Creamy Garlic Bacon Pasta (Printable)

A rich blend of crispy bacon, garlic, and cream coats tender pasta for a comforting Italian-inspired dish.

# What You 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 tablespoons unsalted butter
07 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
08 - Salt, to taste

→ Garnish

09 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
10 - Extra grated Parmesan, for serving

# Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve ½ cup 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 bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in Parmesan cheese, cooked bacon, and black pepper. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until sauce slightly thickens.
05 - Add drained pasta to skillet and toss to coat evenly. Adjust sauce consistency by adding reserved pasta water, one tablespoon at a time, as needed.
06 - Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and additional pepper if desired. Remove from heat.
07 - Divide onto plates, garnish with chopped parsley and extra Parmesan. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's ready in 30 minutes, which means you can make something restaurant-quality without the stress.
  • The sauce is foolproof—just butter, cream, and cheese creating magic without any complicated technique.
  • Crispy bacon in every bite reminds you why this dish keeps getting requested at dinner parties.
02 -
  • Don't discard that pasta water—it's liquid gold that saves you when the sauce threatens to get too thick or sticky.
  • Brown garlic tastes bitter and wrong, so keep that heat at medium-low and stay present for those 60 seconds.
  • The cream should be brought to just a gentle simmer, never a aggressive boil, or it can break and separate.
03 -
  • Grate your Parmesan fresh and finely—pre-grated cheese has anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting smoothly into the sauce.
  • Keep a small ladle of that pasta water within reach from the moment the sauce is done; you'll likely need it to adjust consistency as you toss and plate.
Go Back