Bacon Pesto Pasta, a quick meal solution for busy weeknight dinners! Homemade pesto, bacon, and pasta mix for a winning combo!
This Bacon Pesto Pasta is a super easy dinnertime meal that whips up in no time! Ready from beginning to end under 30 minutes, it’s perfect for any night of the week.
The ingredients are super simple and easily available so that makes this recipe so much easier to throw together. We do make our own homemade pesto, but if you want it to go faster you can use premade if you’d like.
The addition of the bacon really takes this recipe over the top. I mean doesn’t bacon make everything better? I think so at least.
We are a quick and easy meal family and that is exactly what this Bacon Pesto Pasta is. We absolutely cannot get enough.
It looks a little fancy and is perfect for an easy dinner or even a dinner party, people will think that it took you hours to make, when in reality it isn’t.
If you want a tasty meal where all the ingredients work perfectly together and serves the whole family, then this is the recipe that you need.
Some of my other favorite pasta recipes that we have on our site include: Pizza Pasta Bake, Taco Pasta and Broccoli Pasta Salad.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
- This comes together in less than 30 minutes.
- You can make your own homemade pesto or use jarred.
- Easily double this recipe to serve more people.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED (FULL RECIPE BELOW):
Fresh basil
Parmigiano-reggiano cheese
Extra virgin olive oil
Toasted chopped pecans
Garlic
Kosher salt
Pepper
Thick-cut bacon
Spaghetti noodles
HOW TO MAKE BACON PESTO PASTA:
- Place the basil, parmesan, pecans, garlic, salt, and pepper in a food processor. Pulse while slowly adding in the olive oil until smooth. Taste, season with more salt and pepper if necessary. Set aside.
- Cut the bacon into 1-inch slices, fry until crispy in a medium-sized skillet. Reserve 1 tablespoon of bacon grease. Drain the remaining bacon onto a paper towel and set aside.
- Cook the pasta to al dente and reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking liquid.
- Add the pasta to a large bowl. Add in the pesto, reserved bacon grease, and ¼ cup of the pasta cooking liquid, and toss to coat the noodles. If it seems dry, add a little more of the pasta water until saucy.
- Garnish with the crispy bacon. Serve as is or with your favorite salad and bread, enjoy!
DO I HAVE TO USE SPAGHETTI?
You can use whatever pasta you like, just make sure it is the same amount as in the recipe. We like to use angel hair, thin spaghetti, fettuccine, rigatoni, penne, and rotini the most.
DO I HAVE TO USE THICK-CUT BACON?
We like to use thick-cut bacon but regular bacon is okay too. If using regular bacon, use 16 slices. We like the applewood smoked variety the best, but use what you like.
CAN I ADD OTHER MEATS TO THIS?
It is a fantastic dish in itself, but you can add additional proteins like chicken, pork, or shrimp. We have tried them all and each taste amazing, so use what you’d like!
HOW TO STORE:
This can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator where it will keep for up to 3 days.
If you have any leftovers I suggest keeping the bacon and noodles separate, the bacon will get very soggy if left in the pasta.
This can also be frozen, placed in a freezer container and it will keep for up to 3 months.
To reheat, add the noodles to a skillet with a little water to help them loosen up. Fry the leftover bacon in a small pan until crispy again, serve, and enjoy.
TIPS AND TRICKS:
- You can use homemade pesto or jarred.
- This recipe can easily be doubled.
- Add some different meats to switch it up, see above for suggestions.
- Make sure your cheese is freshly grated.
- This can be frozen, see above on how to do that.
- Add ½ teaspoon of red chili flakes for a little spicy kick.
- We like to use pecans in our pesto because we always have them on hand and it is a cheaper alternative to traditional pine nuts.
- You can use other pasta, see above for suggestions.
Want a dinner that looks fancy but in reality is super simple? Then you absolutely have to whip up this Bacon Pesto Pasta for dinner ASAP!
If you’ve tried this BACON PESTO PASTA let me know in the comments how it turned out! You can follow me over on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK to find some more of our mouthwatering recipes!
Bacon Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
Pesto Sauce:
- 2 cups fresh basil packed
- ½ cup parmigiano-reggiano cheese freshly grated
- ⅓ cup high quality extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup toasted chopped pecans
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Bacon Pesto Pasta:
- 8 slices thick-cut bacon
- 1 pound spaghetti noodles
Instructions
- Place the basil, parmesan, pecans, garlic, salt, and pepper in a food processor. Pulse while slowly adding in the olive oil until smooth. Taste, season with more salt and pepper if necessary. Set aside.
- Cut the bacon into 1-inch slices, fry until crispy in a medium-sized skillet. Reserve 1 tablespoon of bacon grease. Drain the remaining bacon onto a paper towel and set aside.
- Cook the pasta to al dente and reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking liquid.
- Add the pasta to a large bowl. Add in the pesto, reserved bacon grease, and ¼ cup of the pasta cooking liquid, toss to coat the noodles. If it seems dry, add a little more of the pasta water until saucy.
- Garnish with the crispy bacon. Serve as is or with your favorite salad and bread, enjoy!
Notes
- You can use homemade pesto or jarred.
- This recipe can easily be doubled.
- Add some different meats to switch it up, see above for suggestions.
- Make sure you cheese is freshly grated.
- This can be frozen, see above on how to do that.
- Add ½ teaspoon of red chili flakes for a little spicy kick.
- We like to use pecans in our pesto because we always have it on hand and it is a cheaper alternative to traditional pine nuts.
- You can use other pasta, see above for suggestions.
