Recipes Ingredients Meat & Poultry Pork Recipes Bacon Pasta With Cheese Sauce and Thyme 2.0 (1) 1 Review This easy pasta makes a delicious weeknight dinner in just 40 minutes. By Martha Stewart Test Kitchen Martha Stewart Test Kitchen The recipes developed by our test kitchen team have undergone a rigorous process of development and testing, ensuring that every element is optimal, from ingredient amounts to method and cooking time. This process includes triple-testing recipes to ensure they meet our high standards. The many stellar cooks and food editors who have been part of our team include Sarah Carey, Lucinda Scala Quinn, Jennifer Aaronson, Shira Bocar, Anna Kovel, Greg Lofts, Riley Wofford, Lauren Tyrell, and Lindsay Leopold. Editorial Guidelines Updated on August 22, 2023 Rate Print Share Prep Time: 40 mins Total Time: 40 mins Servings: 4 This bacon pasta recipe is an easier, cheesier take on Pasta Carbonara. Rather than a sauce made with eggs and cheese, our pasta has a basic béchamel sauce with cheese (also known as a Mornay sauce), which coats every strand of spaghetti deliciously. And the sauce has a secret ingredient: pasta water—the starchy liquid works as a binder and a thickener. Even better, this comforting dish takes 40 minutes to make. Linda Pugliese Quick, Easy, and Delicious Pasta Recipes Ideal for Weeknight Dinners Key Ingredients Three ingredients play an outsize role in this pasta dish. Pasta This dish is inspired by spaghetti carbonara and works best with spaghetti or a similar long thin noodle such as linguine.. Cheese Many pasta dishes use Parmesan, which is a hard, aged cow's milk cheese prized for its sharp, nutty flavor, often adding the Parmesan right before serving. For this bacon pasta recipe, we wanted cheese that would melt well in the sauce, and so we recommend Gruyère, fontina, or Monterey Jack; preferably a mix of two or more of these cheeses as each brings something different to the dish. Bacon Our bacon pasta recipe calls for bacon end strips, also known as bacon ends, an ingredient you might not be familiar with. As their name suggests, these are pieces cut off the end of slab bacon when it is sliced for regular bacon. Bacon ends are different shapes and sizes, not so good for a BLT, but great for cooking and crisping up for all kinds of dishes where small pieces, not rashers of bacon, are required. The pasta is also delicious when made with regular bacon. From Center Cut to Smoked, Consider This Your Ultimate Guide to Bacon Other Ingredients to Add We think this bacon pasta is perfect as is. If you want to add a little something else, try these ideas: More protein: Top each portion with a fried egg. More vegetables: Fold a couple of handfuls of baby spinach into the sauce after adding the cheese. More dairy: Mix in 2 or 3 tablespoons of heavy cream before adding the cheese, for a richer, more saucy pasta. Ingredients 8 ounces bacon end strips, or regular bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces (1 ¼ cups) 1 small onion, chopped (1 ½ cups) 4 large cloves garlic, minced (2 tablespoons) 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, plus whole leaves for serving Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 1 pound spaghetti 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour ½ cup whole milk 8 ounces mixed grated melting cheeses, such as Gruyère, Monterey Jack, and fontina Directions Cook bacon, onion, and garlic: Cook bacon, onion, and garlic in a large straight-sided skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until bacon is browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in chopped thyme. Remove from heat. Cook pasta: Meanwhile, in a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta until al dente, about 2 minutes less than according to package instructions. Drain, reserving 2 cups pasta water. Melt butter, whisk in flour: Melt butter in a small saucepan. Whisk in flour; cook until melted and smooth, about 1 minute. Slowly add milk, some pasta water and cook: Slowly whisk in milk and 1/2 cup pasta water until smooth. Bring to a boil. Whisk in cheeses: Remove from heat, and whisk in cheeses. Add pasta water to skillet and cook: Return skillet to medium-high heat; add 1/2 cup pasta water and cook, scraping up browned bits, 1 to 2 minutes. Add spaghetti and cheese sauce, season and serve: Add cooked spaghetti and cheese sauce. Stir, adding remaining pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, until sauce is creamy and evenly coats pasta. Taste and season as needed. Serve, sprinkled with pepper and thyme leaves. Linda Pugliese Frequently Asked Questions Why do you salt the water for pasta? Salting the water is the foundation of any pasta dish. Without salt in the cooking water, pasta tastes bland, so generously salting the pasta water is a vital step in making good pasta. Should you rinse pasta after cooking? No! We do not call for rinsing pasta. Rinsing cooked pasta removes the starchy film on the noodles that helps the sauce cling to the pasta. What is Italian carbonara sauce made of? Carbonara is made with guanciale or pancetta, two types of Italian cured pork that are similar to bacon. Americanized versions of the dish often call for bacon. In addition to the meat, the sauce is made with egg yolks, cream, and Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese. 5 More Bacon Pasta Recipes to Try: Quick Spaghetti Carbonara Pasta and Bacon in Smoky Tomato Sauce Fusilli With Bacon, Onions, and Mushrooms Spaghetti With Brussels Sprouts and Bacon Creamy Fusilli With Yellow Squash and Bacon Originally appeared: Martha Stewart Living, September 2017 Rate It Print Updated by Victoria Spencer Victoria Spencer Victoria Spencer is an experienced food editor, writer, and recipe developer. She manages the Martha Stewart recipe archive and is always curious about new ingredients and the best techniques. She has been working in food media for over 20 years.