Garlic Tomato Bacon Pasta

A vibrant and flavor-packed pasta dish featuring crispy smoked bacon, aromatic garlic, and fresh basil in a rich tomato sauce, ready in under 30 minutes.

Ingredients

• 300 g rigatoni pasta
• 100 g smoked bacon
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp dried chili peppers
• 1 handful fresh basil
• 30 ml dry white wine
• 400 g tomato sauce
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• to taste salt
• to taste black pepper
• to garnish parmesan cheese
• to drizzle extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. 1Boil the pasta

   

   Add salt to a pot of boiling water, then carefully pour in the dry pasta. Allow it to cook for 8 to 10 minutes until it reaches the desired doneness.

   Tip: Make sure the water is at a rolling boil before adding the pasta to prevent it from sticking together.
2. 2Render the bacon

   

   Add the diced smoked bacon directly into a pan over medium heat. Allow the fat to render out until the bacon becomes browned, fragrant, and slightly crispy.

   Tip: If using regular bacon instead of pre-made bits, dice it finely before adding to ensure it cooks evenly.
3. 3Sauté the aromatics

   

   Once the smoked bacon has browned and rendered its fat, add the minced garlic, chopped dried chili peppers, and fresh basil to the pan. Stir-fry everything together until highly fragrant.

   Tip: Since bacon is naturally fatty, there is no need to add extra oil to the pan; simply render out its own oil for the best flavor.
4. 4Deglaze with white wine

   

   Pour a moderate amount of dry white wine into the pan over the fragrant bacon and aromatics. Bring the mixture to a quick boil to deglaze the pan and lift the browned bits.

   Tip: The acidity of the dry white wine helps balance the richness of the bacon fat and adds depth to the sauce.
5. 5Add the tomato sauce

   

   Pour a full jar of tomato sauce directly into the pan with the bacon and aromatics. Add a little water to the jar to rinse out the remaining sauce, and pour that in as well.

   Tip: Rinsing the jar not only minimizes waste but also adds the perfect amount of liquid to help the sauce simmer and reduce.
6. 6Season the sauce

   

   Stir in a spoonful of tomato paste to deepen the flavor, then season the sauce with salt and black pepper. Let the sauce reduce slightly before adding the cooked pasta.

   Tip: Taste the sauce before adding salt, as the bacon already provides a salty base to the dish.
7. 7Combine pasta and sauce

   

   Once the tomato sauce has reduced slightly, add the cooked pasta into the pan. Toss well to ensure the sauce begins to coat the noodles evenly.

   Tip: Keep the heat at a medium level while combining to prevent the sauce from splashing.
8. 8Thicken the sauce

   

   Add a large spoonful of the starchy pasta cooking water to the pan. Stir continuously until the sauce thickens and perfectly coats each piece of pasta.

   Tip: The starch in the pasta water is key to creating a glossy, emulsified sauce texture.

Storage & Reheating

Burn It Off

Frequently Asked Questions