There are few weeknight dinners as comforting and quick as this Penne Pasta Peas Bacon recipe. The salty crunch of crispy bacon, sweet bursts of frozen peas, and tender penne all come together in a rich, creamy sauce that coats every bite. After testing this several times, I’ve found that using thick-cut bacon makes a significant difference—its rendered fat builds a flavor base you just can’t get from leaner cuts. This dish has become my go-to for busy evenings when I need something satisfying on the table in under 30 minutes.

Penne Pasta, Peas and Bacon

Print Recipe

Author: Dorothy Miller

Ingredients

Scale

1 tablespoons olive oil
½ yellow onion ( diced very small )
1 cup peas ( frozen )
6 bacon ( thick slices cut into small slices )
¾ pound penne pasta
¼ cup heavy cream

Instructions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the pasta. Halfway thru cooking the pasta, add the frozen peas to the water. Refer to package cooking instructions minus 1 minute so the penne pasta will be at dente.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, add the olive oil over medium-high, and add the finely diced onions and the bacon. Cook until the bacon and onions are crisp but not burned.
Drain the pasta and peas and add them to the onion bacon mixture. Lower the heat to medium and add the heavy cream.

Stir well, add more cream if needed and serve immediately.

🍳

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Penne Pasta, Peas and Bacon Recipe