This pasta with smoky BBQ sauce and crispy bacon is a weeknight dinner dream. It comes with roasted bell peppers, grated Parmesan and crème fraiche. It’s saucy, creamy, easy and absolutely bursting with flavors.
Best of all, you can throw it together in about 20 minutes, making it the perfect option for busy weeknights.
Why you’ll love this pasta recipe with BBQ sauce
This may sound a little crazy, but BBQ sauce and pasta are an awesome combination.
It’s amazing on so many different levels. It is buttery, slightly spicy, smoky and a little sweet — and depending on how hot you like your food, you can add some chipotle powder, hot sauce, etc… take a bite and you’ll agree: this is delicious.
I highly recommend adding bacon to this pasta, not only for it’s crispy texture, but also to inject a nice smoky flavor. Once we’ve got the bacon crispy it’s a breeze from there. We don’t discard the bacon’s grease from the pan and start to make the sauce from there.
The BBQ sauce complements the crispy bacon and tender roasted bell pepper so well, making it a real taste sensation. This is a recipe not to be missed. Just add a big side salad and enjoy.
Let me guide you through the recipe with this step-by-step VIDEO.
Helpful recipe tips
- make it vegetarian by swapping out the bacon, just add a little more smoked paprika to boost the flavors
- add veggies like sweetcorn, sun-dried tomatoes or spinach
- if you want more spice, add an extra pinch of red pepper flakes
- add chicken for a richer pasta
- use your favorite small-shaped pasta that holds the sauce, like shells, orecchiette, penne or fusilli
- instead of crème fraiche use heavy cream
- serve with garlic bread and a crisp lettuce salad
Storage
- Fridge: Transfer the leftovers to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: To reheat, gently warm the pasta in a nonstick skillet over low heat.
- Freezer: Store in freezer safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months.
More easy pasta dishes, please!
BBQ Bacon Pasta with Roasted Peppers
Ingredients
- 10.5 ounces pasta
- 7 ounces smoked bacon bits
- 1 jar (280 g/10 oz) roasted bell peppers - drained
- 3.5 ounces crème fraiche - full fat
- 1 ¾ cup puréed tomatoes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 garlic cloves - minced
- 1 onion - finely chopped
- 2 ounces grated Parmesan - more for serving
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp wole grain mustard
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta al dente. Scoop up ½ cup cooking water, then drain the pasta.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add bacon, cook until crispy and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from skillet, leaving as much grease as possible in the skillet.
- Lower the heat. Add onion and garlic, cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Deglaze the skillet with ¼ cup cooking water and stir with a wooden spoon to dissolve the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Simmer for 1-2 minutes.
- Add roasted bell peppers. Next stir in tomato paste and ketchup. Add balsamic vinegar, spices and mustard. Whisk until combined. Pour in puréed tomatoes. Stir and bring to a boil.
- Add pasta, crème fraiche and Parmesan. Toss until combined. Finish with bacon and parsley, give it good stir. Add a splash of cooking water, if needed. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
- Serve immediately. Enjoy!
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