Description
Classic creamy bacon pasta blends Italian culinary traditions with rich, savory flavors. Crispy bacon and smooth cream sauce create a comforting meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 cup (100g) Parmesan cheese, grated
- 12 oz (340g) pasta (penne, rigatoni, or spaghetti)
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
- ½ cup (120 ml) chicken broth
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsps butter
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
- Salt, to taste
- ¼ cup (15g) fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Pasta Preparation: Boil salted water and cook pasta until al dente, reserving a cup of starchy liquid before draining.
- Bacon Transformation: Render bacon pieces in a spacious skillet over medium heat until achieving golden, crispy texture, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate while preserving two tablespoons of bacon fat.
- Aromatic Foundation: Sauté minced garlic in reserved bacon fat for one minute, releasing its fragrant essence without browning.
- Sauce Composition: Combine heavy cream and chicken broth in the skillet, creating a luxurious base, then whisk in Parmesan cheese until smoothly melted. Season with black pepper and optional red pepper flakes for subtle heat.
- Final Assembly: Reunite crispy bacon with pasta, gently folding into the creamy sauce and adjusting consistency using reserved pasta water as needed. Perform a final seasoning check to balance flavors.
- Presentation: Garnish with freshly chopped parsley, providing a vibrant pop of color and herbaceous note before serving immediately.
Notes
- Control Bacon Crispiness: Cook bacon slowly over medium heat, stirring occasionally to ensure even golden-brown texture without burning, which can create bitter flavors.
- Manage Pasta Water Magic: Reserve starchy pasta water as a secret weapon to adjust sauce thickness and help sauce cling perfectly to noodles, creating silky smooth consistency.
- Prevent Cream Separation: Keep sauce at gentle simmer when adding cream and cheese, stirring constantly to prevent splitting or curdling, which maintains a luxurious smooth texture.
- Customize Dietary Needs: Substitute regular pasta with gluten-free alternatives, use turkey bacon for lower fat content, or replace heavy cream with Greek yogurt for a lighter version without compromising rich flavor profile.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3
- Calories: 670
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 40 g
- Saturated Fat: 19 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 57 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg