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Shrimp and Bacon Pasta

Published: / Updated: / 56 Comments

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This shrimp and bacon pasta recipe is fresh and full of flavor. The creamy tomato sauce is to die for, and this dish is ready in only 30 minutes!

creamy shrimp and bacon pasta in a white bowl

I love a creamy sauce with fresh tomato. My creamy tomato salmon pasta is quite similar, and that's one of my favorites. You still get your creamy sauce, but the tomato brightens it a bit, and so it tastes much less heavy. I guess you'd call it a rosé sauce (not to be confused with the wine!).

This shrimp pasta with tomato is very fast and straightforward. It's one of those pasta dishes that work if you want something a bit different and more elevated on a busy weeknight, but it's also good enough for when you've got company.

Those are my favorite types of dishes to create!

I don't go overboard with the bacon here. It's just enough to let you know it's there, but not enough for it to be too much. I'd say we've got a really nice balance of flavors in this pasta.

I finished it off with a bit of fresh parsley and some parmesan cheese. I find these items necessary on most pasta dishes. Obviously. 😛

close-up of creamy shrimp and bacon pasta with grated parmesan and parsley garnish

Pro tip: Feel free to take the tails off the shrimp prior to cooking them. I usually do when I am not staging photos. I've heard that it's a pet peeve of some people when they see shrimp tails in finished dishes.

I leave them on because I actually find it easier to photograph shrimp with the tails on. It adds some extra color and texture. Now you know if you were curious. 🙂

Love easy shrimp recipes? Try these:

creamy shrimp and bacon pasta in a skillet with parsley garnish

Will you give this shrimp and bacon pasta recipe a go?

Talk to me in the comments below!

This easy, creamy shrimp pasta with bacon is the perfect weeknight treat or easy dinner party recipe! The sauce is brightened with fresh tomato. Garlic and white wine make the sauce extra delicious. 

Shrimp and Bacon Pasta

This shrimp and bacon pasta recipe is fresh and full of flavor. The creamy tomato sauce is to die for, and this dish is ready in only 30 minutes!
4.87 from 15 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4

Ingredients
 

  • 8 ounces uncooked pasta
  • 1 pound medium or large shrimp thawed & peeled (remove tails if desired)
  • 4 strips bacon cut into small pieces
  • 1 medium tomato diced finely
  • 1 large clove garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 dashes Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 cup chicken broth or dry white wine
  • 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • Fresh parsley chopped (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Boil a large, salted pot of water for the pasta. Cook al dente according to package directions.
  • Prep your bacon (I use kitchen shears to make it easy to cut it up). Fry the bacon over medium-high heat in a skillet until crispy (7-10 mins.). Take the bacon out of the pan and set aside.
  • Drain most of the bacon fat from the pan, but keep a little bit in for flavor. Add the tomato, garlic, Dijon mustard, Italian seasoning, and chicken broth to the pan. Give it a good stir and let it simmer for about 1-2 minutes.
  • Add the cream to the pan. Let it cook for 5 minutes (so it reduces & thickens). If it's bubbling like crazy, turn down the heat.
  • Add the shrimp and bacon to the pan. Let it cook for another 4-5 minutes or until the shrimp have cooked through.
  • Drain the pasta and add it to the pan, tossing until it's nicely coated in the sauce.
  • Stir in the parmesan cheese and season with salt & pepper as needed. Garnish with parsley if using.

Notes

  • I used large shrimp (41-50/lb. size) in this recipe. Smaller shrimp will work too.
Keyword shrimp and bacon pasta
Author Natasha Bull
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    • Miranda @ Salt & Lavender says

      Hi Leo! Sounds like you missed the part in the blog post where that's discussed. 🙂 It's for depth and variation in the photos. You're welcome to present them however you like in your own kitchen. Let us know how the recipe turns out!

      Reply

  3. Laura R says

    Made this tonight! I added some mushroom, shallot and sundried tomato instead of the fresh tomato, added a bit more wine and cream for the extra ingredients. It was absolutely delicious.

    Thank you!

    Reply

  5. Pat says

    5 stars
    Very delicious. I like that I can adjust the amount. I live alone and love recipes I can downsize. My grandson thought bacon and shrimp make an odd combination. They certainly don’t! I highly recommend this dish.

    Reply

  7. Christine says

    5 stars
    Prepared as written. On the table in less than 30 minutes. Quick and delicious! Really loved the fresh tomato.

    Reply

  12. Jo Anne Goodnight says

    5 stars
    Loved this recipe! Easy to prep in advance. Whole meal came together in 20-30 mins. I used light cream but otherwise followed the recipe to a “T”. Definitely a keeper.

    Reply

  13. Tricia Shingler says

    5 stars
    Fabulous recipe!! I couldn’t decide between the shrimp or salmon, so I added both!! I was told by my husband to hang onto this recipe so we can have it again. Thank you so much for sharing it with us.
    I wanted to upload a pic, but I can’t figure out how. Lol.

    Reply

  14. Jennifer says

    Hi there! I’m new to your site. I searched for shrimp and bacon and this recipe came up. It was delicious! Will definitely be making again and trying more of your recipes.

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      So happy you found me, Jennifer!! 🙂 Thanks for leaving me a review, and let me know if you make anything else. XO

      Reply

  15. Donna Hascup says

    5 stars
    This was a really good recipe. Huge hit with my family. Especially love the addition of Dijon mustard. This will be on repeat in our home for a while. I told my son it was a recipe for company and he said no it’s a recipe for every week. Really really good! Thanks for sharing

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Hi Jess! It's a dry herb blend. It's basically an all-purpose seasoning that has balanced flavor and eliminates the need for adding individual herbs (lots of different brands sell it in North America). It typically contains basil, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, and thyme. Feel free to use anything similar or just a small pinch of whatever dried herbs you have on hand.

      Reply

  17. Aulia says

    5 stars
    Cooked this for today's dinner and it was AWESOME!!! I made a couple change such as using shrimp stock (with all the heads and skins) and using beef bacon, but its still delish none the less. Definitely will make more of this, and getting creative with the protein, in the future! Thank you and take care!!!

    Reply

  18. Andrea says

    5 stars
    This recipe is restaurant quality! I made is last week and doubled it, everyone loved it including one super picky teen. She brought leftovers for lunch and her friends asked to try it and couldn’t believe it was homemade. It has been asked for again, this time with thin chicken instead of shrimp. Thank you for the wonderful recipe!!

    Reply

  19. Mimi says

    5 stars
    Excellent recipe. I used the suggested wine instead of chicken broth to brighten things up. Only alteration I made was garlic powder instead of garlic clove because I like the concentrated garlic flavor. Will be making again!

    Reply

  21. Zoe R. says

    This was delicious and easy to make. I made a couple of substitutions due to lack of ingredients. Instead of the tomato I used canned diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings and instead of the chicken broth or white wine I used chicken bullion with a little water. I plan to add this recipe to my rotation.

    Reply

  22. Julie Kadelbach says

    Made this fabulous dish! And we don’t care for Dijon but I have a thing you make as is first time and glad I did, was not over bearing. Thank you for a winner!!

    Reply

  23. Anne Lane says

    Hi Natasha. I haven't made this yet. In hoping to this week . Can I make it all up and leave it warning in the oven? Thank you in advance.

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Hi Anne! Hmm... I'm a little concerned that the cream sauce may go a little weird. It can separate and just not taste as good.

      Reply

  24. Betsy says

    3 stars
    Hi! I just made this dish. Lovely foundation, however, for those who would like a lighter, less mustard-y sauce ...these are the changes I made and it turned out delicious! note: I made the original recipe and tasted the sauce before adding the shrimp, bacon, and noodles. I was very glad I did because whew! it was rich and had a strong mustard flavor. I saved about half of the original sauce, and added to the pan 1/4 c. sour cream, 1/2-3/4 c. whole milk, 1/2 Tbsp. poppy seeds, and some extra chopped veggies, namely mushrooms and asparagus. Nice meal in one dish! Thank you, Natasha, for a beautiful beginning to a dish I can call my own! I will definitely search through your recipes and see what else I can find that is more closely suited to my own specific tastes. Blessing in 2019!

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Hmm I never noticed it tasting overly mustard-y... there's only a teaspoon in there amongst all the other ingredients. Maybe I just love Dijon? Haha. I guess cutting the amount in half next time may be in order? Thanks for your suggestions - maybe they will help another reader. I wish you a great 2019 also. 🙂

      Reply

    • Natasha says

      Hi Lauren! You could try half-and-half (plenty of readers have subbed it in various recipes of mine and it seemed to work), but honestly it's just not the same without the fat content in the cream consistency-wise. And if it's a particularly lemony sauce, the half-and-half (or if you use milk) can break and curdle from the citrus unfortunately.

      Reply

    • Amy Tassone says

      I always use full fat coconut milk as the "cream" substitute. I skim off the top of the can for the cream part. And you can't taste the coconut flavor at all (or at least I don't notice it)! But you still get the creamy texture and flavor effect.

      Reply

  27. Cindy S says

    5 stars
    This looks amazing!! Just found you from the site The Food Charlatan, she recommended you and from what I can see I will be staying, hope you like company cause I'm not in any hurry to leave.!!...lol

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Welcome to my blog, Cindy. I am VERY happy for you to stick around! 🙂 Karen is great... I just saw she wrote about the Lizard People thing. Too funny.

      Reply

  28. Lynn | The Road to Honey says

    Such a lovely meal Natasha. I love that it is the perfect quick weeknight meal but could also do double duty as an elegant meal for a dinner party. As for the tails. . .well. . .they are always left on at restaurants likely for the same reason.

    Reply