Fridge Friend Recipes
Smoky Bacon, Bean and Cheese Pasta recipe
A hearty, savoury pasta tossed with smoky bacon, tomato sauce and baked beans, finished with melted cheese for a comforting midweek meal. The beans add body and sweetness, while a little Greek yoghurt stirred through at the end gives the sauce a gentle tang.
30 min · Easy · British Jump to method
Ingredients
- 180g Pasta
- 120g Bacon
- 200g Tomato Sauce
- 220g Baked Beans
- 80g Cheese
- 60g Greek Yoghurt
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
| Nutrition | Per servingEstimated |
|---|---|
| Calories | 861 kcal |
| Protein | 35 g |
| Carbohydrates | 81 g |
| Fat | 41 g |
| Saturated fat | 16 g |
| Fibre | 10 g |
| Sugar | 13 g |
| Sodium | 1840 mg |
Why this works
Hearty, energy-dense pasta dish with good protein and fibre, but high in salt, saturated fat and calories.
Good protein content. Bacon, cheese, yoghurt and baked beans provide a substantial protein hit for satiety and muscle repair.
Contains fibre and potassium from beans. Baked beans and tomato sauce contribute fibre, with beans also adding potassium and other minerals.
High salt and saturated fat. Bacon, cheese and the added salt make this dish relatively high in sodium, while cheese and bacon raise saturated fat.
Method
- Bring a large pan of water to the boil and cook the pasta until just tender. Reserve a little of the cooking water, then drain.
Aim for the pasta to stay slightly firm at the centre, as it will finish in the sauce; save about half a mug of the cooking water so you can loosen the dish without making it watery.
- Meanwhile, fry the bacon in a large pan until crisp and the fat has rendered.
Keep the pan over medium heat so the bacon browns rather than burns, and turn it once or twice until the pieces look deeply golden with the fat pooled in the pan.
- Add the tomato sauce and baked beans to the bacon, then simmer for 3–4 minutes until thickened.
Stir occasionally as the sauce bubbles so nothing catches on the bottom, and wait for it to look a little glossy and thicker rather than still thin and soupy.
- Stir in the cooked pasta with a splash of the reserved cooking water, then add the Greek yoghurt and most of the cheese. Toss gently until glossy and coated.
Take the pan off the heat before adding the yoghurt to stop it splitting, then toss just until the cheese melts into a silky coating and the pasta looks evenly dressed.
- Serve hot with the remaining cheese scattered over the top.
Scatter the cheese while the pasta is still steaming so it softens slightly on contact, and serve straight away before the sauce tightens.
Other Bacon Recipes
Creamy Bacon, Cheese and Tomato Pasta
25 min · A comforting pasta dish with a glossy tomato sauce, smoky bacon and a creamy finish. It is simple, hearty and ideal for a speedy dinner.
Creamy Bacon, Red Pepper and Mozzarella Pasta Bake
45 min · A rich, comforting pasta bake with smoky bacon, sweet red pepper and a creamy cheese sauce. Finished with bubbling mozzarella for a golden, savoury topping.
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