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This bacon tomato pasta recipe uses a handful of everyday ingredients and is quick and simple to make! The creamy garlic sauce with fresh tomatoes is decadent and delicious.
You may also like my Chicken Bacon Spinach Pasta or Shrimp and Bacon Pasta next.
Why you’ll love it
Crispy, savory bacon and in-season tomatoes make such a good combo. I kept the ingredients list short in this creamy bacon pasta so that each one can shine! The garlic cream sauce is fantastic, and fresh tomatoes lighten it up and add a summery quality.
This 30-minute bacon pasta is super straightforward to make with ingredients you already have on hand like Italian seasoning, cream, and garlic. It’s really nice to make after a long day at work, but it definitely doubles as a dish that’s special enough for company.
What you’ll need
- Pasta – I like a longer shape like bucatini. It’s a tube-shaped variety that’s perfect for slurping up that creamy sauce! You can use any variety, though.
- Bacon – the bacon fat actually forms the irresistible savory base of the sauce
- Garlic – use even more if you’re a big garlic fan
- Tomato – choose what’s in season and looks best at the grocery store, farmers’ market, or your garden
- Heavy cream – it’s unmatched for making sauces have fabulous flavor and silky texture
- Italian seasoning – my go-to all purpose blend of dried herbs that comes in one jar
- Parmesan – optional, but a little dusting of parm is the perfect finish!
Pro tip
As the tomatoes burst, they release their juices. This is an integral part of the sauce, giving it a naturally sweet, fresh, and tasty quality. You can definitely use a handful or two of grape or cherry tomatoes from the garden instead!
How to make bacon tomato pasta
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Boil the pasta. Meanwhile, prep the bacon. Fry it until crispy, then spoon out excess fat, leaving some behind for the sauce. Add the garlic, and cook until fragrant.
Add the chopped tomatoes, cream, and Italian seasoning. Let it simmer until it reduces to your liking. Toss with the drained pasta, and then top with freshly grated parmesan if using.
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- Mince the garlic with one squeeze of a garlic press.
- These cooking shears make it easy to cut up the bacon into bite-sized pieces, and I fry it up and make the sauce in this skillet.
- Kitchen tongs make it simple to dish up this pasta, and I keep uncooked pasta in one of these airtight pantry containers.
Substitutions and variations
- I don’t recommend subbing the heavy cream for anything like half-and-half or milk because the acidity of the sauce and high heat it’s cooked over could curdle it pretty easily.
- Add some red pepper flakes if you want a little heat.
- A handful of fresh spinach towards the end until it wilts would be great for some greens.
What to serve with creamy bacon pasta
- I garnished it with a little fresh parsley in the photos for an optional pop of freshness.
- Try a side salad. Use my Easy Caesar Salad Dressing and Homemade Garlic Croutons to make the tastiest Caesar salad.
- My Extra Cheesy Garlic Bread is always a good idea, or grab a baguette and olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping it into.
Leftovers and storage
- This bacon pasta is best fresh, but you can store leftovers in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Reheat over a low heat, adding a splash of cream if needed. If possible, boil up fresh pasta when eating leftovers.
- I don’t recommend freezing leftovers due to the dairy.
If you made this tomato and bacon pasta recipe, please leave a star rating and review below! Be sure to tag me on Instagram if you make one of my recipes.
Creamy Bacon Tomato Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces uncooked pasta (I used bucatini)
- 6 strips bacon
- 1-2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium tomato cut into small pieces
- 3/4 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Pepper to taste
- Garnish: freshly grated parmesan cheese to taste
Instructions
- Boil a salted pot of water for your pasta.
- Meanwhile, cut the bacon into small pieces (I like using kitchen shears for this) and add it to a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the bacon until crispy (about 7-10 minutes).
- Spoon out excess fat (leave about 1 tablespoon in there).
- Add the garlic to the skillet and cook for 30 seconds.
- Stir in the tomato, cream, and Italian seasoning. Let it bubble for 5 minutes or so until the sauce has reduced to your liking (turn the heat down if it starts to furiously boil). It's not a super thick sauce, but it should be thick enough that it coats the back of a spoon.
- Drain the pasta, add it to the skillet, and toss with the sauce (add a bit of the hot pasta water prior to draining it if the sauce gets too thick for your liking). You can either add the parmesan at this step and toss the whole thing or grate some over top of each bowl. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Serves 2-4. If you’ve got 4 super hungry people and aren’t serving it with anything else, I recommend doubling the recipe.
- The bacon is pretty salty, so you may not need to add extra salt to this recipe.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Sounds delicious! I’m going to make it tonight. I don’t have heavy cream on hand, can I substitute for cream of mushroom soup?
Condensed soup isn’t a direct swap for heavy cream, so we wouldn’t recommend it. It’s only been tested as written. You’re welcome to experiment, but we can’t predict what the results would be. 🙂
I’ve made this recipe exactly as written 20+ times – it is reliably fantastic. Tonight I tried it as a one-pan recipe. At/after step 5, I added dry pasta and a mix of chicken broth and water until the pasta was cooked through. My goodness, if it’s possible, it made the recipe that much better! Extra saucy, starchy, and great flavor throughout. Thanks for the always awesome recipes!
I’m thrilled to hear it’s a favorite of yours!! Thanks for the one pan tips!
I added some pan fried mushrooms as they needed to be used. Easy, quick and tasty recipe, even though I forgot the parmesan 🤦♀️Thanks Natasha!
I’m so happy you enjoyed it!! 😀
Our family loves this recipe. It’s in our rotation! Thank you for the simple ingredients and directions!
That’s so nice to hear!! 😀
Really good recipe. Only had bacon, tomatoes and pasta in the house and this worked out perfectly.
That’s great to hear, Tay! Thank you!
Just finished eating this and it was lovely! I added a cheeky bit of cream cheese mixed with herbs.
Thank you for sharing!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Andy! 🙂
I made this dish this week. Everyone loved it- there were no leftovers. I appreciate that your recipes use ingredients that I usually have in my pantry/fridge. For this working mom- fast, delicious meals are what I love!
I’m so happy to hear that!! 🙂
I found this to be a very versatile recipe! Just made it, but I didn’t have heavy cream and substituted greek yogurt. Tastes amazing. I eyeballed the amounts mostly, added extra garlic and maybe a Tablespoon of Italian seasoning. Fresh bacon bits were on hand, so I had even less cooking prep to do. Topped with fresh parsley, grated parmigiano and served with a salad. Delicious!
I’m so glad you were able to tweak it based on what you had on hand! Happy you found it simple and delicious, Christine! 🙂
Hi I’m trying this tonight and can’t wait after reading all the reviews – I’m just thinking I may make double so if any leftovers, can they be frozen ?
Hmmm… I’m not sure that this is the best recipe to freeze, unfortunately. Cream sauces are notoriously bad for reheating, and I’m not sure how the fresh tomato would work either. I mean, you could give it a try and see how it goes for you. It’s possible that you’ll be totally happy with the results. I’d reheat on a low heat to hopefully help with the sauce separating.
Hi do you use smoked or unsmoked bacon?
Smoked. I’m not sure I’ve ever had unsmoked bacon.