Parmesan Pasta with Peas & Bacon
Our Parmesan Pasta with Peas & Bacon is the easiest way I know to get my kids to eat their peas! Made with crispy bacon, sweet peas & creamy parmesan sauce, it's an easy 30min dinner for a busy night!
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Servings: 4 -6 Servings*
Ingredients
FOR THE PASTA
- 8 oz. Gluten-Free Spiral Pasta (I like Jovial Gluten-Free Brown Rice Fusilli)
- 6 Slices Bacon, diced diced
- 3 cloves Garlic, finely minced
- 1 cup Frozen Peas
- 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
- ½ cup Freshly Grated Parmesan about .5 oz
- ½ tsp. Black Pepper
- ¼ tsp. Salt
OPTIONAL CHICKEN (FOR EXTRA PROTEIN)
- 12-16 oz. Boneless, Skinless Chicken Tenders
- 1 tsp. Paprika
- 1.2 tsp. Garlic Powder
- ½ tsp. Salt
- ½ tsp. Black Pepper
- ¼ tsp. Onion Powder
Instructions
- COOK THE PASTA & SAVE SOME PASTA WATER. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over medium-high heat. (Covering the pan will make it boil faster!) Cook the pasta according to package directions (mine takes 11-12 minutes). Scoop out about ½ cup pasta water, then drain the pasta in a colander.
- WHILE THE WATER BOILS, CRISP THE BACON. In a large skillet, cook diced bacon over medium heat 10-12 minutes, or until crispy and brown. You can drain the pan if you want, but I usually don’t to give the pasta more flavor.
- MAKE THE SAUCE. When the bacon is crisp, reduce heat to medium low and add garlic, frozen peas, salt & pepper. Cook 3-4 minutes, or until the garlic is fragrant and the peas are starting to get tender. Add heavy cream and parmesan cheese and stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is almost simmering.
- FINISH THE SAUCE & ADD PASTA. Add ¼ cup pasta water to the sauce and stir until it’s evenly blended. Mix in the cooked pasta, and stir in more pasta water 1 TBSP at a time, until you reach a consistency that evenly coats the pasta. If desired, you can stir in 2-3 TBSP more cream for thicker sauce. Enjoy warm or store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge 2-3 days.
- IF YOU'RE MAKING THE CHICKEN. Start that when the pasta water is coming to a boil and the bacon is browning. Sprinkle chicken tenders with paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and onion powder and stir to evenly coat. Air fry 12-15 min at 375 degrees F, or pan fry 5-7 min per side in a skillet with a little olive oil.
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Nutrition facts are an estimate only and will vary based on brands and amounts used.
Find it Online:
https://www.onelovelylife.com/bacon-and-peas-pasta/