Easy to make, versatile, and just so delicious, pasta is simply divine. But when you want to elevate its appeal, nothing comes closer than smoky-flavored bacon. So, why not combine the two to create a collection of dishes that’ll have everyone reaching for seconds and thirds!
These 14 recipes with pasta and bacon will provide you with a variety of options for lip-smacking meals. They’re brimming with delicious flavors and are super filling, so you can satisfy both your tummy and taste buds!
1. Bacon White Cheddar Pasta
This white cheddar pasta recipe calls for smothering pasta with a smooth and thick sauce made of butter, cream cheese, flour, milk, seasonings, and sharp white cheddar cheese, infusing each bite with delectable flavors. Add crumbled bacon on top and garnish with fresh rosemary to give the dish depth of flavor and some added crunch.
2. Cream Cheese Pasta with Bacon
Make this seven-ingredient pasta in just 20 minutes, a perfect go-to meal on hectic weeknights! It has pasta and bacon lardons as its key ingredients, but what really sets it apart is the velvety cream cheese used to make the pasta sauce. The recipe is adaptable, so you can add some veggies to give it a nutrition boost.
3. Creamy Bacon Carbonara
Pasta, onions, bacon, and mushrooms smothered with a thick, cheesy, seasoned egg-yolk mixture, this classic Italian dish will delight your senses! The recipe also uses red pepper flakes and parsley to elevate the recipe’s flavor profile, but you can also add other spices. Serve it hot with a side salad and some garlic bread to round up the meal.
4. Creamy Bacon Pasta with Spinach
This versatile recipe adds a nutritious boost to the classic bacon pasta by adding spinach and chopped parsley. The smoky bacon and creamy parmesan make it just as delicious while still being healthy. While it’s wonderful on its own, you can also pair it with some herb-infused garlic bread or a big green salad for a gourmet meal.
5. Creamy Mushroom Pasta with Bacon
In this 30-minute recipe, white mushrooms are sautéed in garlic until tender, then combined with salty bacon and tender noodles in a creamy, cheesy sauce. You can serve it topped with grated parmesan and a sprinkle of parsley to elevate its appeal. The resulting dish is so outstanding you can’t help but fall in love with it.
6. Easy Garlic Bacon Pasta
This recipe uses just five ingredients to produce a fresh, hearty, flavorful meal. As to what makes the dish so appealing, the answer is bacon. It releases fat when cooked, and garlic is sautéed in this fat to produce a scrumptious sauce that coats the noodles and crispy bacon. Serve hot with a salad for a balanced meal.
7. 5-Ingredient Bacon Spaghetti Aglio Olio
You need to have this traditional Italian recipe in your cookbook! It uses five ingredients and is so tempting that it will practically disappear from your dinner table. You can also spruce it up with chili flakes and parsley for extra flavor. It cooks in just 20 minutes, but you’ll be surprised by how flavorful it is!
8. Garlic Bacon Pasta
This recipe combines al dente spaghetti, aromatic garlic, and savory bacon in a sauce made of olive oil and reserved pasta water to give you pure, unadulterated comfort on a plate. To serve, garnish it with cheese, parsley, and pepper to enhance the flavors of the dish. It’s also freezer-friendly, making it perfect for your meal-prep menu.
9. One-Pot Bacon Broccoli Pasta
This recipe is chock full of flavor, and it’s easy to see why. It calls for cooking the bacon separately to ensure that it is cooked through, which also adds a wonderful bacony flavor to your dish. It’s divine as is, although you can also add chicken for a protein boost. And if you like your pasta sauce to be lighter, you can also use half-and-half instead of heavy cream.
10. Pasta with Bacon and Peas
Simple and comforting, this is just the kind of tasty meal we love after a tiring day. The recipe combines peas with pasta, parmesan, and bacon to produce a dish everyone will enjoy. You can top it with an egg (cooked to your liking), fresh spinach, and/or crispy fried onions. You can also mix in some heavy cream to make the dish extra appealing — the possibilities are endless!
11. Savory Pasta with Greens
This budget-friendly recipe does not compromise on flavor. It has bacon, butter, and loads of flavorful seasonings, which will easily out shadow the flavor of the greens for picky eaters, making it a must-have in your arsenal. The recipe is adaptable, so you can easily modify it to your dietary preferences.
12. Spaghetti with Bacon, Onion and Thyme
This easy pasta dish calls for coating spaghetti in a light, flavorful sauce. Make it by combining small pieces of bacon, very thinly sliced red onion, and heaps of thyme leaves with a touch of cream and some low-sodium chicken broth. Season it to taste, then serve it garnished with parmesan!
13. Tomato Bacon Pasta
This pasta dish is pure perfection! The recipe calls for using the pasta water to emulsify the sauce, which helps it stick to every strand of noodles. It also includes bacon, canned tomatoes, pasta, and a few kitchen staples, creating a delicious slurp-worthy dish!
14. Tomato, Basil, and Bacon Pappardelle Pasta for Two
This delicious dish is perfect for date nights. It features cherry tomatoes, basil, and bacon paired with wide, flat, and long pappardelle noodles. You can also add a dash of red pepper flakes to pack heat. While this recipe uses half and half to give the dish a creamy texture, you can also use cream and/or reserved pasta water for a creamier consistency.
