Tender, delicate angel hair pasta gets a carbonara-like glow up with a flavorful bacon and pea cream sauce in this delightful and simple dish. It’s a weeknight dish that’s easy enough for busy evenings but nice enough to serve company!
Pasta with Peas and Bacon
Pasta dishes like this bacon pasta should be the busy person’s go-to when it comes to getting dinner on the table fast. Angel hair pasta cooks up at the speed of light.
In fact, in the time it takes to bring your water to a boil and boil the angel hair pasta, you’ll likely have crisped your bacon up in the skillet already. Even moving slowly, this dish should come together in well under 30 minutes.
That means you’ll have a nutritious dish that everyone loves in less time than it would take to order and receive take-out or dinner delivery. My guys went a little crazy over this meal when I first made it and they’ve already asked when we’ll be having the “bacon pea pasta thing” again. (It’s a good thing they aren’t responsible for the naming of new recipes around here!)
Pasta with Bacon and Peas
You’ll need the following ingredients for this recipe:
- angel hair pasta
- thick cut bacon
- garlic cloves
- heavy cream
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- frozen peas
- fresh Italian parsley
- shaved or shredded Parmesan cheese
Bacon Pea Pasta
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. While the water is heating, slice the bacon. Cook the pasta, until it is tender and still a bit firm, about 12 minutes. Scoop out ½ cup of the pasta cooking water and set aside before draining the pasta.
While the pasta is cooking, warm a large deep-sided skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Add the bacon and let it cook while stirring occasionally, for about 10-12 minutes, until it is done. Transfer the bacon to a plate. Drain the grease, leaving about a tablespoon of grease in the skillet.
Place the skillet back over medium heat and add the garlic. Cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
Carefully pour the reserved pasta water into the hot skillet. Use a flat metal spatula to scrape up the brown bits and deglaze the pan.
Add the cream, salt, and pepper to the skillet and stir to combine.
Reduce the heat to medium and let it simmer for 1-2 minutes until it thickens slightly.
Add the peas and stir to warm. If the pasta hasn’t finished cooking yet, move the sauce off the heat until the pasta finishes.
Add the pasta to the skillet with the sauce. Stir to coat the pasta with sauce.
Add the bacon and the parsley to the skillet and stir to combine. Taste, and adjust the salt, if needed. Sprinkle with cheese before serving.
Pasta with Bacon
Pasta and bacon go together like bread and butter! For more wonderful pasta and bacon pairings, try out garlicky Bacon Asparagus Pasta including a generous handful of freshly shredded Parmesan cheese, delicate asparagus, a squeeze of fresh lemon, and a sprinkling of red pepper flakes.
Calling all Brussels sprouts fans! Tender pasta and crisp Brussels sprouts are combined with a smoky bacon cream sauce in this irresistible Brussels Sprouts Pasta.
Pasta with Peas and Bacon
Ingredients
- 8 ounces angel hair pasta
- ½ cup reserved pasta water
- 6 strips thick cut bacon about ½ pound, cut into ½-inch wide strips
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup frozen peas
- ¼ cup fresh Italian parsley chopped small
- 2 ounces shaved or shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. While the water is heating, slice the bacon. Cook the pasta, until it is tender and still a bit firm, about 12 minutes. Scoop out ½ cup of the pasta cooking water and set aside before draining the pasta.
- While the pasta is cooking, warm a large deep-sided skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and let it cook while stirring occasionally, for about 10-12 minutes, until it is done. Transfer the bacon to a plate. Drain the grease, leaving about a tablespoon of grease in the skillet.
- Place the skillet back over medium heat and add the garlic. Cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant. Carefully pour the reserved pasta water into the hot skillet. Use a flat metal spatula to scrape up the brown bits and deglaze the pan.
- Add the cream, salt, and pepper to the skillet and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to medium and let it simmer for 1-2 minutes until it thickens slightly. Add the peas and stir to warm. If the pasta hasn’t finished cooking yet, move the sauce off the heat until the pasta finishes.
- Add the pasta to the skillet with the sauce. Stir to coat the pasta with sauce. Add the bacon and the parsley to the skillet and stir to combine. Taste, and adjust the salt, if needed. Sprinkle with cheese before serving.
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