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.

Quick and Easy Bacon Avocado Pasta

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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
1/4 cup reserved pasta water

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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

Find it online: https://mittengirl.com/quick-and-easy-bacon-avocado-pasta/