Creamy Garlic Bacon Pasta (Print out)

Comforting pasta with crispy bacon and garlic in a luscious cream sauce, finished with Parmesan and parsley.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz spaghetti or fettuccine

→ Bacon & Aromatics

02 - 7 oz smoked bacon or pancetta, diced
03 - 4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

→ Sauce

04 - 1 cup heavy cream
05 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
06 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
07 - ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
08 - Salt, to taste

→ Garnish

09 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
10 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain.
02 - Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced bacon and cook until golden and crispy, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of bacon fat.
03 - In the same skillet, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant, taking care not to brown.
04 - Pour in heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in Parmesan, cooked bacon, and black pepper. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.
05 - Add drained pasta to the skillet and toss to coat. If sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water one tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.
06 - Adjust seasoning with salt and additional pepper as needed. Remove from heat. Divide pasta onto plates and garnish with chopped parsley and extra Parmesan. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours cooking when really you were done in half that time.
  • Crispy bacon and silky cream is a combination that just works, every single time.
  • The garlic stays sweet and mellow instead of sharp, which changes everything.
02 -
  • Never, ever let the garlic brown—the second it starts to look golden it's already bitter, and no amount of cream can fix that.
  • Saving pasta water is not optional; that starchy liquid is what loosens a thick sauce and makes it cling to the noodles instead of sitting at the bottom of the bowl.
  • The bacon fat you leave behind is doing real work, adding flavor that butter alone can't match, so resist the urge to drain it all away.
03 -
  • Grate your Parmesan fresh if you can—the powdered stuff has anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting smoothly into the sauce.
  • Keep the heat medium or lower once cream is involved; high heat makes it break and separate instead of staying silky and unified.
Go back