Tomato Bacon Pasta
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A quick pasta dish with crispy bacon, simmered tomatoes, and sautéed onions. Bacon greases the skillet giving depth. Tossed pasta coats well in chunky, tangy sauce. Simple pantry staples. Minimal fuss but big on flavor. Sub bacon for pancetta or smoked sausage. Use whole peeled tomatoes or fresh cherry tomatoes for variation. Timing depends on visual cues not clocks. Onion softens to translucent, garlic fragrant but not brown, sauce bubbling softly before adding pasta. Pasta al dente preferred, not mushy. Cook smells savory, slightly sweet from tomatoes. Great weeknight fix. Crumbled bacon scattered over pastas like confetti. Substitute shallots or leeks for onion. Use olive oil if bacon lean. Add red pepper flakes for heat twist.
Prep:
14 min
Cook:
28 min
Total:
42 min
Servings:
4 servings
#Italian
#pasta
#bacon
#tomato sauce
#quick dinner
#weeknight meal
Tossing pasta with crispy bacon and a tomato-based sauce never gets old. The bacon grease is gold here; it’s the secret weapon for aroma and mouthfeel. Tried this a dozen times and learned the hard way, rushing onions or scorched garlic kill the depth. Not magic, just patience. Tomatoes need a slow simmer till they sing sweet and a little tart. Pasta texture is everything. Firm but yielding. Mix it hot so sauce clings, unctuous with bits of bacon and soft onion. I swap bacon for pancetta when craving Italian vibes, or add chili flakes for a spicy edge. Simple ingredients, no fuss, big taste punches.
Ingredients
- 12 oz dry pasta like penne or rigatoni
- 8 slices thick-cut bacon
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 14 oz canned diced tomatoes with juice
- 2 tbsp reserved bacon grease
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes optional
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil or parsley
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
About the ingredients
I always recommend thick-cut bacon for more render-friendly fat and less greasy feel. Pancetta or smoked sausage can jump in place of bacon if preferred. Yellow onions give sweetness but shallots or leeks shake up the flavor profile. Garlic mustn’t burn or it’ll turn bitter; add it late. Tomatoes vary — whole peeled diced yourself or canned, both work. Fresh cherry tomatoes can be a fresh twist but soak time changes. Save a little pasta water; it acts like glue to bring sauce and pasta together if sauce gets thick or sticky. Sometimes bacon fattiness is skimmed with a spoon if too greasy. Parmesan cheese adds umami finish; skip or swap for pecorino for sharper bite. Herbs are optional but elevate flavor.
Method
- Boil salted water for pasta, toss in dry noodles. Stir frequently to avoid stick, cook until just firm to bite - al dente. Don’t trust times blindly. Drain and set aside, saving a splash pasta water if sauce needs loosened later.
- Lay bacon strips in cold skillet then heat medium, render fat slow for crispiness and chew, flip once or twice. Remove crisp bacon onto paper towels, drain grease except 2 tablespoons remain. Crumble bacon when cooled; crispy bits, not crumbs, keep texture.
- Keep skillet on medium, add chopped onion into bacon fat. Stir often, watch edges turn glossy and translucent, smell sweet and soft but no browning yet. Usually 5 to 8 minutes. If onions brown, heat too high, you’ll get bitterness.
- Drop garlic in last minute of onion cooking; stir constantly. Garlic should soften and get punchy aroma but not turn dark or bitter. About 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add diced tomatoes with juices straight from can. Stir everything together, temperature lowered to simmer. Gentle bubbles breaking surface, sauce thickening slightly. Break up big tomato chunks with spatula if you want less chunky. Simmer around 8 to 12 minutes depending on water content.
- Stir in crumbled bacon bits thoroughly, toss in pasta directly into skillet. Use tongs to mix, coat noodles evenly. If sauce feels thick, add reserved pasta water spoonful by spoonful until saucy enough. Taste test at this stage. Final seasoning with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes for kick.
- Off heat, sprinkle fresh herbs and cheese on top, fold gently to meld flavors without crushing the herbs. Serve piping hot. Bacon grease keeps pasta slippery and luscious.
Cooking tips
Pasta timing depends on bite, not package. Always taste test. Too soft and dish becomes mushy, too stiff won’t meld. Bacon fat renders evenly only if heated slowly, medium heat, flip occasionally. Don’t rush; crispy is key but burned is ruined. Onion cooks in bacon fat for flavor uptake; translucent is done, browning isn’t wanted here. Stir often but gently. Garlic added last to prevent bitterness, around one minute max once onion softened. Tomatoes simmered low with lid off helps reduce thin juice into flavorful sauce, watch for color darkening slightly, bubbling gently is cue. Toss ingredients while hot so sauce sticks. Use pasta water sparingly to loosen sauce without making it runny. Serve immediately. Leftovers reheat fine but sauce thickens. Reconstitute with reserved water or olive oil.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Slow render bacon fat at medium heat, flip every few minutes. Fat needs to liquefy, crispiness develops with patient flips not high heat burners. Paper towel drain mandatory; don’t skip or greasy mess. Reserve 2 tbsp bacon grease for saute steps; flavor base strong here.
- 💡 Onion softens to translucent stages, smell sweet with hints of sharpness but no browning allowed. Browning kills sweetness, brings bitterness. Stir often but gently; edge glossiness is key signal. Timing 5-8 minutes, adjust heat if needed. Sub shallots or leeks for subtler profile.
- 💡 Garlic added last minute; stir constantly. Aroma changes instantly when garlic loses raw bite but before burnout. Dark garlic ruins sauce; pulse garlic gently in pan, about 1-2 minutes max. Late garlic addition saves flavor depth without bitter punch.
- 💡 Simmer tomatoes uncovered low heat until sauce thickens slightly, bubbles breaking surface gently. Break big chunks if wanted less chunky. Timing varies 8-12 minutes based on canned tomatoes water content. Use lid off to reduce moisture properly; watch color deepen slightly.
- 💡 Pasta cooked salter water; al dente crucial. Timing is eyeball, bite test. Too soft pasta turns mushy once sauced. Reserve splash pasta water for adjusting sauce consistency after tossing. Toss pasta hot, sauce thickens and binds with heat. Bacon bits tossed in last for texture contrasts.
Common questions
Can pancetta replace bacon?
Yes pancetta works but fat renders differently. Less smoky; cook carefully or add olive oil substitute. Smoked sausage also option but change flavor profile. Thickness affects render time.
How to avoid mushy pasta?
Key is frequent taste check. Remove noodles while still firm but not chalky. Drain fast but keep splash water. Toss immediately in sauce hot pan. Sauce coats noodles; starch locks sauce pasta better when hot.
What if garlic burns?
Burnt garlic means bitter flavor ruins sauce. Add garlic late in onion cooking. Lower heat or off heat if needed. Need punch without black bits. Alternatives: garlic powder at end or roasted garlic but changes taste.
How to store leftovers?
Refrigerate in airtight container. Sauce thickens, add splash pasta water when reheating to loosen. Warm gently. Can freeze sauce and pasta separately. Avoid microwaving too long or pasta gets gummy.
