Easy Garlic Bacon Pasta Recipe

Garlic bacon spaghetti in a large shallow grey bowl

This Easy Garlic Bacon Pasta Recipe is going to be your go-to weeknight meal when you need a quick dinner on the table in just 10 minutes. With just 5 ingredients - pasta, olive oil, garlic, bacon, and salt, you can have a delicious dinner! (Parmesan and parsley are optional but so good!) You can use spaghetti, linguine, or even angel hair pasta for this recipe. But make sure to keep the bacon fats as that is where the magic happens.

4.29 from 298 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 2

Cook Time 8

Total Time 10

Course Main

Cuisine Italian

Servings

Calories 631 kcal

Ingredients

1 tablespoon salt
1 lb dried spaghetti
10-12 strips thick cut bacon (see note 1)
3 tablespoon olive oil (see note 2)
6 large garlic cloves (see note 3)
chopped fresh parsley garnish
freshly grated Parmesan cheese garnish
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Cook the Pasta

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add the salt and cook the pasta for 1 minute less than the packet suggests.
1 tablespoon salt
1 lb dried spaghetti
Once the pasta is cooked reserve 2 ½ cups of the pasta cooking water and then drain the pasta.

Whilst the Pasta is Cooking

Chop the bacon into smallish dice, add a tablespoon of the olive oil to a frying pan then cook the bacon over medium high for 4-5 minutes until crispy.
10-12 strips thick cut bacon
Whilst the bacon is cooking peel and thinly slice the garlic.
6 large garlic cloves
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 remaining olive oil (see note )and the sliced garlic. Stir constantly for 2 minutes and as soon as the garlic has softened but not yet colored, add ½ cup of the pasta cooking water and turn the heat back up.
3 tablespoon olive oil
Boil this mixture for a minute then add in the now drained pasta, keeping the frying pan on the heat.
Add a further ½ cup of pasta water and toss and stir the pasta in the sauce until it is cooked to your liking. You might need to add more pasta water.
Once your garlic 'sauce' has coated the pasta, add the cooked bacon and any collected juices back into the pasta then season to taste. (Depending on the saltiness of your bacon you might need salt, but it will definitely want some pepper)
Serve garnished with fresh parsley and grated parmesan.
freshly grated Parmesan cheese
chopped fresh parsley

Notes

You want to pick a bacon that has plenty of flavor and a good amount of fat. The fat is what makes the sauce, so don't go for turkey bacon or bacon eyes. Good old fashioned streaky bacon is best here. I prefer smoked bacon as it has more flavor.
You may not need all of the olive oil, it depends on how fatty your bacon is.
The recipe suggests 6 cloves of garlic, but as with every recipe I write, I encourage you to measure garlic with your heart and add more if you want to. (Sometimes I will add 8-10 cloves)

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Nutrition

Nutrition is per serving

For more great recipes follow me on PinterestFollow @sprinklessprout