Delicious pasta shells tossed in a creamy white wine sauce loaded with bacon, peas and spinach. Dry white wine, lots of garlic, a splash of cream and nutty Parmesan come together for a silky-smooth sauce.
It’s light with a hint of indulgence and finished off with a handful of crunchy pistachios on top. A no-fuss pasta dish you can call on any night of the week, yet special enough to make for a dinner party. Just add a big salad alongside and enjoy.
Why you’ll love this pasta recipe
And again, the delicious sauce does the magic trick. Before draining the pasta, we scoop out some of that starchy water, and let it cook for a couple of minutes to thicken the sauce, it’s a trick that works like a charm. This way, the whole dish gets body and an irresistible creamy texture. Then, we toss in the veggies and hearty bacon and call it a dinner.
Let me guide you through the recipe with this step-by-step VIDEO.
Helpful recipe tips
- The pasta shapes that best complement this sauce are small-shaped pieces that hold the sauce, like shells, orecchiette, penne, or fusilli.
- Swap spinach for steamed broccoli or baby kale.
- Use mushrooms instead of bacon for a vegetarian version.
- Serve with a leafy side salad.
Storage
- Leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Reheat in a nonstick skillet or pan over medium until heated through. Add a splash of water to thin out the sauce if needed.
More pasta, please!
Creamy White Wine Pasta with Bacon
Ingredients
- 9 ounces pasta shells
- 7 ounces salty bacon - cut into lardons
- 3.5 ounces peas - frozen
- 2 ounces spinach
- 4 garlic cloves - minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- ⅔ cup dry white wine
- ½ cup cream 20% fat
- 2 ounces grated Parmesan - more for serving
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp dried sage
- 4 tbsp toasted salted pistachios
Instructions
- Add the pasta to a large pot of boiling, generously salted water. Cook for 2 minutes less than the package’s instructions. Drain, reserving ½ cup of the cooking water.
- In the meantime, heat oil and butter in a large pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add bacon, cook until crispy and golden brown, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate, while trying to leave as much grease as possible in the pan.
- To the same pan, add garlic. Cook over low heat, about 1 minute or until fragrant and soft. Pour in white wine, stir with a wooden spoon to dissolve the browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes. Stir in salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, dried sage.
- Add pasta, peas and ¼ cup of the cooking water, simmer for 2 minutes.
- Add spinach, stir until wilted. Add cream and gradually stir in the Parmesan cheese until it melts into the sauce. Lastly, add bacon back to the pan. Toss to combine. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
- Divide the pasta among bowls. Garnish with the pistachios, more grated Parmesan and black pepper. Enjoy!
Video
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