Thursday may be Thanksgiving, but we still need simple, satisfying dinners before then—especially when it’s cold outside. Something comforting that doesn’t involve turkey is exactly what I had in mind. The answer: a quick, cozy pasta that’s easy to put together on a weeknight.
Having a few fast, low-effort meals ready to go makes busy weeks much easier. I recently attended a Pampered Chef party where the host handed out a pasta recipe with bacon, tomatoes and linguine. After making that version, I simplified and adapted it into a one-pot dish—my favorite style for weeknight cooking—and I liked the result even more.
Once you have a reliable method—render the meat and reserve the fat, sauté aromatics in that fat, add broth and pasta to simmer until tender, then finish by stirring in cheese to thicken the sauce—you can experiment by swapping ingredients for different flavor profiles. Recognize ingredient families: Italian combos (tomato, garlic, basil, hard cheese), Mexican notes (tomato, cilantro, cumin, chiles, melting cheese), or Asian accents (soy, ginger, garlic, lime, sesame). Small changes can transform the same technique into an entirely new dish.
For example, the night after I made the bacon linguine I swapped bacon for chorizo, parsley for cilantro, Italian tomatoes for tomato purée, added cumin and Mexican oregano and used Monterey Jack instead of Asiago. Garnished with cilantro, candied jalapeños and sour cream, the result was a Tex-Mex pasta that used the exact same method but tasted completely different. The verdict from my family? “Happy day!”
My kids and husband loved having pasta two nights in a row. Everyone enjoyed both versions, and I appreciated that the meal came together in one pan and could be customized based on whatever ingredients I had on hand or the cuisine I wanted to feature that night.
This Creamy Tomato and Bacon Linguine is fast, comforting and full of familiar Italian flavors—garlic, tomato, crushed red pepper and herbs. It comes together in well under an hour and can be easily adapted to suit picky eaters. If someone in your household dislikes onion or has texture sensitivities, grate the onion and garlic finely or puree the tomatoes for a smoothly textured sauce.
Serve the pasta with crusty bread and a simple salad, and you have a satisfying meal that’s likely to become a regular. Or, if you prefer the bolder Tex-Mex variation I mentioned, that’s a delicious option too.
The point of this post and the next is to encourage you to play with recipes. When you have a dependable technique, it’s safe to experiment. Substitute one ingredient at a time if you’re nervous, but don’t be afraid to tweak recipes to suit your taste. Think about the flavors you love and try adapting a familiar method to get the results you want. The kitchen is your canvas—have fun!
Creamy Tomato and Bacon Linguine
Rebecca Lindamood
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Ingredients
- 1 pound bacon
- 1 onion peeled and diced
- 5 cloves garlic peeled and diced or pressed
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
- 1 can Italian-style tomatoes or ~1 1/2 cups chopped about 14 oz; diced, crushed or purée
- 5 cups chicken stock
- 1 pound uncooked dry linguine
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan or Romano/Asiago
- 4 ounces cream cheese or Neufchâtel half of an 8 oz brick, cut into squares
Optional for garnish:
- Minced fresh parsley
- Finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes
Instructions
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Cut the bacon into 1/4-inch strips and place them in a stockpot over medium heat, stirring occasionally to separate the pieces. Cook until the bacon is crisp, then remove with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined plate.
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Drain all but about 1 tablespoon of the bacon drippings from the pan and return it to low heat. Add the onion and garlic (and crushed red pepper, if using) and cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes until the onions are translucent and soft.
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Pour in the chicken stock, tomatoes and half of the reserved bacon, then raise the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. When boiling, stir well and add the linguine, using tongs to push and toss the noodles until they soften enough to be submerged. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 10–12 minutes, stirring frequently, until the pasta is al dente. Remove from heat.
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Stir in the grated cheese and the cubed cream cheese, cover, and let stand 5 minutes. Toss the pasta until the cream cheese melts and the sauce becomes creamy and thickened.
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Serve garnished with the remaining bacon, parsley and sun-dried tomatoes, if desired.
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition with the exact ingredients you use if needed.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @foodiewithfam on Instagram and use #foodiewithfamily so I can see your version.
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