Tomato Bacon Pasta is a quintessential example of how to make a quick pasta dish that’s totally slurp-worthy with just a few ingredients. All you need is bacon, canned tomato, pasta and a few pantry staples!
Quick pasta recipes are a midweek lifesaver, and this tomato pasta recipe with bacon is a 15 minute meal that’s great as is but can be loaded with extras – like vegetables and chicken!
Bacon Pasta
This is a quick pasta that’s made with a tomato pasta sauce and bacon. It’s a great way to turn some bacon into a quick dinner and you can fill it out with more vegetables if you so wish.
Here’s all you need:
- bacon (or pancetta, speck, chorizo, ham or sausage)
- a can of tomato
- olive oil, garlic and pasta
Toss the pasta in the sauce with a splash of pasta cooking water. This is how restaurants make even the simplest of pastas taste so amazing!
There is one secret to making pasta that makes all the difference: tossing the pasta in the sauce with a splash of the pasta cooking water on the stove. This thickens the sauce, making it stick to every strand of pasta so it all ends up in your mouth rather than a watery pool in the bottom of the pasta bowl.
And this is the way Italians have been making pasta ever since the dawn of time. It’s called emulsifying the sauce and if you’ll read about this in every pasta recipe I’ve published!
Quick pasta recipe
This is a really quick pasta recipe, making it a fabulous one for a busy weeknight. Especially if you’re feeling exceptionally lazy as I often am and you purchase pre-diced bacon. Sometimes it’s on special and it’s the same price as bacon slices, and I buy small portions of about 200g/8oz each and freeze them separately.
Super handy to have on hand for things like this pasta, using as a garnish on everything from Potato Salad to Chicken Salads, and adding to creamy chicken pastas.
To complete your quick dinner, add a garden salad with a simple Balsamic Dressing. I like to make big batches of dressing and keep it in the fridge – it lasts for weeks! – Nagi xx
More really quick pasta dishes
- 8 quick and easy pasta recipes – pantry staples!
- One Pot Vegetable Pasta – cheesy and saucy, in a tomato sauce
- Pesto pasta – with fresh homemade pesto
- Creamy Tomato Pasta – the healthier way to get a creamy pasta fix
- Alfredo Salmon Pasta – and try this One Pot Chicken Alfredo Pasta or Alfredo Salmon Pasta
- Creamy Garlic Prawn Pasta
- Sausage Pasta – quick to make, it’s like mini sausage meatballs in a tomato pasta sauce
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Bacon Tomato Pasta recipe video! Note the order of steps – start the saute with bacon, then add onion and garlic, then deglaze the skillet with pasta water (I do this specifically – to ensure I get all the flavour off the base of the skillet) before adding tomato. Also notice how when the pasta first goes in, there’s loads of sauce in the skillet but by the end, it’s all on the pasta!
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Bacon Pasta with tomato pasta sauce
Ingredients
- 160 g / 5 oz spaghetti or other long strand pasta of choice
- 1 tsp olive oil (or butter)
- 150 - 180 g / 5 - 6 oz bacon , diced
- 1 garlic clove , minced
- 1/2 onion , finely diced (brown, white, yellow)
- 400 g / 14 oz canned crushed tomato
- Salt and pepper
- Pinch of sugar , if needed (Note 1)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Finely chopped parsley
Instructions
- Have the ingredients lined up and ready to start cooking at the same time.
- Bring a large pot of water to the bowl. Add a pinch of salt. Cook pasta according to packet but MINUS 2 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet over high heat. Add bacon and cook for 1 minute, then add garlic and onion and cook for 3 minutes or until onion is translucent and bacon is golden. Drain excess fat if desired.
- Scoop out a mug of pasta cooking water, then pour about 1/2 cup into the skillet. Bring to simmer and stir, scraping the skillet to dissolve in all the golden bits stuck on the pan into the liquid.
- Add tomato, bring to simmer and cook for 2 minutes, then turn down to medium high.
- Drain pasta, or if you timed it right, use tongs to transfer it straight from the pot into the skillet.
- Toss gently using two wooden spoons for 2 minutes, or until the sauce is no longer sitting in the skillet, it's all on the pasta (see video). If it gets too thick, just add an extra splash of the pasta cooking water.
- Season with salt and pepper (remember bacon is salty!).
- Serve immediately, garnished with parmesan, parsley and final drizzle of olive oil if desired.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
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Silly question but could fresh tomatoes work and if so, what’s the best approach? I’ve got a tonne of tomatoes from my dad’s garden! 😊
Hi Jen, you’d need to blanch to remove the skins then roughly blend to get the “crushed tomato” consistency. – N x
Absolutely delicious, big hit with my family 😍
Wahoo, that’s great to hear Caroline!
My daughters chose this recipe for dinner, I had everything in the fridge/pantry ready to go and they loved it. Cooked it as per the recipe as it was for my kids, I didn’t think it needed any extra heat. Another winner! This will definitely be a regular in our house. Thx Nagi
That’s great to hear Bec, I’m so glad it was a hit!
Made this in about 10 min and the family was shocked that I actually made something yummy for a change!! Thank you! Will make again!
I’m so glad it was a hit Anne – N x
We ate this lovely dish for dinner tonight Embraced the reviewers suggestions adding chilli and grated zucchini, also garnished generously with Italian parsley and basil yum.
Loved the fresh simple flavours going to try with different pastas and Gnocchi.
Will become a regular dinner in our house. Thank you again for another easy, delicious meal.
I’m so happy you loved it Tan!
This recipe is so delicious, just like in a restaurant. Thank you heaps.
Wahoo, thanks so much for letting me know you loved it!
Wanting to make this recipe tonight but I only have canned diced tomatoes on hand. Will that work?
Absolutely Carlee! — Nx
Made this and so easy and yummy. Will make it again.
Thanks so much for letting me know what you think Ivy – N x
Thanks for the recipe, it was very nice. My first time making pasta and everyone wanted seconds!!!
Great Benjamin!
Hi Nagi,
Are you familiar with Cento brand canned tomatoes? They are absolutely divine!
Hi Nagi,
This sounds easy and delicious, just wondering as I have an abundance of fresh tomatoes, can I use these and if so how many for 2 people?
Can’t wait to try it
Absolutely! I would use 600g/1.2 lb for 2 people 🙂 LOTS! N x
This was so good! Comfort food on a busy weeknight is my jam. This will go on rotation and is already pinned to my “tried and true” recipes board (along with like a million other recipes from you 😀 )
That’s so great to hear Anita! Thanks for letting me know – N x ❤️
Thanks for sharing.
Loved the video on the bacon-tomato pasta and the reminder to ALWAYS use the pasta water in the sauce. I will watch it again tomorrow night after I go to the store and before I make the dish. I’m getting tomatoes with chilis.
Yes yes YES! I can’t think of a single pasta I don’t use pasta water for!
Well, I made this tonight after planning to make a “bacon tomato pasta” and plugged that into google to see if I could be inspired. And you certainly did!
I made it pretty much as you said, but added more bacon, and didn’t adjust the tomato. My kids are not big fans of too much sauce. I did also add a finely grated large zucchini, which they did not notice! It was an unwavering success.. I think my 7 yo ate more than I did. He has requested I put it on my list!
I’ve had a look around and you seem to have some wonderful recipes that are very much my style, fresh and mostly simple. Thank you!
I’m so happy to hear that Claire! Thanks for sharing your feedback – N x ❤️
Hi Nagi,
I tried this recipe tonight and loved it. I think I’m going to try adding a bit of chili next time. I think it would also be great with some heat to it:)
Gosh YES to chilli. Goes great with every tomato based pasta! N xx
This was great! Thanks to your guidance, I’ve finally got the whole emulsifying thing! I’ve been trying for a while but it never seemed to work until I followed your recipe to the tee (even using a timer to count how long I should toss things!) and it worked so well! Thank you! Super quick and tasty too!
I’m so pleased to hear that Beth! Thank you for letting me know! N xx
YUM! This is what you make if you need a Bacon Fix! My 29 year old son and I finished off most of a 4 serving meal… And no, we did not drain the grease. Left enough for my wife to try who usually hits the reject button on anything bacon! Will cook a six person recipe next time 🙂 🙂
Love the way you can adjust the ingredient quantities by hovering over the servings number and sliding the bar! Neat trick that. I usually try to find recipes that use all the canned products when made. So, a 28 ounce can for four servings and 28+14.5 oz cans for six servings.
I’m so pleased to hear that Dan! Thank you for letting me know! N xx
Hi Nagi,
Did this one the other night. Beautiful quick meal. It was a bit of a bacon drought though as I realised I would need to double the recipe to feed my children whose to save their very best pac-man impressions for the dinner table… And I only bought enough bacon for 1 serve! Used my gigantor Dutch oven to handle the pasta. Added spinach. 800g of canned tomatoes and you don’t even want to know how much pasta were consumed in one sitting and heartily complimented by all! Next time I am going to try chorizo and bacon because my love of processed meats is such that I feel that combination would be permissible! TL;DR: Delicious, 5stars, came together just like you said it would etc etc…
Processed meats and I are extremely good friend. BRING IT ON!