This Bacon Tomato Pasta is a quick and easy dish perfect for those busy weeknights when you want something delicious but don't have the time to spend hours in the kitchen. The secret to this dish is the combination of smokey bacon, garlic, and juicy tomatoes, which creates a rich and flavorful sauce that coats every strand of pasta. And it is ready in under 30 minutes!
Bring a large pan of water to the bowl. Add the salt and cook the pasta for 1 minute less than the packet suggests.1 tbsp salt12 oz/ 340g pasta
When cooked, reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain.
While the pasta water is coming to a boil
Heat the oil in a skillet over high heat. Add the diced bacon and cook for 2-3 minutes; reduce the heat to medium and add the onion. Cook for 3 minutes.1 tbsp olive oil12 oz/ 340g bacon, diced1 onion, finely chopped
Add the chopped garlic and stir around for 30 seconds. Then add the can of crushed tomatoes. Stir well.3 cloves garlic, finely chopped14 oz/ 400g canned crushed tomato
Add in the seasonings and turn the heat to low. Let the sauce simmer while the pasta finishes cooking.½ tsp sugar¼ tsp dried Italian herbs¼ tsp black pepper¼ tsp salt
Finish the dish
Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and ¼ cup of the reserved cooking water.
Gently toss the pasta in the sauce over medium heat for a minute until the pasta is thoroughly coated and combined with the sauce. Add more pasta cooking water if the sauce gets too thick.
Serve immediately, garnished with shredded parmesan and fresh parsley if desired. Shredded parmesan Fresh parsley
Notes
I like to use spaghetti or linguine, but you can use any shape you have at home.
Use smoked bacon for the most flavor. It doesn't need to be fancy bacon; you can use turkey bacon if you like.
I use a brown onion, but you can also use a red, white, or yellow onion.
The recipe calls for three cloves of garlic. But as I always say, we measure garlic with our hearts, so add more if you want.
This balances the sour edge that you get from a lot of brands of canned tomatoes. Especially important because of the quick cook. I use white granulated sugar.