This delicious Creamy Pasta with Bacon and Peas can be made in just 20 minutes and uses just a handful of simple ingredients.
This is made with things that I always have in my refrigerator/pantry. Pasta, cream, smoky bacon, frozen peas, and plenty of parmesan. So easy this is one easy dinner that the family will love. Comforting, delicious and quick!
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How to make an easy creamy bacon sauce
To make the creamy sauce, the bacon is cooked on a low heat so it releases all of its wonderful drippings into the pan. The cream is added to the pan and it mixes with all the drippings to makes a delicious and simple sauce.
TOP TIP: You want to use bacon with some fat in it, strips of streaky bacon or back bacon are great. Don’t pick the bacon eyes as they have no fat and your sauce will end up a little bland.
The bacon is cooked slowly and then once it has released its fat it is cooked over a higher heat so the edges get crispy, adding, even more, bacon flavor to the finished dish.
What pasta to use?
Today we used casarecce pasta, which holds the sauce well, but this Bacon and Pea Pasta is so versatile that it will work with any pasta. This is great with shells, macaroni, fusilli or long pasta like fettuccine or spaghetti. Whatever pasta you have on hand will work here.
Can I use frozen peas?
YES!!!! Frozen peas are the best, aren't they?! They taste great, often better than fresh peas, and are so handy to just add to dinners.
The frozen peas cook in the creamy sauce so there is no need to boil them first. I get a cup full of peas out before I start cooking the dinner and by the time the bacon has cooked, they are almost defrosted.
You can add them straight into the sauce and they will cook through. EASY!
What to serve with Creamy Pasta with Bacon and Peas
Side:
Serve this up with a simple side salad, dressed with an olive oil and lemon dressing. Alternatively, you can serve some extra greens on the side like my Garlic Green Beans.
Wine:
The luscious creamy bacon sauce here calls out for a crisp dry white, like a dry Frascati or a Soave.
For a red pick, a light red like a Teroldego or a red Zinfandel works well with the smoky bacon.
Enjoy
For more quick and easy pasta dinners why not try:
- Easy Garlic Bacon Pasta
- Creamy Lemon Salmon Pasta
- Shrimp Chorizo Pasta
- Pasta with Chicken Broth and Butter
- Creamy Chicken and Bacon Pasta
- Creamy Pepper Steak Pasta
- See ALL 50+ Pasta Recipes
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Recipe - Creamy Pasta with Bacon and Peas
Ingredients
- 1 cup bacon - cut into small pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- pinch black pepper
- 1 cup frozen peas (defrosted) - see note 1
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 12 oz pasta - we used Casarecce
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- parsley - optional garnish
Instructions
- Pour the oil into a heavy-based frying pan and place over low heat. Add the bacon and cook it over low heat for 5 minutes.
- Turn the heat up on the bacon and start to crisp the edges.
- Bring a large pot of water to boil and then add a good amount of salt.
- Add the pasta and cook until al dente. (around 1 minute less than the packet suggests)
- Add the peas and cream to the bacon, season with the salt and pepper then bring it to a simmer, cook over low heat until the pasta has finished cooking.
- Remove a cup of the pasta cooking water then drain the pasta.
- Add the pasta to the cream sauce along with ¼ cup of the cooking water and the grated parmesan cheese.
- Stir well over low heat until you have a thick glossy emulsion and all the pasta is coated in the sauce. If the mixture feels too sticky add more cooking water and stir gently to combine.
- Season to taste and serve, a garnish of parsley is pretty but not needed.
Notes
- Get 1 cup of peas out before you start cooking the bacon and by the time the bacon has cooked, the peas will be almost defrosted.
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