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Home > Recipes > Pasta

Creamy Garlic Pasta with Bacon and Mushroom (One Pot!)

Published: Jan 22, 2023 • Updated: Jan 23, 2023 by: Mella • 4 Comments

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A quick version of creamy garlic pasta that's made with crispy bacon and mushrooms. It's packed with so much flavor, requires minimal preparation, and is highly adaptable. The best part? You can make this in 20 minutes all in ONE POT–big time saver and easier clean-up.

creamy penne pasta with bacon, mushroom, and garlic.
Jump to:
  • Creamy Garlic Pasta with Bacon and Mushroom
  • What you need for this Creamy Garlic Pasta
  • Types of pasta
  • How to Make It
  • Cooking Time
  • Vegetables you can add
  • Watch how to make Creamy Garlic Pasta
  • Complete Recipe
  • Comments

Creamy Garlic Pasta with Bacon and Mushroom

This recipe is for all the pasta lovers out there! I promise everyone in your family will love this, even the picky eaters.

What I love most about this recipe is the creamy sauce–garlicky and absolutely flavorful. The secret? Lots of garlic, bacon, and mushroom! Three simple ingredients can make any pasta recipe stand out.

penne pasta with bacon, mushroom, and cream

What you need for this Creamy Garlic Pasta

Really simple ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry:

cream, pasta, chicken stock, mushroom, bacon, garlic and milk
  • Cream and milk - As this is a one-pot recipe, we'll be needing as much liquid to cook the pasta. I recommend using heavy cream for a lovely creamy texture and full cream milk (low-fat should also work). Half and half can also be used as a substitute for these two.
  • Garlic - Always use freshly chopped garlic when making creamy garlic sauce from scratch. They taste amazing and give any sauce a clean and fresh garlic flavor.
  • Bacon - use streaky bacon for a richer sauce or back bacon if you prefer a smoky flavor with lesser fat.
  • Butter - Compared to a regular alfredo sauce, this recipe uses way less butter partly because we already have enough fat rendered from the bacon.
  • Fresh Mushroom - You can use white or brown button mushrooms, crimini mushrooms, or portobello mushrooms.
  • Parmesan cheese - Use freshly grated parmesan as much as possible.
  • Chicken Broth/Stock - you can also use 1 pc chicken bouillon cubes dissolved in hot water.
  • Oregano - or similar dried mixed herbs like Italian seasoning, Herbes de Provence, dried parsley, etc.
  • Fresh Parsely or Fresh scallions (green onion leaves) - to

Didn't I say decadent and ultra-luxurious? 🙂

Creamy Garlic Pasta

Types of pasta

Good quality pasta always works well in any recipe. Here I used penne pasta but you can also use any of these:

  • shell pasta (conchigliette)
  • bow tie (farfalle)
  • other tube pasta - rigatoni, or ziti.
  • spaghetti
  • linguine
  • fettucine

Note that cooking time may vary depending on the type of pasta you're going to use.

How to Make It

And here's how to make a one-pot creamy garlic pasta in 20 minutes:

step-by-step process on how to make creamy garlic pasta with bacon

1. Cook the Bacon

Before anything else, cook the bacon until crispy and brown. This step will help render the fat that we need to make a flavorful creamy pasta sauce. Use a non-stick pan or skillet if you prefer a whiter pasta sauce i.e. prevents the bacon from making too much residue.

2. Brown the Garlic

Add the garlic and cook until lightly brown (NOT BURNT) over medium-low heat. It is the TOASTED GARLIC FLAVOR we are looking for. That's what makes the sauce so delicious.

3. Add the mushrooms

Add the mushrooms together with the butter and cook until softened. It doesn't have to be fully cooked.

4. Pour the broth and milk

Add the chicken broth and milk and bring it to a simmer. We don't need to add the cream yet at this point. If you add the cream this early, you might end up with a gluey sauce.

step-by-step process on how to make creamy garlic pasta in one pot.

5. Add Pasta

Add the pasta and give it a quick stir. Cover with a lid to prevent the liquid from evaporating too quickly. This can happen if you're using a wide skillet or pan.

6. Cook the pasta

Cook the pasta for 9 to 10 minutes (cooking time may vary depending on the type of pasta) and string them every couple of minutes to prevent them from sticking to each other.

7. Pour Cream

After cooking the pasta halfway through, pour the cream. Continue cooking until al dente or firm to the bite. Note that the sauce will start to thicken as the pasta finishes cooking, stir occasionally.

Taste the sauce at this point. Season with black pepper and salt, to taste.

8. Remove from the heat

Remove from heat while still saucy. Sprinkle cheese, parsley, or scallions. The sauce will evaporate quite quickly as you toss. Serve immediately.

creamy pasta with garlic, bacon and mushrooms

Cooking Time

Most dried pasta cooks for around 10 to 15 minutes, sometimes longer. The key to not overcooking is to do a taste test at halfway mark based on the package instructions.

Vegetables you can add

Yes, you can definitely add veggies to this creamy pasta recipe. Here's what I recommend, plus cooking tips:

  • Baby asparagus - Cut evenly, woody ends removed. For a crunchy texture, add it after halfway through cooking the pasta.
  • Spinach - Add once the pasta is al dente. It will quickly cook and wilt.
  • Broccoli - Use fresh or frozen. Add it after halfway through cooking the pasta.
  • Sun-dried tomatoes - This will give the dish a different flavor profile. Add together the mushrooms.
  • Peas
creamy pasta with bacon, mushroom cooked in one pot

Watch how to make Creamy Garlic Pasta

More pasta recipes

  • Cream Cheese Pasta Sauce
  • Pasta with Canned Tuna in Oil (20 mins)
  • Ground Beef Casserole with Hot Dogs (One Pot!)
  • Baked Spaghetti with Cream Cheese

Love mushrooms? Try these next

  • Instant Pot Beef Stroganoff with Mushroom Soup
  • Pan-Fried Chicken Thighs with Mushroom Gravy
  • Cream of Mushroom Soup Pasta Sauce
  • Salisbury Steak with Homemade Mushroom Gravy
  • Chunky Mushroom and Celery Soup
  • Instant Pot Pork Chops with Mushroom Gravy

Complete Recipe

creamy pasta with garlic, bacon and mushrooms

Creamy Garlic Pasta with Bacon and Mushroom (One Pot!)

An honest-to-goodness decadent and ultra-luxurious one-pot pasta dish. The sauce is made of crispy bacon, mushroom, and toasted garlic smothered in a rich and creamy sauce!
prep 5 mins
cook 20 mins
5 from 2 votes
author: Mella
Servings 3
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Ingredients
 
Cups - Metric

  • 7 oz streaky bacon (sliced, note 1)
  • 5 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
  • 7 oz mushrooms
  • 2 tablespoon butter
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano or Italian seasoning
  • 1 ½ cup chicken broth/stock (note 2)
  • 1 cup milk (any %)
  • 8 oz uncooked pasta (note 3)
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup parmesan cheese (add more if preferred)
  • fresh parsley or scallions (finely chopped, for garnish)
  • salt and pepper (to taste)

Instructions

  • Place bacon in a high-rimmed pan. Turn on the heat then set it to medium. Cook and stir until the bacon is crisp and the fat has rendered. Scoop out some of the fat if preferred.
  • Add garlic. Cook until fragrant and lightly brown.
  • Add mushrooms, butter, and dried oregano. Cook until softened. It doesn't have to be fully cooked.
  • Pour chicken broth/stock and milk. Bring to a simmer. Scrape the bottom of the pan to bring in all the flavors from the bacon.
  • Reduce heat to medium then add pasta. Give it a quick stir then cover it with a lid. Cook until pasta is halfway done, around 9 to 10 minutes. Stir every couple of minutes to prevent them from sticking together.
  • Pour cream and continue cooking until pasta is al dente. The sauce will start to thicken as the pasta cooks. Taste the sauce, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Remove from heat while still saucy. Sprinkle cheese, parsley, or scallions and toss gently. The sauce will reduce further. Serve immediately and sprinkle with more cheese.

Recipe Notes and Tips:

  1. Bacon - use lean bacon or back bacon if you're worried about the calories.
  2. Chicken broth/stock - or dissolve 1 pc chicken bouillon in hot water.
  3. Pasta - this recipe works well with shell pasta, bow tie (farfalle) other tube pasta - rigatoni, or ziti, spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine.
  4. Cooking time - most dried pasta cooks for around 10 to 15 minutes, sometimes longer. The key to not overcooking is to do a taste test at halfway mark based on the package direction.
  5. If the liquid evaporates too quickly and the pasta is still not done, pour more hot water or hot milk–¼ to ½ cup and continue cooking.
Jump to Video
Course : Main Course
Cuisine : American-Western
Keyword : creamy bacon pasta, creamy garlic pasta, creamy mushroom pasta, mushroom pasta
Nutrition Facts
Creamy Garlic Pasta with Bacon and Mushroom (One Pot!)
Amount per Serving
Calories
1069
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
72
g
111
%
Saturated Fat
 
37
g
231
%
Trans Fat
 
0.5
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
7
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
23
g
Cholesterol
 
176
mg
59
%
Sodium
 
1011
mg
44
%
Potassium
 
864
mg
25
%
Carbohydrates
 
72
g
24
%
Fiber
 
3
g
13
%
Sugar
 
12
g
13
%
Protein
 
35
g
70
%
Vitamin A
 
1658
IU
33
%
Vitamin C
 
4
mg
5
%
Calcium
 
385
mg
39
%
Iron
 
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag @rivertenkitchen or leave a comment below!

Originally published in February 2019. Updated with new photos, video, and a streamlined recipe after further testing.

Riverten Kitchen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sarah says

    May 15, 2020 at 7:52 am

    5 stars

    5 stars
    This recipe is great! I used broccoli and edamame! Will definitely make again.

    Reply
    • Mella says

      May 15, 2020 at 2:17 pm

      Edamame is a good idea! Glad you liked this recipe.

      Reply
  2. Ashli Ferguson says

    February 25, 2019 at 12:21 am

    5 stars
    This looks sooooo good! I'd only take our the Mushrooms haha

    Reply

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