Italian Broccoli-Bacon Pasta Recipe
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
Love Pasta? This is a light and scrumptious Italian Broccoli-Bacon Pasta recipe. Pasta doesn’t have to be covered in an Alfredo sauce to be packed with flavor.
This pasta recipe is quick and easy and is made with simple ingredients you probably already have in the fridge. We enjoyed big bowls of this pasta for dinner last night and had enough for Vadim to take to work.
Ingredients for Broccoli-Bacon Pasta:
16 oz Pasta Shells (or your whatever you have on hand)
1 lb Broccoli – cut into small florets
4 oz Bacon (about 5 strips, excess fat removed and cut into ¼ inch strips)
1 to 2 Garlic Cloves (minced)
2 oz Parmesan
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Butter
How to Make Italian Broccoli-Bacon Pasta:
1. Cook the small broccoli florets in boiling water with 1 teaspoon salt until soft (they should be bright green). Drain and set aside.
2. Cook the pasta in boiling water with 1 tsp salt until al dente (follow instructions on the package). Drain and put back in the pot. Melt 2 Tbsp butter and mix into the pasta.
3. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil on medium-high, add the bacon and fry until lightly crisp. Fold a paper towel and put it in the skillet. Move it around the pan with spatula until it soaks up most of the fat. Discard the paper towel. Reduce to medium heat.
Add the garlic and fry for 2 to 3 minutes stirring constantly.
4. Add the broccoli and season with salt and pepper. Stir over medium heat for 2 minutes.
5. Add the broccoli mixture to the pasta. Mix well and serve with Parmesan.
Notes:
If you are not big on garlic, use one clove. Also, if you prefer, you can use Pancetta – it’s the Italian version of Bacon – you won’t have to trim the fat.
To cut down on fat, you can sub the 2 tbsp of butter with olive oil.
Orecchiette is often used in Italian cooking and would go well with this dish if you can find it.
Italian Broccoli-Bacon Pasta Recipe
A Broccoli Bacon Pasta that is hearty and satisfying.
Ingredients
- 16 oz Pasta Shells, or your whatever you have on hand
- 1 lb Broccoli – cut into small florets
- 4 oz Bacon, about 5 strips, excess fat removed and cut into ¼ inch strips
- 1 to 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
- 2 oz Parmesan
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
Instructions
-
Cook the small broccoli florets in boiling water with 1 tsp salt until soft (they should be bright green). Drain and set aside.
-
Cook the pasta in boiling water with 1 tsp salt until al dente (follow instructions on the package). Drain and put back in the pot. Melt 2 Tbsp butter and mix into the pasta.
-
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil on medium-high, add the bacon and fry until lightly crisp. Fold a paper towel and put it in the skillet. Move it around the pan with spatula until it soaks up most of the fat. Discard the paper towel.
-
Reduce to medium heat. Add the garlic and fry for 2 to 3 minutes stirring constantly.
-
Add the broccoli and season with salt and pepper. Stir over medium heat for 2 minutes.
-
Add the broccoli mixture to the pasta. Mix well and serve with Parmesan.
Recipe Notes
If you are not big on garlic, use one clove. Also, if you prefer, you can use Pancetta - it's the Italian version of Bacon - you won't have to trim the fat. To cut down on fat, you can sub the 2 Tbsp of butter with olive oil. Orecchiette is often used in Italian cooking and would go well with this dish if you can find it.
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
This is perfect! Love it ❤️
Thank you Natasha! 🙂
Быстро, легко и вкусно. СПАСИБО! 😉
Thank you so much for your great review! I’m so glad you enjoyed it 🙂
I just made it and my family loves it. its delish thank you so much for the recipe, Natasha!
Thank you for the great review Lidiya and you are welcome :).
This is exactly what I’ve been looking for! I want to make this for a friend that just had a baby. If I drop it off and she happens to not be able to use it that night, does it reheat well? Or can she stick it in the freezer? Or will that not work well for this dish?
This pasta is best fresh, but if you wanted to reheat it, I’d go the skillet route with a little olive oil or butter only because it has bacon and you’d want that to stay crisp. Keep in mind this does have broccoli and some new mom’s especially breastfeeding mama’s can get antsy about broccoli (my sisters sure did!). You could always use snap peas or green beans, or maybe she’ll be super excited about broccoli. 😉 I think I wrote way more than you are asking. lol
Thank you!!! 🙂
Would adding peas taste good??
That does sound like a good add-in to me! 🙂
Have you tried making any pasta with sundried tomato cream sauce? If you have, would you mind sharing a recipe? Thanks 🙂
I have a recipe posted with shrimp in creamy tomato sauce but not sundried tomato.
hi natasha, i have tried some recipes on your website and i like it a lot 🙂 i made this pasta today plus i added some mushrooms, green onion, and parsley that i had on hand. it was very delicious!!! 🙂
Those sound like some tasty add-ins. Glad you liked it 🙂
Also tastes great if substituted with ground turkey and califlower:)
Thank you for the tips. I’ll have to try that!
Oh my goodness, now that i saw this recipe i know what to cook for dinner tonight. You are right, it is made of simple ingridients that i already have in the fridge.. Oh la la, my hubby is going to love it… Thank you so much.