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Creamy Bacon Mushroom Pasta

A phenomenal, minimal-prep pasta dish featuring crispy bacon and earthy mushrooms in a rich, velvety Parmesan cream sauce.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 680
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta & Base
  • 12 oz dried pasta spaghetti, bucatini, or linguine
  • 6 slices thick-cut bacon chopped
  • 8 oz cremini mushrooms sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
Cream Sauce
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
  • 0.25 cup pasta water reserved from boiling
Seasoning & Garnish
  • 1 pinch salt and black pepper to taste
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped, for garnish

Equipment

  • Large Pot
  • Large Skillet
  • Tongs
  • Slotted spoon

Method
 

  1. Boil pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining.
  2. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook chopped bacon until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon. Leave about 2 tbsp of bacon fat in the pan.
  3. Add sliced mushrooms to the bacon fat. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until browned and tender.
  4. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  5. Pour in heavy cream and simmer gently for 2-3 minutes. Stir in grated Parmesan until melted.
  6. Add the drained pasta and half the bacon back into the skillet. Toss to coat. Add reserved pasta water a splash at a time if the sauce needs thinning.
  7. Season with black pepper. Serve immediately, topped with the remaining bacon and fresh parsley.

Notes

Do not rinse your pasta after draining. Always use freshly grated block Parmesan for the smoothest sauce, as pre-shredded cheese can make the sauce grainy.