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    Home » Recent Posts » Dinner

    Quick and Easy Bacon Avocado Pasta

    Published: Jul 13, 2021 · Updated: Aug 23, 2021 by Katy McAvoy

    I love when you share my recipes!

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    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

    Bacon avocado pasta is a favorite in our house. We love the creamy avocado, the fresh tomatoes, and the crispy bacon. Tossed with Parmesan cheese and hot pasta, it makes its own delicious sauce for a light and easy dinner. 

    I’ve been making this dish for years. It’s a go-to for me on any weeknight when I don’t know what else to make and we need something quick and easy. It is also a great way to eat avocados without constantly making guacamole or slicing them on your toast! 

    This is NOT a cold pasta salad, it’s a yummy, comforting, hot pasta dish. If you’ve only ever eaten your avocado cold, this is the perfect recipe to try out something new!  

    A fork full of bacon avocado pasta

    What You Need

    • Bacon
    • Tomatoes
    • Avocado
    • Basil - fresh or dried
    • Lime juice
    • Garlic
    • Parmesan cheese
    • Pasta + pasta water

    How to Make Bacon Avocado Pasta

    Cook pasta according to package directions. 

    While pasta is cooking, chop bacon into small pieces. 

    Cook bacon in a large, high-sided skillet over medium heat until the bacon is crisp. 

    Bacon cooking in a pan

    Leave the bacon fat in the pan. 

    Add the garlic, dried basil (if using), and lime juice. Cook for 2-3 minutes. 

    Cooked bacon, garlic and lime juice in a skillet

    Reduce heat to low. Add diced tomatoes and fresh basil (if using). Stir and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. 

    Diced tomatoes mixed with bacon, garlic, and lime juice in a pan

    Using a large slotted spoon or cooking spider, scoop the cooked pasta directly from its pot into the skillet with the bacon and tomato mixture. 

    Pasta being scooped into a skillet for bacon avocado pasta.

    Add the diced avocado. Stir gently to combine. 

    Avocado added to a skillet of pasta, bacon, tomatoes, garlic and lime juice.

    Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the pasta mixture, and fold to combine. 

    Freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top of a pan full of bacon avocado pasta.

    If the pasta mixture becomes too thick, add ¼ cup pasta water, stirring to combine. 

    Serve immediately. 

    Enjoy! 

    NOTE: Because of the avocado in this dish, it does NOT keep well in the refrigerator. Do your best to eat it all up right after you cook it. 

    Tips on Bacon Avocado Pasta

    Don’t drain the bacon fat!

    It’s really tempting to grab a paper towel and soak up a little bit of the bacon fat after you’ve cooked it, but leave it in the pan! There is no added oil in this recipe and the bacon fat is needed for cooking the garlic, softening the dried basil and imparting some delicious flavor. If you took out the bacon fat, you’d have to add an oil back to the pan, so we’re saving a step by cooking with the super flavorful grease that’s already there.

    Can I use more than 4 pieces of bacon? 

    I use four strips of bacon, because I find it gives the recipe great flavor and texture without making it greasy or overpowering the other flavors. If you love bacon and want to increase the amount, go for it!

    What kind of Parmesan cheese should I use? 

    Skip the green can, and use freshly grated Parmesan cheese in this recipe. It’s the main ingredient in the sauce and brings a lot of flavor to the dish so go for the Parmesan cheese in the deli section of your grocery store. 

    Why do you use the pasta water? 

    What pasta cooks, it releases starch into the water. This gives the pasta water a little flavor (that matches the flavor of the noodles!), making it a great choice if you need to add a bit of liquid to thin the sauce, but don’t want to change the flavor of your dish. 

    Cocktail Pairing

    Pouring a Strawberry Pineapple Vanilla Vodka Martini

    Enjoy your Bacon Avocado Pasta with a fresh and fruity Strawberry Pineapple Martini. 

    Print the Recipe

    Print

    Quick and Easy Bacon Avocado Pasta

    Bacon Avocado Pasta
    Print Recipe
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    ★★★★★

    5 from 1 reviews

    Bacon avocado pasta is a favorite in our house. We love the creamy avocado, the fresh tomatoes, and the crispy bacon. Tossed with Parmesan cheese and hot pasta, it makes its own delicious sauce for a light and easy dinner.  

    • Author: Katy McAvoy
    • Prep Time: 10 min
    • Cook Time: 15 min
    • Total Time: 25 min
    • Yield: 4 servings 1x
    • Category: Dinner
    • Method: Stove Top
    • Cuisine: American

    Ingredients

    Units Scale
    • 4 strips of bacon
    • 2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced
    • 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves OR 1 Tbsp chopped, fresh basil
    • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
    • 1 avocado, diced
    • 1 teaspoon of lime juice
    • 8 ounces dry pasta
    • 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
    • ¼ cup reserved pasta water

    Instructions

    Cook pasta according to package directions. 

    While pasta is cooking, chop bacon into small pieces. 

    Cook bacon in a large, high-sided skillet over medium heat until the bacon is crisp. 

    Leave the bacon fat in the pan. 

    Add the minced garlic, dried basil (if using), and lime juice. Cook for 2-3 minutes. 

    Reduce heat to low. Add diced tomatoes. Stir and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. 

    Using a large slotted spoon or cooking spider, scoop the cooked pasta directly from its pot into the skillet with the bacon and tomato mixture. 

    Add the diced avocado. Stir gently to combine. 

    Sprinkle Parmesan cheese and fresh basil (if using) over the pasta mixture, and fold to combine. 

    If the pasta mixture becomes too thick, add ¼ cup pasta water, stirring to combine. 

    Serve immediately. 

    Enjoy! 

    Notes

    Because of the avocado in this dish, it does not keep well in the refrigerator. Do your best to eat it all up right after you cook it. 

    Keywords: avocado bacon pasta, weeknight meals, pasta dinners, fresh basil, summer meals

    Did you make this recipe?

    Share a photo and tag me @katymcavoy on Instagram! I can’t wait to see what you made!

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    I love when you share my recipes!

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    About Katy McAvoy

    Katy is the author, photographer, home cook, mixologist, and Michigander behind MittenGirl.com. Since 2017, she's been crafting easy-to-make cocktails and delicious meals, along with sharing her love of all things Michigan (a.k.a. The Mitten)!

    Reader Interactions

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      Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    1. Meadow

      August 02, 2021 at 6:13 pm

      What's not to like about bacon and avocado? It's a classic! Delicious through and through with all the tastes of summer.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Katy McAvoy

        August 02, 2021 at 8:09 pm

        Agreed! We love this recipe!

        Reply

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    Katy McAvoy

    Hi! I’m Katy (she/her). I’m an author, photographer, home cook, mixologist, Michigander, and lover of all things food and drink. I never turn down a good happy hour and believe that a couple hours of meal prep pays off for days. Follow me on Instagram to check out what I’m working on next!

    More about me →

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