Crispy Bacon Linguine Pasta (Printable)

Quick pasta with crispy bacon and garlic in a silky sauce. Italian-inspired, easy to make, and ready in just 25 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz linguine
02 - Salt, for pasta water

→ Bacon & Sauce

03 - 7 oz bacon, diced
04 - 2 tbsp olive oil
05 - 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
06 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
07 - 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
08 - 1/2 cup reserved pasta cooking water

→ Finishing Touches

09 - 1.4 oz grated Parmesan cheese (plus extra for serving)
10 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
11 - Lemon zest from 1/2 lemon (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the linguine according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water and drain the pasta.
02 - While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced bacon and cook, stirring, until crispy and golden, about 6–8 minutes.
03 - Reduce heat to low. Add chopped garlic and black pepper (and red pepper flakes, if using) to the skillet. Sauté for 1 minute, until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
04 - Add the drained linguine directly to the skillet with the bacon. Pour in 1/4 cup reserved pasta water and toss well to coat, adding more water as needed to create a creamy, glossy sauce.
05 - Remove from heat. Add grated Parmesan and toss until melted and the sauce is silky. Stir in chopped parsley and lemon zest if desired.
06 - Serve immediately, topped with extra Parmesan and cracked black pepper.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's ready in 25 minutes, which means weeknight dinners that actually taste like you tried.
  • The sauce comes together from just pasta water and cheese—no cream needed, which feels like a delicious little secret.
  • Bacon makes everything taste like you know what you're doing, even when you're mostly just throwing things in a pan.
02 -
  • The pasta water is not optional—it's actually the foundation of the sauce, so resist any urge to substitute it with stock or cream, because the starch is what makes it work.
  • Don't let the garlic brown, even a little; it changes from fragrant to bitter in seconds once it hits the pan, so keep your heat low and your attention sharp.
03 -
  • Save your pasta water before you drain—this single habit has solved more sauce problems than anything else I've learned in the kitchen.
  • Cook the bacon a touch longer than you think you need to; it continues cooking slightly once it's out of the heat, and you want it genuinely crispy, not just cooked.
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