Bacon Pesto Pasta
If you are like me, I often times have leftover bacon from breakfast over the weekend. This Bacon pesto pasta is the perfect way to use up that extra bacon. This recipe comes together quickly for the perfect weeknight meal, and is packed full of flavor the whole family will love. This recipe calls for arugula, but if you have kids who don’t love greens, leave the greens on the side. The fresh basil is the perfect topper to almost every pasta dish. If you love pesto, make this recipe this week!
Why you’ll love this easy weeknight meal for working moms
- As a working mom with little kids, I need quick meals. This pasta recipe comes together in about 20 minutes.
- It’s the perfect recipe to use leftovers! Leftover bacon? Use it. If you have greens in the fridge that need to be used, use those! This recipe is easy to play with and just as delicious no matter how you make it.
- The pesto is store bought. Pesto freezes really wonderfully, so I always have pesto on hand for a quick pasta recipe.
Here’s what you’ll need to make it
- Sauce Pan
- Frying Pan
- Knife
- Spoon
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Ingredients & substitutions
- Pasta of choice I used medium shells
- Buitoni Pesto – I love Buitoni. It can be found in the cooler section, freezes wonderfully, and it’s just as good as homemade!
- Bacon chopped
- Arugula – I used arugula, because that’s what I had. I love arugula, but if it’s not your favorite green, spinach is a great substitute! If greens aren’t your favorite, peas go very well in this recipe, also.
- Parmesan for garnish
How to make this basil bacon pasta
Step 1. Make pasta as directed. Chop bacon and fry in a pan until crispy.
Step 2. To a bowl, mix pesto, pasta, bacon and arugula. Stir to combine.
Step 3. Top with grated Parmesan cheese.
FAQs about pesto bacon pasta
Pesto is that wonderfully green sauce that offers a flavor that can best be described as bright and pungent, with a basil-forward, herbaceous garden aroma suspended with delicate olive oil, enriched with pine nuts (pignoli), and kicked into overdrive with Italian cheeses and garlic.
Pesto pasta is easy to make and full of flavor. It tastes good hot or cold!
What does pesto taste like? Traditional pesto is a thick, green sauce that tastes bright and herby from the basil, and salty and rich from the cheeses and pine nuts. It should be garlicky, with pleasant grassiness from good quality olive oil.
More steak & pasta recipes:
Bacon Pesto Pasta
Equipment
- 1 Sauce Pan
- 1 Frying Pan
- 1 Knife
- 1 Spoon
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb pasta of choice I used medium shells
- 11 oz Buitoni Pesto
- 1/2 lb Bacon chopped
- 1 cup Arugula
- Parmesan for garnish
Instructions
- Make pasta as directed. Chop bacon and fry in a pan until crispy.
- To a bowl, mix pesto, pasta, bacon and arugula. Stir to combine.
- Top with grated Parmesan cheese.
