BSTOP Pasta (Bacon, Spinach, Tomato, Onion and Parmesan)
Hi! Welcome to day… I don’t even know anymore, of quarantine. I love how everyone is cooking right now! It’s awesome that families are sharing meals together. I hope it continues after all this craziness is over!
I’ve been getting asked about cooking with what you’ve got on hand. I know my pantry staples are different than your pantry staples, but I feel like this is an easy meal to throw together and you’ve probably got these ingredients.
I saw a recipe for BLT pasta and thought it was an awesome idea. Who doesn’t love a good BLT, am I right? After reading the recipe, I read the comments. Everyone was saying it was bland. I thought the recipe was a good idea, but needed a little work. I decided to go with the idea, but make it the way that I thought we would enjoy it.
The first time I made this we knew this was going to be amazing for spring and summer meals after working outside all day. You know, those days when you’re hungry but don’t want anything heavy. It’s easy to make, it’s filling, and most importantly, it’s not bland! You also don’t have to heat up your kitchen, which is a nice bonus.
Here’s what you’ll need:
1 lb bacon (cooked and broken into bite sized pieces)
8 oz penne pasta (uncooked)
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 medium red onion (diced)
1 bag fresh spinach
1 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes (halved)
2 TBSP butter
1/4 tsp garlic pepper
1/2 – 1 cup parmesan cheese (shredded)
Ok. Let’s do this!
Start by cutting your bacon into 1 inch pieces and frying it in a Dutch oven over medium high heat. (You can use precooked or microwave bacon, just make sure it’s in bite sized pieces.)
When bacon is brown and crispy, remove and set aside.
Add diced red onion to the bacon grease and saute until soft. (If you don’t have bacon grease, use a little bit of olive oil.)
Remove onion and set aside.
Deglaze the bottom of the Dutch oven with the chicken broth, then add pasta, garlic and pepper.
Bring to a boil over high heat. Once it begins to boil, reduce heat to medium high and cook for 12 – 14 minutes. Pasta should be al dente and most of the liquid should be absorbed.
Add butter and stir until melted.
Add spinach and stir until leaves begin to wilt.
Turn off heat. Add in bacon, onions and tomatoes. Stir to combine.
Top with parmesan cheese.
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BSTOP Pasta (Bacon, Tomato, Onion and Parmesan)
Ingredients
- 1 lb bacon cooked and broken into bite sized pieces
- 8 oz penne pasta uncooked
- 3 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 clove minced garlic
- 1/2 medium red onion diced
- 1 bag fresh spinach
- 1 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 2 TBSP butter
- 1/4 tsp garlic pepper
- 1/2 – 1 cup parmesan cheese shredded
Instructions
- Start by cutting your bacon into 1 inch pieces and frying it in a Dutch oven over medium high heat. (You can use precooked or microwave bacon, just make sure it’s in bite sized pieces.)
- When bacon is brown and crispy, remove and set aside.
- Add diced red onion to the bacon grease and saute until soft. (If you don’t have bacon grease, use a little bit of olive oil.)
- Remove onion and set aside.
- Deglaze the bottom of the Dutch oven with the chicken broth, then add pasta, garlic and pepper.
- Bring to a boil over high heat. Once it begins to boil, reduce heat to medium high and cook for 12 – 14 minutes. Pasta should be al dente and most of the liquid should be absorbed.
- Add butter and stir until melted.
- Add spinach and stir until leaves begin to wilt.
- Turn off heat. Add in bacon, onions and tomatoes. Stir to combine.
- Top with parmesan cheese.