Asparagus and Bacon Pasta

This asparagus and bacon pasta is fresh, lemony, a little bit creamy, and not too naughty! Perfect for spring.

So this was my idea: make a pasta with bacon and a bit of (sour) cream that isn’t too bad for you.

I won’t go so far as to call this healthy, but it could be so much worse. 😉 Oh and the poached egg… that’s optional.

This dish is quick and easy. Asparagus is finally in season, and bacon is always in season. It’s a good combo. We only use 4 strips of bacon here (split between two people), which is just enough to satisfy that hankering you have. We crisp it up, drain most of the bacon fat, and sauté the asparagus with some lemon juice.

Then all ya do is add a bit of garlic, sour cream, parmesan cheese, and a splash of the pasta water. I actually managed to dunk my hand in the boiling pasta water when making this. Use extreme caution. The sauce is light but satisfying. 😉

If you feel like adding the poached egg, you’ll want to start boiling that water while the pasta is cooking. The egg pictured was poached for about 3 1/2 minutes. The egg pictured was poached the old fashioned way, but we usually use poach pods around here – they’re really handy and make it less hard to mess up. Eggs and bacon of course go together, and asparagus and eggs are frequently paired together, so I thought why not.

I am so excited that we’re starting to see some signs of spring here. I can’t wait until jackets aren’t needed anymore and I can break out the ole flip flops. It drives my sister crazy, but I love flip flops and wear them anywhere I can get away with. I’m in snow boots 6 months of the year, so that’s my right, dammit! 🙂

Will you make this asparagus and bacon pasta? Are you as thrilled spring is here as I am?!

If you liked this recipe, you may also enjoy my asparagus and mushroom pasta.

Questions? Leave me a comment!

5 from 1 vote

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Asparagus and Bacon Pasta

This asparagus and bacon pasta is fresh, lemony, a little bit creamy, and not too naughty! Perfect for spring.

Course Pasta

Cuisine American

Keyword asparagus and bacon pasta

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 2

Author Salt & Lavender

Ingredients

• 4 ounces uncooked penne
• 4 slices bacon
• 1 bunch asparagus
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 2 heaping tablespoons sour cream
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 2 dashes Italian seasoning
• Pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
• 2 eggs (optional)

Instructions

1. Boil a pot of salted water for your pasta, and cook it according to package directions.
2. Slice bacon into small pieces, and add to a skilled on medium heat. Cook for 10-15 minutes, or until it's crispy. Once it's done, take it out of the pan and set aside. Discard most of the bacon fat (leave just enough to lightly coat the bottom of the pan). If you're poaching the eggs, you probably want to start boiling that water about now, then poach the egg to your tastes.
3. Meanwhile, remove the tough ends of the asparagus, and cut the rest of it into bite-size pieces. Add it to the skillet along with the lemon juice, and sauté for 5-7 minutes on medium-high heat until it's tender-crisp, stirring occasionally.
4. Add the bacon back into the skillet, and also add the garlic, sour cream, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes. If the pasta isn't quite done yet, take the skillet off the heat until just before you're ready to drain it. Add 3 tablespoons of the pasta water and the chopped parsley, and stir it into the sauce. Add the pasta to the pan and toss it with the sauce. Serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

• I save any bacon fat that I discard and keep it in a jar in the fridge. It's great for lots of purposes (it's homemade lard, basically). I love roasting potatoes in bacon fat!