Easy spicy tomato bacon pasta

Dinner recipes don’t come easier than this spicy tomato bacon pasta. It’s the perfect recipe for when you need a delicious plate of pasta, FAST!

Ingredients needed

• Bacon. 
• Onion.
• Garlic. 
• Red chilli 
• Tomatoes. I use canned chopped tomatoes but fresh tomatoes also work.
• Tomato paste. 
• Cream. Heavy or whipping cream.
• Sugar. 
• Salt and pepper. 
• Pasta. Absolutely any pasta shape works, I like long shapes but penne, fusilli or orechiette will also work.

How to make tomato bacon pasta

1. Bring a large pot of salted water the a boil.
2. Make the sauce: In a separate pot/deep frying pan, cook the finely chopped bacon until crisp and golden. Pour off the fat, reserving 1 tablespoon in the pan and cook the onion and garlic in it until soft and translucent. Add the chopped chillies, tomatoes, tomato paste, cream, sugar and season to taste. Allow to simmer gently for 7-10 minutes.
3. Cook the pasta: While the sauce simmers, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente. Add the bacon back into the sauce and allow to simmer for a few minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water then drain the pasta.
4. Combine and serve: Add the pasta to the sauce and add some of the reserved cooking water. Stir to coat the pasta in the sauce then serve with Parmesan and fresh basil.

Making ahead and freezing

1. Can the sauce be made ahead? The sauce can be made a day in advance and gently heated before being tossed with cooked pasta. To freeze the sauce, leave out the cream and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw completely then transfer to a saucepan and allow to come to a gentle simmer then add the cream and cook for 5 more minutes.
2. How long does cooked pasta last in the fridge? Cooked pasta can be kept for up to 3 days in the fridge. To reheat, rinse under cold water then add to the simmering sauce and allow to cook until hot.
3. Can you freeze cooked pasta? Yes! Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw completely and add to the simmering sauce to heat through.

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Easy spicy tomato bacon pasta

Dinner recipes don't come easier than this spicy tomato bacon pasta. It's the perfect recipe for when you need a delicious plate of pasta, FAST! 

4.29 from 14 votes

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Course: Easy Dinner, Pasta

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Bacon pasta, Easy pasta dinner, tomato bacon pasta

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 4 - 6

Calories: 402kcal

Author: Alida Ryder

Ingredients

• 250 g (+- 9 oz) streaky bacon finely chopped
• 1 red onion finely chopped
• 2-4 garlic cloves crushed
• 1 red chilli finely chopped (remove seeds if you want it less spicy)
• 400 g (14oz) chopped tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp cream
• pinch of sugar
• salt and pepper to taste
• 500 g (1lb) pasta

To serve

• fresh basil
• Parmesan cheese

Instructions

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta when the water is boiling and cook for 7-10 minutes (depending on shape) until al dente. Drain and reserve 1 cup of cooking water. 
• Fry the bacon in a large frying pan until golden brown and crisp. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside. Drain off the fat and reserve 1 tablespoon in the pan. 
• Fry the onion and garlic until soft and translucent in the bacon fat. Add the chillies, tomatoes, tomato paste, cream and sugar and allow to simmer gently for a few minutes. Season to taste. 
• Combine the cooked and drained pasta with the sauce. Add some of the reserved pasta cooking water and toss to coat the pasta in the sauce. Use the cooking water to loosen the pasta and to keep it saucy. 
• Serve the pasta with Parmesan and fresh basil. 

Nutrition

Calories: 402kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 520mg | Potassium: 559mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 230IU | Vitamin C: 19.8mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 2.3mg