Creamy Garlic Bacon Pasta (Printable)

Silky cream sauce coats spaghetti with crispy bacon and sautéed garlic for a rich 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 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 cheese, for serving

# Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain thoroughly.
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, leaving 1 tablespoon of bacon fat in the skillet.
03 - Reduce heat to medium-low. Melt butter in the skillet. Add finely chopped garlic and sauté for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until aromatic but not browned.
04 - Pour in heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in grated Parmesan, cooked bacon, and freshly ground black pepper. Allow the sauce to simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until it thickens slightly.
05 - Add the drained pasta to the skillet with the sauce, tossing thoroughly to coat each strand. If the sauce is too thick, incorporate reserved pasta water one tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is achieved.
06 - Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and additional pepper if needed. Remove the skillet from heat.
07 - Divide pasta among serving plates. Garnish with chopped parsley and extra grated Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you'd expect, and your kitchen smells incredible the whole time.
  • The bacon fat does the heavy lifting, so you need barely any extra butter or oil.
  • One skillet means less cleanup, and the pasta finishes with actual silky sauce clinging to every strand.
02 -
  • Don't drain all your pasta water—that starchy liquid is what thickens the sauce naturally and makes it cling to the pasta instead of pooling at the bottom of the plate.
  • Garlic burns so easily once the cream is added, so use medium-low heat and don't walk away while it's softening.
  • The sauce will continue to tighten slightly as it cools, so it should look a touch looser than your final desired consistency when it's still on the heat.
03 -
  • Don't use pre-grated Parmesan if you can help it—the anti-caking agents prevent it from melting smoothly into the sauce, and you'll end up with grainy spots instead of silky cheese.
  • Cook the pasta just under al dente when you know it's going into a sauce, since it continues to soften slightly as you toss it in the heat.
  • If you make this ahead and it breaks or separates while reheating, add a splash of cream or pasta water over medium-low heat and stir gently until it comes back together.
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