Gavi; it will still balance the creamy pasta sauce but isn't as crispy as the other two.
For those who love red wine, try Gamay, Montepulciano, or Pinot Noir; they can all cut through the richness of the cream sauce without overpowering the bacon flavors.
Enjoy x
If you try this Creamy Bacon Pasta, please leave a 🌟star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I really appreciate it, and it helps others to know that the recipe is trustworthy.
Any questions about the recipe? Use the comments section below.
Get the Recipe
Creamy Bacon Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 12 oz dried pasta (Note 1)
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 10 strips bacon chopped (Note 2)
- 1 small onion finely chopped (Note 3)
- 2 cloves garlic minced (Note 4)
- 1½ cups heavy cream (Note 5)
- 1½ cups pasta cooking water (Note 6)
- 1 cup grated parmesan (Note 7)
- salt and pepper
To serve
- fresh parsley - optional
Instructions
Cook the Pasta
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the salt and cook the pasta for 2 minutes less than the packet suggests.1 tablespoon salt12 oz dried pasta
- Once the pasta is cooked, reserve 2 cups of the pasta cooking water, and then drain the pasta.
While the Pasta is Cooking
- Add the olive oil to a frying pan, then cook the chopped bacon over medium-high for 4-5 minutes until crispy.½ tablespoon olive oil10 strips bacon
- Once the bacon is crisp, remove it from the pan using a slotted spoon, leaving the oil and bacon grease behind.
- Reduce the heat under the pan and add the chopped onion and minced garlic. Cook for 3 - 4 minutes until the onion is soft. (add extra olive oil if your bacon was very lean)1 small onion2 cloves garlic
- Add the cream, and ½ cup of the pasta cooking water, bring to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Sprinkle over the grated parmesan and stir.1½ cups heavy cream1 cup grated parmesan
- Add the cooked pasta and toss it gently into the sauce. Cook for 2 minutes or until the pasta is cooked to your liking. If the sauce gets too thick, add more pasta cooking water.
- Stir through the crispy bacon - season the pasta to taste.salt and pepper
- Serve garnished with fresh parsley.fresh parsley
Notes
- You can use any pasta shape you like for this recipe, I like spaghetti, but any long noodle will work.
- Pick your favorite bacon or substitute ham if you have leftover ham. You can use turkey bacon also.
- Use any onion you have to hand; brown, white, or yellow onions will work, or use a shallot or small leak.
- Feel free to add more or less garlic, garlic should always be measured with your heart!
- Heavy cream or thickened cream is what you need for the recipe; half and half or single cream just doesn't thicken.
- The pasta cooking water if full of starch which helps to thicken the sauce. I start by adding ½ a cup when I add the pasta. The pasta continues to cook in the cream and will absorb more liquid, again thickening the sauce. If the pasta gets too dry add more water. Typically I need to add around 1½ cups while I am cooking the pasta in the sauce. But add it gradually until the sauce is to your desired consistency and the pasta is cooked to your liking.
- Freshly grated parmesan is best; it melts into the sauce more evenly. However, if you use store-bought grated parmesan, you will only need ½ cup as it is more compact.
Nutrition
Nutrition is per serving
Bella says
This bacon past may just be my new favourite recipe! It was so easy to make and a huge hit with us all.
Addison says
This creamy pasta dish was total comfort food! The crispy bacon was my favorite part.
Shona says
Did I do something wrong? My cheese went gluggy on the bottom of pan..
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
It sounds like instead of sprinkling it over you added it all in one spot. This makes it harder to melt into the sauce.
Hope that helps.
Cx
Elizabeth S says
This was so good, even my kids scarfed it down. I added a pinch of red pepper flakes because we like heat. Will definitely make again.
JR says
Delicious but too oniony. In fact I removed half the onion after I cooked it.
I also used less cream a water (1/2 cup less each). Creaminess was perfect
Kelli Miller says
Trust me when I say this - it's absolutely delicious! I can't help but rave about it.
The creamy sauce infused with the aroma of bacon is an absolute winner. It's easy to make, and the fact it only takes less than 20 minutes to cook is a life-saver for busy weekdays. I'm super impressed with how something so quick and effortless can turn out to be so delicious.
Cheryl Callaghan says
I loved this, quick and easy to make. I added spinach to it, great flavors. Will definitely cook it again.
Kris says
This was super creamy and comforting, with the perfect amount of bacon flavor. The whole family loved it!
DIVINE IS SO DIVINE says
OMG GUSTO KO NITO OMGGGGGGGG ANG SARAP NITO GUSTO TALAGA ITONG RECIPE GUSTTOOOOOONG GUSTO KO
Mike says
Absolutely terrible. Without flour the sauce doesn’t thicken…it is just hot milk.
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
Hi Mike,
There is no milk in the sauce, it is heavy cream, which thickens as it cooks. Milk will not be thick enough and doesn't thicken as it cooks (and like you suggest if you use milk you would need to use flour to thicken the sauce) But as the sauce is made from heavy cream this issue is avoided. Half and half isn't a good substitute either (as noted in the recipe)
Once the sauce is made, the pasta is then cooked in the sauce for the final 2 minutes, further thickening the sauce.
I have to thin the sauce down with the pasta cooking water, as it gets very thick during this stage. (I suggest ½ a cup to start and then adding more to get the desired consistency. I generally have to add 1½ cups in total.
The combination of cooking heavy cream and cooking the pasta in the sauce, is what makes the sauce thicken.
I hope this help
Cx
Melissa says
Agree. It was bland and awful. My kids rejected it and I defrosted bolognaise instead.
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
Hi Melissa, if it was bland then it is likely one of two reasons.
You didn't salt the pasta water enough.
Or the bacon you used lacked flavor;- you want to use a smoked bacon to give the sauce plenty of flavor.
Hope that helps.
Cx
Jennifer says
This is my kind of meal! I loved all the flavors in this and it was an easy fix that everyone loved!
Gen says
This was just the treat my family needed after a long week. Thank you for this delicious recipe - everyone wanted seconds!
Shelby says
Comfort food at its finest! I love the creaminess of the pasta but I love even more that it comes together so quickly! Perfect for busy nights.
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
So happy you enjoyed it Shelby. Pasta is always my comfort food 🙂
Cx
Kim says
I saw bacon and pasta and knew I had to try this. It was so delicious and even the kids wanted seconds! Next time I will have to double the recipe.
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
So happy the family enjoyed it Kim 🙂
Cx
Jere Cassidy says
Oh, I love this recipe with the cream sauce and bacon. It's good to have a recipe to use spaghetti that doesn't have a tomato sauce on top.