When it comes to easy weeknight dinners, nothing beats this Pasta with Peas and Bacon. It’s made with pantry and freezer staples and can be whipped up in less than 30 minutes.
Whenever I need something quick and easy, I make this simple bacon and peas pasta as it doesn’t require a ton of work. Most of the ingredients I already have at home, so it saves me from a trip to a store!
This Bacon & Peas Pasta recipe was originally published on February 25, 2014. This post has been updated on June 2021 with new photos and tips.
Why You’ll Love This Pasta Recipe
- If you love bacon, then you’ll love this pasta as the pasta is tossed with the fat from the bacon. While you can drain the fat, there’s so much flavour in it that I don’t.
- It’s super easy to make and is a beginner friendly recipe!
- It’s fast as you can cook the bacon, onion, and garlic while the pasta cooks. Once the pasta is done, the timing works out to have the pasta added to the bacon.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- pasta — I use pasta shells but you can use whatever small pasta shape you’d like.
- bacon — regular bacon or thick cut bacon works.
- onion — I use a small sweet onion but feel free to use yellow or red onion as well.
- garlic — wondering why my garlic in the photo is a square shape? It’s because I froze it that way! See how I prep my garlic by freezing it in this “how to freeze garlic” post.
- salt & pepper
- butter — just a knob of unsalted butter is needed.
- peas — I love using frozen peas as it’s more convenient than fresh peas.
- parmesan — use shredded or petals for ease.
- lemon — a splash of citrus really brightens the pasta.
How to Make Pasta with Bacon and Peas
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the packaging. Mine takes 8 minutes to cook. Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water and drain the rest and set aside when done.
- While the pasta is cooking, in a non-stick skillet, add the bacon to it and fry on medium heat until crispy, approximately 7 to 8 minutes.
- Once the bacon is crispy, feel free to drain some of the grease or keep all of it.
- Add the onion and garlic to the pan and stir fry in the bacon fat until the onions have softened, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the cooked pasta to the pan along with the butter and a splash of pasta water if you need to loosen the pasta a bit.
- To the pan, add the green peas and parmesan. If you want to add more parmesan, do so in batches so it’s evenly combined.
- Stir on medium-low heat until everything is combined.
- Top off with a splash of fresh lemon juice before serving.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- To add more flavour, you can try adding some red pepper flakes.
- You can also add a splash of heavy cream or sour cream to make this pasta a bit more creamy.
- Add more parmesan cheese or a different cheese to make this a cheesier pasta.
- Instead of bacon, you can use pancetta.
- Due to the bacon fat, you can use a larger pan and stir fry the pasta with the fat and crisp up the pasta as well!
- If you have fresh herbs, add them in!
Make Ahead Tips
- Meal prep: once cooled, store the pasta with peas and bacon in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge. I reheat in the microwave or the stovetop.
- Freezer: I haven’t tried freezing this specific bacon & peas pasta but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work! Allow the cooked pasta to cool before transferring them into an airtight container before storing them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw before reheating in the microwave or the stovetop.
Pasta with Peas and Bacon
When it comes to easy weeknight dinners, nothing beats this Pasta with Peas and Bacon. It’s made with pantry and freezer staples and can be whipped up in less than 30 minutes.
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Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 4 cups shell pasta
- 8 slices bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 small sweet onion, diced
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- ¼ tsp salt, or to taste
- ¼ tsp pepper, or to taste
- 1 tbsp butter, unsalted
- 1½ cups peas, frozen
- ½-1 cup parmesan
- lemon
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the packaging. Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water and drain the rest and set aside when done.
- While the pasta is cooking, in a non-stick skillet, add the bacon to it and fry on medium heat until crispy, approximately 7 to 8 minutes.
- Once the bacon is crispy, feel free to drain some of the grease or keep all of it.
- Add the onion and garlic to the pan and stir fry in the bacon fat until the onions have softened, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the cooked pasta to the pan along with the butter and a splash of pasta water if you need to loosen the pasta a bit.
- To the pan, add the green peas and parmesan. If you want to add more parmesan, do so in batches so it’s evenly combined.
- Stir on medium-low heat until everything is combined.
- Top off with a splash of fresh lemon juice before serving.
Notes
- This makes for 5 to 6 servings, depending on the size of your appetite. This can last me around 6 meals whereas it’s closer to 5 for my partner.
Tried this recipe?Did you make this recipe? I’m always so happy to hear about it! I’d love to see how it turned out. Tag me at @CarmysHungry on Instagram so I can see it! If you enjoyed the recipe, I’d really appreciate a comment with a 5 star rating! ♥
Nutrition Per Serving
Calories: 549kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 569mg | Potassium: 415mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 427IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 132mg | Iron: 2mg
More Easy Pasta Recipes To Try
- One Pot Chicken, Broccoli, and Peas Pasta
- Creamy Hummus Pasta
- Bacon, Mushroom, Spinach Pasta
- Instant Pot Beef and Pasta (Beefaroni)
- Cold Chicken Spinach Pasta Salad
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