This sausage and bacon pasta requires minimal ingredients, it’s all made in one pot and couldn’t be more delicious if it tried!
If you’ve been around here for a little while, you’ll know I’m a sucker for a one pot pasta, and this one right here is fast becoming one of my favourites. Follow me…
Sausage and Bacon Pasta Ingredients
For how delicious this recipe is, I think you’ll be surprised at how minimal the ingredients are. The full quantities are in the recipe card below, but here’s a quick note on each ingredient:
- Pasta – Any short-cut pasta will do the trick.
- Sausage – I squeeze the meat from some sausages, but you could use ground sausage meat if you’d prefer.
- Bacon – I like using smoked bacon, but you can use unsmoked if you’d prefer. Just make sure it’s streaky bacon so you can render down the fat and use it to fry everything.
- Stock – This makes the sauce/cooks the pasta.
- Milk – This also makes the sauce/cooks the pasta. It’s important you use whole milk for a thicker texture and richer flavour.
- Seasoning – I like to spruce things up with a little oregano, thyme and chilli flakes, alongside the obvious salt and pepper.
- Shallots & Garlic – These add a base flavour and complement the sausage nicely.
- Tomato Puree – AKA Tomato Paste in the US.
- Parmesan – Just to add a boost of flavour at the end.
- Parsley – This will be stirred through at the end and sprinkled on top too.
Making One Pot Sausage Bacon Pasta
The reason I love one pot pasta recipes is not just because they reduce washing up (although, let’s be real, that is a massive bonus). They’re also great because the pasta sucks in all that gorgeous flavour as it cooks. The excess starch also helps create a glossy, creamy sauce too.
Recycling the bacon fat
I actually like to start this recipe with the bacon in a cold pan. This way, when you turn on the heat, the fat will gently render out. Not only will this leave the bacon perfectly crisp, but you can then use the rendered out fat to fry the shallots/sausage. The bacon fat is liquid gold, so you don’t want to get rid of it!
Process shots: fry bacon then remove (photo 1), fry shallots (photo 2), fry sausage (photo 3), fry garlic and seasoning (photo 4), fry tomato puree (photo 5), add stock, milk and pasta (photo 6), simmer then add bacon and parmesan (photo 7), stir until combined (photo 8).
Recipe Tip
There should be the perfect amount of liquid to cook through the pasta and leave you with a nice, thick sauce. If for whatever reason the sauce dries up before the pasta is al dente, just add in more stock (or even hot water) as needed to cook it through.
Serving Sausage and Bacon Pasta
Once the pasta is cooked, I like to stir through a little parsley and garnish with a little more, just for a final pop of flavour and colour. You’ll want to serve up right away so the sauce doesn’t dry out (be sure to adjust seasoning and spice beforehand if needed). This is a pretty hearty meal, but you could also add some Garlic Bread if you’re feeling extra carby!
Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this sausage and bacon pasta shall we?!
How to make Sausage and Bacon Pasta (Full Recipe & Video)
One Pot Sausage and Bacon Pasta
Equipment
- Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
- Large Deep Pot & Wooden Spoon
- Slotted Spoon (for removing bacon)
- Jug (for stock/milk)
- Fine Cheese Grater
Ingredients
- 125g / 4.5oz Streaky Bacon, diced (see notes)
- 2 large Shallots, finely diced
- 400g / 14oz Sausages, removed from their skins (see notes)
- 4 cloves of Garlic, finely diced
- 1/2 tsp Dried Oregano
- 1/4 tsp EACH: Dried Thyme, Chilli Flakes, Salt & Black Pepper (plus more chilli flakes, salt & pepper if desired)
- 95g / 1/3 cup Tomato Puree (Tomato Paste in US)
- 600 – 720ml / 2 1/2 – 3 cups Chicken Stock
- 600ml / 2 1/2 cups Whole Milk, at room temp (see notes)
- 350g / 12.3oz Short-Cut Pasta
- 30g / 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more to serve if desired
- 2 tbsp finely diced Fresh Parsley
Instructions
- Add the bacon to a large deep pot with the heat off. Turn the heat to medium and gently fry until crisp with the fat rendered out. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon and place to one side, leaving the fat in the pan.
- Add the shallots and fry for a couple of minutes, just until they begin to soften. Add the sausage and fry until browned all over, using your wooden spoon to crumble/break into chunks as you go. Add the garlic and seasoning and fry for another minute, then stir in the tomato puree and fry for another minute.
- Pour in 600ml/2 1/2 cups stock and all of the milk. Use your wooden spoon to scrape any flavour from the base, then stir in the pasta. Bring to a simmer and cook until the pasta is al dente, stirring occasionally and ensuring nothing sticks to the pan. The sauce should be nice and thick and not watery at all. If it dries up before the pasta cooks, just use the remaining 1/2 cup of stock to cook the pasta as needed.
- Stir in the cooked bacon, parmesan and half of the parsley, then check for seasoning/spice and adjust with salt, pepper and chilli flakes. Serve up with the remaining parsley and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Your Private Notes:
Nutrition
Looking for more?
You’ll find plenty more delicious comfort food like this in my Debut Cookbook ‘Comfy’
For more similar recipes check out these beauties:
Delicious One Pot Pasta Recipes
- One Pot Pasta with Bacon & Asparagus
- One Pot Sausage and Mushroom Pasta
- One Pot Spicy Sausage Tortellini
- One Pot Creamy Beef Pasta
- One Pot Spicy Rigatoni
