Bacon & Cheese Pasta
Get dinner sorted with this fresh bacon and cheese pasta. This creamy, crunchy bake is a tasty whānau favourite that's easy to prep.
Recipe Tip Short on time? Skip step 2 and go straight to step 3. Just cook onion and garlic a little longer until softened.
Ingredients
- 1 onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoons olive oil
- 4 rashers bacon, cooked and diced
- 2 tablespoons plain flour
- 400 mL cream
- 550 mL milk
- 1 teaspoons thyme
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch pepper
- 3 cups grated cheese
- 500 grams penne pasta, cooked as per packet instructions
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
- 60 grams seasonal salad
- 1 carrot, grated
- 1 tomato, sliced
- 1 onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoons olive oil
- 4 rashers bacon, cooked and diced
- 2 tablespoons plain flour
- 400 mL cream
- 550 mL milk
- 1 teaspoons thyme
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch pepper
- 3 cups grated cheese
- 500 grams penne pasta, cooked as per packet instructions
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
- 60 grams seasonal salad
- 1 carrot, grated
- 1 tomato, sliced
- Step 1 of 5Preheat oven to 180°C.
- Step 2 of 5Place onion and garlic on to tinfoil and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap up to seal then roast 20 to 30 minutes or until tender. Remove from foil.
- Step 3 of 5Chop onion and garlic. Reheat reserved bacon fat over medium heat in a large pan. Add onion and garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add flour and stir for 1 minute. Whisk in cream, milk and thyme. Reduce by a third. Stir in cheese until melted, creamy and thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and gently stir in pasta. Place in a large casserole dish.
- Step 4 of 5In a small bowl, mix together diced bacon, breadcrumbs, butter and parsley.
- Step 5 of 5Top pasta with breadcrumb mixture and bake uncovered at same heat until bubbling and lightly browned on top, 20 to 25 minutes. Garnish with parsley. Serve with salad.
Method
- Step 1 of 5Preheat oven to 180°C.
- Step 2 of 5Place onion and garlic on to tinfoil and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap up to seal then roast 20 to 30 minutes or until tender. Remove from foil.
- Step 3 of 5Chop onion and garlic. Reheat reserved bacon fat over medium heat in a large pan. Add onion and garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add flour and stir for 1 minute. Whisk in cream, milk and thyme. Reduce by a third. Stir in cheese until melted, creamy and thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and gently stir in pasta. Place in a large casserole dish.
- Step 4 of 5In a small bowl, mix together diced bacon, breadcrumbs, butter and parsley.
- Step 5 of 5Top pasta with breadcrumb mixture and bake uncovered at same heat until bubbling and lightly browned on top, 20 to 25 minutes. Garnish with parsley. Serve with salad.
Method
- Step 1 of 5Preheat oven to 180°C.
- Step 2 of 5Place onion and garlic on to tinfoil and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap up to seal then roast 20 to 30 minutes or until tender. Remove from foil.
- Step 3 of 5Chop onion and garlic. Reheat reserved bacon fat over medium heat in a large pan. Add onion and garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add flour and stir for 1 minute. Whisk in cream, milk and thyme. Reduce by a third. Stir in cheese until melted, creamy and thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and gently stir in pasta. Place in a large casserole dish.
- Step 4 of 5In a small bowl, mix together diced bacon, breadcrumbs, butter and parsley.
- Step 5 of 5Top pasta with breadcrumb mixture and bake uncovered at same heat until bubbling and lightly browned on top, 20 to 25 minutes. Garnish with parsley. Serve with salad.