Bacon Broccoli Parmesan Pasta (Printable)

Crispy bacon and tender broccoli in a creamy Parmesan sauce, ready in 30 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz penne or fusilli pasta

→ Meats

02 - 5 oz bacon, diced

→ Vegetables

03 - 10 oz broccoli florets

→ Dairy

04 - 2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
05 - 1/2 cup heavy cream

→ Pantry & Seasoning

06 - 2 tbsp olive oil
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Add broccoli florets during the final 3 minutes of cooking. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp and golden, about 5–7 minutes.
03 - Stir minced garlic and red pepper flakes into the bacon. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
04 - Add drained pasta and broccoli to the skillet. Pour in heavy cream and half the Parmesan. Toss thoroughly, adding reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a silky, coating consistency.
05 - Season generously with salt and black pepper. Plate immediately, topping with remaining Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The crispy bacon creates these incredible salty pockets throughout the pasta
  • Broccoli stays bright and tender crisp instead of mushy thanks to that quick blanch
  • The whole thing comes together in barely 30 minutes but tastes like it took way more effort
02 -
  • That reserved pasta water is liquid gold because the starch helps bind the cream sauce to every single piece of pasta
  • Do not rinse the pasta after draining because you need that starch to help the sauce adhere properly
03 -
  • Cut your bacon into cold straight from the package because it slices cleaner when firm
  • Grate extra Parmesan while you are prepping because trying to grate cheese while food is getting cold is stressful

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