Creamy Garlic Bacon Pasta (Print Version)

Comforting pasta with crispy bacon, garlic, and a silky creamy sauce wrapped around tender noodles.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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

# Recipe Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente following package directions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water and drain.
02 - Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced bacon and cook 5–7 minutes until golden and crispy. Remove bacon with slotted spoon and set aside. Retain 1 tbsp bacon fat in skillet, discard excess.
03 - Reduce heat to medium-low. Melt butter in skillet. Add chopped garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant, avoiding browning.
04 - Pour in heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in Parmesan cheese, reserved bacon, and black pepper. Simmer 2–3 minutes to thicken sauce slightly.
05 - Add drained pasta to skillet and toss to coat evenly. If sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water one tablespoon at a time to reach desired consistency.
06 - Taste and season with salt and additional black pepper as needed. Remove skillet from heat.
07 - Divide pasta among plates. Garnish with chopped parsley and extra grated Parmesan. Serve immediately.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you'd expect for something this creamy and luxurious.
  • The crispy bacon and silky sauce combination hits that perfect balance between comfort and elegance.
  • One pan, minimal cleanup, and somehow it tastes like you spent way more time than you actually did.
02 -
  • Never let the garlic brown—it happens faster than you think, and bitter garlic will haunt this whole dish.
  • Save that pasta water before you drain; it's the secret to getting the sauce to the right consistency instead of being thick and clumpy.
  • The sauce continues to thicken a tiny bit as it sits, so if it looks a hair loose when you're combining everything, that's actually perfect.
03 -
  • Don't skip reserving pasta water—it's the difference between sauce that coats and sauce that glues everything together into a clump.
  • If you're cooking for a group and timing matters, you can cook the bacon and make the sauce base ahead, then finish the pasta and bring it together just before serving.
  • Use a wooden spoon to toss the pasta with the sauce so you don't break the noodles and get starch clouds that make everything murky.
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