Penne Alfredo with Bacon and Sundried Tomato

A delicious twist on the classic Alfredo. Penne Alfredo with Bacon and Sundried Tomato will change your ‘go to’ quick dinner forever – Hungry now? Jump to Recipe

Sometimes your belly just calls for the simple things in life. The simply gorgeously, creamy and flavoursome things that is. Pasta alfredo is one of those dishes that you won’t see being made the same way twice; an ambassador of variation if you will. For me? I like a Penne with some very ‘non classic’ additions. Italians, forgive me.

How to make an authentic Alfredo sauce

A traditional Alfredo sauce actually doesn’t involve cream. In fact it’s creamy texture comes from an emulsion of butter, cheese and pasta water. A classic Alfredo also uses Fettuccine.

My Alfredo? Well, it certainly may not be traditional, but my god it’s tasty.

Penne Alfredo with Bacon and Sundried Tomato Ingredients

• Penne Pasta
• Butter
• Cream
• Butter
• Garlic
• Bacon
• Sundried Tomatoes
• Basil
• Parmesan

By adding in some crispy bacon, some gorgeously rich sundried tomatoes, a blast of garlic and a sprinkle of fresh basil, you end up with something that’s truly bursting with flavour.

So forget what you knew about penne Alfredo and follow me on a journey of deliciousness!

How to make Penne Alfredo

1. Cook your penne until al dente. Retain a cup of starchy pasta water.
2. Fry your bacon, sundried tomatoes and garlic, then melt your butter.
3. Add cream, basil and seasoning, then simmer until thickened. Stir in your parmesan then add your pasta. Thin out with pasta water as needed.
4. Serve with extra basil and parmesan!

People are always so surprised when I show them the recipe for this because it really does taste like so much more effort has gone into it than actually has. This recipe is SO simple and requires such little ingredients; which is quite hard to believe after how beautiful it tastes. So smooth and silky, yet tangy and bursting with flavour.

The other fantastic thing about this recipe is the definition of a quick dinner. You know, there really is nothing worse than getting back from work and having to slave away in the kitchen when you don’t have the energy. On average it takes me around 20-25 mins to knock up this dish from start to finish, prep included. The perfect dinner to add to your meal rotations.

Tips for the perfect Penne Alfredo with Bacon & Sundried Tomato

• Salt – Go easy on the salt and make sure you use unsalted butter. Bacon and parmesan are both fairly salty so just ensure you don’t go overboard with the seasoning. A good amount of black pepper however is encouraged.
• Pasta Water – Creamy dishes often thicken and go gloopy quite quickly, so use your pasta water to thin out when necessary.
• Al Dente Pasta – There’s nothing worse than overly soft pasta, so make sure you boil it until it’s only just cooked. It will finish cooking in the pan.

I’ll have to assume by now that if you’ve made it this far you’re not on a low-cal diet. Yep, this alfredo sauce is rather indulgent. But hey, treat yourself. You deserve it 🙂

How to make Penne Alfredo with Bacon and Sundried Tomato (Full Recipe & Video)

5 from 6 votes

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Penne Alfredo with Bacon and Sundried Tomato

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

25 mins

 

A delicious twist on the classic Alfredo. Penne Alfredo with Bacon and Sundried Tomato will change your 'go to' quick dinner forever.

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Penne Alfredo

Servings: 4

Calories: 615 kcal

Author: Chris

Ingredients

• 10.6 oz (300g) Penne Pasta
• 1 1/4 cups (300ml) Heavy Cream
• 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter
• 5 oz (150g) Streaky Bacon, chopped
• 1/2 cup (50g) Parmesan, grated (save some to sprinkle on top)
• 3/4 cup (75g) Sundried Tomato, sliced
• 1 tsp Garlic, minced
• Handful of Fresh Basil, chopped (save some to sprinkle on top)
• Salt & Cracked Black Pepper, to taste

Method

1. Pop your pasta in a pot of boiling water and cook until al dente. Retain a cup of starchy pasta water.

2. Meanwhile, fry your Bacon over medium heat until it begins to crisp, then add your Tomatoes and fry a little longer until they soften. Drain excess fat/oil if there's too much, add the Garlic and fry for a minute until fragrant, then add the Butter and stir until melted.

3. Pour in your Cream and sprinkle in your Basil. Stir to a smooth consistency, leaving to simmer on a low heat. When it just starts to thicken add in your Parmesan.

4. Once the sauce has fully thickened (8-10 mins) taste for seasoning, then add in your pasta and toss until coated. Simmer for a few minutes to soak up the sauce, stirring throughout and using your pasta water to thin out if it becomes too thick and gloopy.

5. Serve with and extra sprinkle of Parmesan and Basil!

Watch how to make it!

Recipe Notes

a) Salt - Whilst Black Pepper is encouraged, be careful with the Salt seasoning. Bacon, Sundried Tomato and Parmesan are all fairly salty ingredients. Taste test throughout to ensure the dish doesn't end up too salty.

 

b) Pasta Water - This dish thickens quite quickly and can become gloopy in a short space of time; adding a few splashes of water will help thin the sauce out again. With the same token however do not feel like you have to add any extra fluid, this is merely preference and in the instructions to collect a cup of water just in case.

 

c) Leftovers - I have actually had readers tell me that they have reheated this recipe and tastes glorious. However in my experience, with the recipe and most creamy pasta dishes, when it's reheated it ends up very oily. Same great flavours, just none of the original creamy texture. I'll leave leftovers (if there is any) to your best judgement!

 

d) Readers notes - Although I have never tried myself, it sounds that grilled chicken and spinach are great additions to this recipe!

Nutrition Facts

Penne Alfredo with Bacon and Sundried Tomato

Amount Per Serving

Calories 615 Calories from Fat 444

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 49.35g 76%

Saturated Fat 21.441g 107%

Trans Fat 0.233g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1.786g

Monounsaturated Fat 10.021g

Cholesterol 150mg 50%

Sodium 398mg 17%

Potassium 680mg 19%

Total Carbohydrates 30.09g 10%

Dietary Fiber 3g 12%

Sugars 6.35g

Protein 15.66g 31%

Vitamin A 74%

Vitamin C 8%

Calcium 16%

Iron 15%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Looking for a similar recipe to add to your family meal rotation? Check out my Creamy Mushroom Pasta!

If you loved this Penne Alfredo recipe be sure to pin it for later! Already made it or got a burning question? Give me a shout in the comments and pick up for free ecookbook on the way!