Hi Hi! If you love creamy bacon pasta, you’re in the right place. Today I’m going to show you how to make a sweet and spicy creamy bacon pasta recipe that will absolutely leave you smiling.
Whilst this is a one-pot dish style recipe, you can cook your pasta separately and mix everything together at the end if that’s your jam. You’ll only need a few tools to pull this together, so grab them and let’s get to work.
Allergy Status (does not include your cheese of choice)
Free From: Wheat/Gluten, Dairy, Egg, Soy, Tree Nuts, Peanut, Fish, Shellfish, Sesame, Top 9 Allergens, Apple, Avocado, Banana, Beans & Lentils, Berries, Buckwheat, Cane/Refined Sugar, Carrot, Cinnamon, Citrus, Coconut, Cruciferous, Garlic, Legume, Lupin, Mushroom, Mustard, Oat, Pea & Pea Protein, Potato (Nightshade Variety), Poultry, Rice, Seeds, Squash & Gourd, Stone Fruits, Strawberry, Sweet Potato & Yam, Tapioca/Cassava/Yuca/Manioc, Tomato, Yeast
Friendly To: EOE, FPIES
**The Allergy Status includes the celery commonly found in bacon.**
Tools to Make This Creamy Bacon Pasta
- Knife (this is my current fave knife series)
- Cutting Board
- Kitchen Scissors (I have several pairs of these)
- Dutch Oven OR Deep/Large Pan
Creamy Bacon Pasta Ingredients
Part 1 Ingredients
- 900g Bacon Ends/Bacon Lardons of Choice (32 ounces/2 lbs)
- 660g Organic Yellow Onion, small dice (23.5 ounces)
- Optional: 10.5mL Bourbon Extract (this is the brand that I use)
Part 2 Ingredients
- 110g Organic Maple Sugar
- 1 tsp Sea Salt
- Optional: 5mL Bourbon Extract
Part 3 Ingredients
- 40g Sorghum Flour, superfine OR Brown Rice Flour, superfine
- 2.02L Milk of Choice (72 ounces/9 US cups)
- 450g Cheese of Choice (16 ounces/1 lb)
- 2 TBSP Organic Dried Parsley
- 3 tsp Organic Ground Ancho Chili
- 3 tsp Organic Dried Marjoram
- 2 tsp Organic Smoked Paprika
Part 4 Ingredient
- Dry Uncooked Pasta of Choice (aim for al dente)
Ingredient Notes
Bacon Ends: This is a less expensive cut of bacon. It has the same taste and quality, but it’s the bits that are left over when bacon is cut into those perfect strips. Some bacon end packages will have a higher fat content, so keep that in mind as you shop.
You can use regular strips of bacon in this recipe. You’ll want to slice the strips into bite-sized pieces before cooking the bacon.
Maple Sugar: This is a granulated sweetener. Good substitutes include coconut sugar and date sugar. You can use a liquid sweetener and still have a delicious dinner, but you’ll throw off the ratios a little bit. Maple syrup would be my top suggestion.
Yellow Onion: You can use white onion or red onion in this recipe if needed or wanted.
Flour: If you’re not gluten free, you can use a basic all purpose flour in place of the sorghum. If you are gluten free, you can use your go-to all purpose flour in place of the sorghum.
Cheese of Choice: Any single cheese, or combination of cheeses will work in this recipe so long as YOU like the taste, and it doesn’t clash with your bacon. Cheddar, mozzarella, and gouda are all excellent contenders. If you opt for a salty cheese like Parmesan cheese, be mindful of how much you’re using, and consider cutting it with a less salty cheese so you have balance in the end.
Milk of Choice: I have a kiddo allergic to milk, so we use a dairy free milk. However, this creamy bacon pasta recipe will work with whole milk or any plain dairy free milk (almond milk, cashew milk, rice milk, etc.). The only milk to avoid will be full fat coconut milk from a can.
Pasta of Choice: I use a wheat and gluten free pasta since one of my kids is allergic to wheat. You can use any pasta shape from spaghetti to rotini to penne and everything in between. You can use wheat based pasta or gluten free pasta and have delicious results.
More Delicious Pasta Recipes
Here are some epic gluten free and allergy friendly pasta recipes I think you’ll love!
- Honey Mustard Bacon Pasta Recipe (an easy dinner and perfect of you love creamy pasta dishes)
- Easy Lamb Ragu (serve this on top of your favourite noodles)
- Easy Creamy Vegan Pasta Sauce (this is a fantastic recipe if you’d like to learn how to make a basic cream sauce that you can jazz up)
- Nut Free Mac n Cheese (this is dairy free, and does not require dairy free cheese, it’s like, creamy “mac”)
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Creamy Bacon Pasta Instructions
- Prep Time: 5 – 8 minutes
- Hands on Cook Time: ~15 minutes
- Total Cook Time: 45 minutes
Start by dicing your yellow onions. Next, examine your bacon ends. If you have pieces that are almost all bacon fat, remove them. For pieces that are really big, use kitchen shears to cut them down to a bite-sized piece.
Heat your Dutch oven on medium-high heat (7/10 for me). Once hot, add the bacon ends and cook for 7 – 10 minutes. This is done in part to render some of the bacon fat which will become your cooking fat for the onions.
Next, add the onion and optional bourbon extract. Mix everything together and continue to cook for 3 minutes. Now add the maple sugar and 1 teaspoon of sea salt and mix again. If you’re using the optional bourbon, add the last bit as well.
Now add the sorghum flour. Sprinkle it all over, then mix well. Add the milk next and mix again. These steps provide us with the thickening we’ll need for a nice sauce. Add your cheese and all of the seasonings. Mix very well. Continue to cook for several minutes to allow the milk to heat, then add the pasta.
When the pasta is in, allow the milk to come to a boil. This took 2 minutes for me. At this point, you have 2 choices.
Option 1: Cover the Dutch oven with the lid and allow the pasta to cook. You’ll need to stir every 30 – 45 seconds to prevent sticking and burning. This takes about 20 minutes.
Option 2: Place the Dutch oven in the oven that’s been preheated to 400f/205c and bake for 18 – 25 minutes. Your pasta type will determine the bake time.
Either way, the dish is ready to serve as soon as the noodles are cooked to your liking. I’ve done this both on the stove top and in the oven. Honestly, the oven method is much easier.
When your pasta is ready to roll, optionally, you can garnish with chopped fresh parsley or a little fresh chopped tarragon.
Creamy Bacon Pasta Storage
Leftovers can be stored in the fridge, covered in an airtight container, for 5 days. Enjoy the leftovers throughout the week. Do not freeze your creamy bacon pasta leftovers.
This creamy bacon pasta tastes best when warm/hot. To reheat, pull your leftovers from the refrigerator, place a portion in a small pot, and heat on medium heat. Add 1 – 2 ounces (30 – 60mL) of your milk to make mixing easier, and to bring a little life back into your pasta.
Once the pasta is hot, it’s ready to serve. It only takes a few minutes to reheat the leftovers.
Ways to Jazz Up This Creamy Bacon Pasta Recipe
Fold Roasted Veggies Into Your Cooked Pasta
Both frozen peas and frozen green beans heat up quickly in the oven. You can oven roast them, then fold them into the cooked pasta just before serving for a little nutritional boost.
Alternatively, you could steam broccoli florets, roughly chop them, then fold that into your cooked pasta (also a great nutrition boost). If you go this route, a little organic black pepper to taste would be a lovely addition.
Serve in Zucchini Boats
To serve this in zucchini boats, you’ll need large zucchini/courgettes. Cut them in half lengthwise, then use a melon baller to remove the center flesh. Fill that with your creamy bacon pasta to your heart’s content.
You can also roast the boats if you’d like them to be soft and have some nice caramelization when serving.
Fold in Greens
Roughly chop spinach and add it when you add the dry pasta. You can also dried organic spinach flakes in place of fresh spinach leaves. If spinach isn’t your jam, you can add rainbow chard instead.
Kick it Up a Notch
You can swap some of the milk of choice for cream cheese, and add some red pepper flakes into the pasta as well. Now you’ve got something extra creamy with a spicy kick.
Go Hog Wild
You know that thing where people put breadcrumbs on top of a mac and cheese, pop it into a casserole dish, and bake it? OK, so, let’s go in that direction, except, we’re making a cross between a bacon jam and a relish.
Heat a little olive oil in a large pan and add breadcrumbs, bacon bits, chopped dates (or organic maple sugar), and caramelized onion. Toss everything together very well, and cook until the breadcrumbs are nicely toasted. You can also add a fresh herb like fresh parsley. Also, add a little acid to this, like balsamic vinegar, to help cut through the richness, or you’ll only be able to take a few bites.
Sprinkle this on top of your pasta when serving and it will be like having a double dose of bacon, with a little extra kick.
A Few More Quick Ways to Alter This Easy Recipe
- Add Tomatoes (top with quartered fresh cherry tomatoes or even hard seared or oven roasted tomatoes for extra flavour)
- Make it Extra Cheesy (you can add extra cheese to your creamy bacon sauce and won’t find me judging at all)
- Top With Crispy Bacon Pieces
Answering Your Creamy Bacon Pasta Recipe Questions
Can I use heavy cream instead of milk?
When you’re making this delicious pasta dish, I don’t suggest that swap. As is, this is already a pretty rich bacon pasta dish. Heavy cream is going to push it further than it needs to go.
Now, swapping some of the milk for heavy cream isn’t the worst idea I’ve ever heard. I’d stick to the 15 – 20% range if you really want to include that in your pasta.
What’s a good side dish for this pasta recipe?
Given the chill nature of this creamy bacon pasta recipe, pretty much all sides are a good idea. I’d avoid carb heavy sides, with a few exceptions, to make sure you’ve got balance. Here are some sides I’d personally serve up:
- Asparagus, oven roasted
- Braised Greens (be sure to start these early if they have a long cook time)
- Garlic Bread (one of my kids would tell you this is the only way, and of course with a layer of dairy free butter spread on)
- Oven Roasted Vegetables (frozen peas and frozen green beans are both great choices)
- Parsnip Purée (related to carrots, think, mashed potato adjacent)
- Side Salad (there are so many variations of this that you can make to keep meals interesting [and your green salad interesting])
Would diced ham work instead of bacon?
It can, so long as you go into the swap eyes wide open. First, the texture will be different, and second, the taste will be a little different as well. However, it’s a pretty good swap if you ask me. Personally, I’d jazz up the ham since it’s a pre-cooked meat, then fold it in at the end of cooking to make sure it doesn’t get over cooked.
To jazz it up, I’d heat organic extra virgin olive oil in a large pan and when it’s hot, add the cubes. I’d also add a little seasoning (ginger, maple, turmeric, pinch of black pepper). You can season in other ways that compliment the flavour profile that’s already present.
When all of the sides are crispy, fold that into the creamy sauce and pasta when it’s done cooking, and I think you’ll love the meal.
Now, if you just dice some ham and throw it in the pot, I don’t know that you’ll love it. Also, keep in mind the sodium content of something like ham. It may throw off what you were expecting to have as your end result, so adjust the salt as needed.
Why can’t leftovers be frozen?
Generally, a creamy pasta sauce won’t freeze and thaw well. A hearty tomato based meat sauce, like a ragu, will freeze and thaw well. Technically, anything and everything can be frozen. The real question is, will you want to eat it when it’s thawed.
In the case of this creamy bacon pasta recipe, I don’t think you love it once it’s thawed, so it’s not slated as a freezer friendly recipe.
Can I use chicken thighs instead of bacon?
You absolutely can! What’s nice about this creamy bacon pasta recipe is that it’s pretty versatile. Not only could you use chicken thighs, but you could use chicken breasts, pork butt/pork shoulder, rabbit saddle, and quite a few other proteins and cuts. So, making a creamy chicken pasta instead of a creamy bacon pasta totally works.
When using chicken thigh, I strongly encourage you to use kitchen scissors to trim the thighs before cutting them into bite-sized pieces. I like to remove large pieces of fat, along with any gristle, to ensure the tasters have a smooth experience.
Is this a good recipe for a busy weeknight?
If you go with the one pot cooking method in the oven, I think this creamy bacon pasta recipe is a real winner. You won’t have to stand and stir or keep an eye on things, which frees you up to get other stuff done (been there, done that, have the shirt, hoodie, and joggers).
Will spaghetti noodles work well in this kind of pasta recipe?
A long noodle like cooked spaghetti could work. Personally, I’d crack the dry spaghetti noodles in half before adding them to the boiling pasta cooking water. That can make the eating experience more enjoyable in the long run.
Should the bacon be soft or crispy?
That’s entirely up to you. I cook this bacon recipe in a large Dutch oven, so you end up with a bit of a softer bacon if you ask me. If crispy bacon is your jam, here’s what’d I do. Place your strips of bacon on a wire rack that slots into a pan (something like this, I have one similar from this brand that I got at Costco). Cook that in your oven until you have crispy bacon (cooking times can vary wildly based on type of bacon and thickness of the slices).
When it’s done, transfer the cooked bacon to paper towels to soak up any remaining bacon fat. However, be sure to save the bacon grease that’s in the bottom of the pan for future cooking.
Once the bacon isn’t super hot, and easy to handle, use a sharp knife to roughly chop it into medium and small pieces. You don’t want the pieces to be so small that you don’t register the crispy element.
Make the rest of this creamy pasta dish as instructed, but skip the part where you add the bacon to the pan. At the end of cooking, when you serve the pasta, add as much crispy bacon to each portion. I’d avoid folding it into the pasta because once the crispy bacon is “wet” from the sauce, you’re going to lose some of that crisp.
Whilst it is a little extra work to cook bacon in this manner, if you LOVE crispy bacon, it’s the best way to go and it will be a great addition to your creamy pasta. I promise.
Also, the best part about cooking the bacon separately is that you can batch cook the bacon, then have extras in the fridge for other meals throughout the week. Literally sprinkle on a little bacon here and there like a magical fairy.
Is this a good pasta recipe for picky eaters?
Unfortunately, that’s going to be subjective. If you have picky eaters in your home that hate smoky bacon and would rather eat a bowl of fresh tomatoes and strawberries, they’re so going to pass on this one.
On the flip side, if your whole family loves creamy textures, a velvety sauce, and bacon as a general rule, then this is a great recipe for you to serve. In some cases, the best option is to deconstruct and offer your selective eater a portion of cooked bacon alongside boiled noodles that are tossed in a little olive oil or butter/fat of choice. You could also add a side of a vegetable that they love.
