Creamy Bacon Pasta Sauce
A simple crème fraîche-free creamy pasta sauce loaded with crispy bacon, vegetables and Parmesan.
Ingredients
- 450g dried pasta (or 650g fresh pasta)
- 30g butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 9 rashers streaky bacon, chopped
- 600g mixed vegetables, chopped (broccoli and courgette work well)
- 7 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 350ml single cream
- 150g Parmesan, finely grated, plus extra to serve
- 2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions, but undercook by a minute, in a pot of well-salted boiling water.
- Heat the butter and olive oil in a large frying pan and fry the bacon over a medium-high heat until crisp, about 4-5 minutes.
- Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the fat behind.
- Lower the heat slightly, add the vegetables and toss to coat.
- Add the garlic and cook for a couple of minutes.
- Add the cream and pepper, turning the heat down to a gentle simmer.
- Sprinkle over the Parmesan and let it melt into the cream.
- Add the cooked pasta straight into the sauce with a splash of pasta water and toss to coat.
- Add the bacon back in and toss well.
- Let it bubble gently for a minute or two, adding more pasta water if needed to loosen.
- Season to taste — it shouldn’t need much salt as the bacon adds plenty.
- Serve with extra Parmesan.