Creamy Garlic Bacon Pasta (Printable View)

A rich pasta dish with crispy bacon, garlic, and creamy sauce for a comforting meal.

# 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, for serving

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of 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, avoiding browning.
04 - Pour in heavy cream and gently simmer. Stir in Parmesan cheese, cooked bacon, and black pepper. Let simmer for 2 to 3 minutes to slightly thicken the sauce.
05 - Add drained pasta to the skillet and toss to coat thoroughly. If sauce is too thick, gradually add reserved pasta water by tablespoons until desired consistency is reached.
06 - Adjust seasoning with salt and additional pepper as needed. Remove from heat.
07 - Divide pasta among plates. Garnish with chopped parsley and extra Parmesan. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than delivery arrives, yet tastes like you've been cooking all afternoon.
  • The bacon fat is the secret currency here—it's where all the flavor lives, and you won't feel bad about using every drop.
  • Creamy without being heavy, rich without tasting like a mistake the next morning.
02 -
  • Reserved pasta water is not optional—that starch is what makes the sauce cling to the pasta instead of sliding off into a puddle at the bottom of the plate.
  • Never let cream boil hard; it breaks and gets grainy, and no amount of Parmesan will save it once that happens.
  • Grate your own Parmesan from a block; pre-grated cheese has additives that prevent it from melting smoothly into the sauce.
03 -
  • Have everything prepped and the pasta water reserved before the cream hits the pan—this recipe moves fast once it starts.
  • If your sauce breaks and looks separated, don't panic; remove it from heat, let it cool slightly, then whisk in a splash of cold pasta water to bring it back together.
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