Creamy, Cheesy, Maple Bacon and Broccoli Bucatini

Ingredients

• 0.5 tbsp butter
• 0.5 tbsp olive oil
• 6 rashers maple bacon (sliced)
• 1 brown onion (diced)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 0.5 tsp chili flakes (optional)
• salt and pepper (to taste)
• 270 g sun dried tomatoes
• 4 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
• 2 tbsp cream cheese
• 150 ml thickened cream
• 1 head broccoli (cut into florets)
• 250 g bucatini (max 300g for 4 people)
• Parmesan (for the sauce and serving; freshly shaved or chopped)
• fresh parsley (freshly chopped for garnish)

Steps

1. 1

   Bring a large pot of water to boil and salt heavily.

2. 2

   In a separate pan over medium heat with the butter and oil, cook off the sliced bacon until crispy.

3. 3

   Remove the crispy bacon from the pan and set aside.

4. 4

   Once the water is at a rolling boil, add the broccoli florets and cook for 2 minutes until bright green in color.

5. 5

   Remove the broccoli from the water and set aside.

6. 6

   Discard some of the rendered fat from the bacon pan, then add the diced onions along with the garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, chili flakes (if using), salt, and pepper.

7. 7

   Add the bucatini pasta to the same boiling water used for the broccoli. Stir continuously for the first 30-60 seconds to prevent sticking.

8. 8

   Once the onions have softened, add the sun dried tomatoes to the pan.

9. 9

   After a couple of minutes, add the chopped garlic and cook until fragrant.

10. 10

    Add the cream cheese and thickened cream to the pan and stir well until the cheese is melted and the sauce is well combined.

11. 11

    Add the cooked broccoli and half of the crispy bacon to the sauce and stir to combine.

12. 12

    Add a splash of pasta water to the pan to help emulsify the sauce.

13. 13

    Add the al dente bucatini to the pan and stir through until the pasta is evenly coated.

14. 14

    Add Parmesan cheese to help thicken the sauce. If the sauce becomes too thick, add more pasta water. Adjust until you reach your desired consistency.

15. 15

    Serve topped with the remaining bacon, additional Parmesan, and freshly chopped parsley.

Notes

The author suggests that 250g-300g of pasta is sufficient for 4 people for this specific recipe. Use the pasta water to find the perfect balance for your sauce consistency.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• pasta
• dinner
• bucatini
• bacon
• broccoli
• creamy
• quick recipes