Creamy Bacon Pasta Recipe

close up on creamy bacon sauce on a bed of spaghetti

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. 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. Make with easy-to-find ingredients and on the table in under 20 minutes. Serve it with a side salad if you want to feel virtuous or some garlic bread if you really want to indulge!

4.32 from 126 votes

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Course Main

Cuisine Italian

Servings

Calories 798 kcal

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 salt
12 oz dried pasta (Note 1)
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 oil
10 strips bacon chopped (Note 2)
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 onion finely chopped (Note 3)
2 cloves garlic minced (Note 4)
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 cream (Note 5)
1 cup grated parmesan (Note 7)
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 - optional

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.

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Nutrition

Nutrition is per serving

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