Description
A creamy, smoky bacon pasta dish that’s quick to make and packed with flavor. Perfect for a comforting weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz (225g) pasta (penne or fettuccine)
- 6 slices bacon, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup pasta water, then drain.
- In a large skillet, cook chopped bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove bacon and set aside, leaving 1 tbsp of bacon fat in the pan.
- In the same skillet, sauté garlic in bacon fat for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Reduce heat to low, then pour in heavy cream, stirring gently.
- Add Parmesan cheese, black pepper, salt, and red pepper flakes (if using). Stir until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Toss in the cooked pasta and crispy bacon. Add reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan before serving.
Notes
- For extra richness, add 1 tbsp butter to the sauce.
- Substitute half-and-half for heavy cream if preferred.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days (reheat with a splash of milk).
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (1/3 of recipe)
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 60mg