Bacon and Parmesan Penne Pasta

We liked this A LOT! The only thing I think next time is that I will cook the onions seperately from the bacon. They didn't burn or anything, they just got a little darker than I would have liked. I think I will even cook a few cloves of minced garlic w/ the onions too! I added some garlic powder, salt, pepper and parsley for a little extra flavor/color. This was really tasty! Thanks for sharing. :)

Good as is but next time I might add to cooked penne some seeded cut up tomatoes making it a BPPT(bacon,parm,penne,tom)also a bit of garlic powder.

Really good and super easy. The only thing I added was a drizzle of Balsamic Vinegar. Everyone enjoyed this very much. Thanks!

I wasn't fond of this. My fiance had "dinner duty" tonight. I have been working late all week (rough week in general). I haven't had any energy to spend time in the kitchen, but am sick of take-out (my fiance is too). I had all of the ingredients to make this handy and my fiance and I thought this sounded yummy, so we decided to go for it. I must say (despite my mediocre review), this certainly was easy to put together and made for a quick, weeknight meal. Unfortunately, the end result was VERY dry - and BLAND!!! We even added more bacon grease than called for, a few (fresh) garlic cloves and pepper (no salt b/c Parmesan is salty enough). Served bowls of pasta with sliced baugettes slathered with garlic butter (Denyse). The garlic butter was the best part of our meal lol! Although I don't think this is "terrible," I won't waste my time making it again. Thanks anyways, SusieQ! :-)

This is a good recipe for a base. Instead of just leaving a couple of tablespoons of bacon grease, I used all of it. Added italian seasonings, season salt, pepper basil, thyme, and garlic powder. Sometimes vegetables such as tomatoes or spinach. I cook the bacon and onions separately since it seems easier to get a crispy bacon that way. I also added some garlic to the onions.

Recipe needs a bit more flavor. Suggestions: cook bacon separate from onions. Saute onions and added sliced garlic in olive oil. Salt & pepper. Chopped fresh parsley. And for the 1/4 cup olive oil, use a Garlic Infused olive oil. (That's another recipe!) But, on the whole, the base recipe is a great start for a wonderfully flavorful dish.

1-12-2016 ~While I didn't measure and just chopped and cooked, I know I used far less bacon than called for. A pound of bacon for a pound of pasta for me was bacon overload. For the 1/4 pound of pasta I cooked for the two of us, two slices of bacon was just the right amount. I couldn't resist adding fresh minced garlic and it was a worthy addition. Once ready to serve it was clear it needed a fresh pop of color and some chopped fresh parsley did the trick. We really enjoyed this, and Hubs either didn't notice or didn't mind the Parmesan he has always made clear he dislikes! Note: Don't worry if you don't have penne pasta on hand. Just about any type of pasta will work! Tonight, for instance, I used orecchiette (little ears).

This recipe is a great base recipe, particularly because it uses very few ingredients that most everyone usually has on hand! I gave this recipe 3 stars because as written, the recipe is a little bland. I had to make a few simple adjustments to give this dish some flavor and the end result was appreciated! My adjustments were the following: *Cooked the bacon to a desired crispiness 1st and drained most of the bacon fat leaving about 1 TBLS in the pan and used 3/4 lb of the bacon (crumbled). *Satueed fresh sliced garlic (4 large cloves), 1/8 TSP red pepper flakes, 1 medium Vidalia onion (chopped fine), 1/2 TSP each dried parsley & dried basil in the bacon fat and broken up bacon pieces. *Added 1/4 cup white wine (Aldi's Winking Owl Pinot Grigio) to the bacon mixture in the pan. Cooked off the alcohol content. *Added 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken stock, the partially boiled spiral pasta (1/2 lb.) and 2 ladles of pasta water to the bacon mixture in the pan. *Finished boiling pasta in the pan until pasta was tender and liquid has thickened and partially reduced *Turned off the heat & sprinkled 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese on pasta and tossed to blend. **BOOM! Dinner Was Devoured!**

This recipe is absolutely awesome! I added one can of Huntz diced tomatoes with garlic, basil, and oregano. I got rave reviews from everyone!

I made this as a side dish with baked pesto chicken, it was so simple yet so good, and as my husband always says...bacon makes everything better!

Really loved this! My son was especially crazy about it. Very easy and delicious. I left in all the bacon grease which made it even better, if not so healthy -haha! Thanks!

I thought this recipes was fantastic! My husband asked me to make it again the very next night! There were two things I added. I added about 4 cloves of fresh minced garlic (because my husband and I are garlic lovers) and a sprinkle of pizza/pasta seasoning. I tried it without the seasoning and it was still fabulous, but I like the flavors it brought as well. I will definately make this again!

I just made this a few days ago and I LOVED it! I'm not big on red sauces, but I do love both bacon and parmesan so this sounded good to me. At first I wasn't sure about it, but after a few bites I realized how in love with it I was. And I still loved it a few days later as leftovers. I did, however, change a few things like some of the other reviewers mentioned. I cooked the bacon first, and when it was almost done I put in the onions, and I also added some garlic. I'll definitely be making this again. Quick, easy, and delicious.

Did recipes exactly as written, but then added halved cherry tomatoes and a couple leaves of fresh basil at the end, mostly for color. Both added GREAT flavor to pasta as well!

Tasty, easy, yummy dinner. :-). I omitted the onions and threw some minced garlic into the bacon instead. Also, I put approx. 2 cups of frozen peas into the boiling water when I added the pasta. It made a simple, but enjoyable, dinner. Thanks for the recipe.

it's not "to die for" --- my boyfriend & his kids seemed to like it. I think where we messed up is we used "turkey bacon" instead of regular bacon, & it just tasted akward with the rest of the dish.

I, too, would brown the bacon before the onions....since I like crispy bacon. I found a pound of bacon to be a bit much but the bacon lover in the family thought it was good. THe kids thought it was too much cheese. Next time I would add garlic and cherry tomatoes as others have mentioned. With those changes it would be a 4.5.

Thought this was good. I used whole wheat penne pasta.

So simple and so delicious. I did add a little salt and pepper, but kept the rest the same. It is an easy weeknight meal and the flavors are perfect. It is in my regular rotation.

My kids love bacon, pasta and parmesan, and they loved this dish - thanks!

Taste is fantastic but a little oily for me. I left out the onions because we don't like them but chopped up a clove of garlic and added that. Was really yummy but will cut down on the oil next time.

Not, too bad... I do hate when people don't make the recipe the way it's written but I had to change it up a notch.. for a lb of pasta I did 1/2 lb bacon... NO Olive oil. 2 garlic cloves grated 1 small onion, pepper, a large tomato, about a cup of parm cheese. I cooked the bacon, then at almost crisp stage I added the onion, cooked a few, then added the tomato... garlic. and 1/4 tsp or so of pepper. Once all cooked put it on all pasta, added all the pan drippings as well. there was not a ton ton of bacon grease so I did NOT drain it. add all the cheese and a pinch of salt and a dash more of pepper.. I thought it had great flavor and I am picky, I dont like tomato or onions but tried something new..It def needs more then what the main recipe calls for. My husband said it was good but needed some peas in it and serve it as a cold side dish.

this is amaxing in everyvway!

I made this both Hot and Cold and both ways it was really good. I did not have parm. cheese I had an italian blend. I love parm cheese but don't think the italian took away from it too much.

Very good for a quick and easy meal! The only thing I changed was to drizzle some maple syrup over the bacon and onions while they were cooking.

loved

Really good! Taste great the first night or leftover. Will definitely cook again.

This recipe was easy and good. I really appreciate how easy it was to modify it and make it for only one serving. There just aren't enough meals built for one! I changed it up a bit so I feel bad reviewing it based on my method but here goes. I fried 2 slices of whole bacon first (so it could cool and I could crumble it more easily) and then sauteed the onion in the bacon fat. I added garlic powder, black pepper, and dried basil to the onions. After mixing it all together, I found the end result quite good. I often have leftover bacon and I always keep the other ingredients on hand, so I expect to cook this many times!

I thought this was ok...i think it needed alittle more flavor so I will work on that next time I make it. I did add a fresh tomato. Thanks for the recipe

This is a great recipe with my modifications. I cooked bacon separately first in a skillet. Then I scooped cooked bacon out and sautéed onion and about 3 cloves minced fresh garlic in bacon drippings. I also added a can of diced Italian tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste to the cooked onion. Finally, after incorporating the pasta and onion mixture and olive oil, I sprinkled on some parsley and basil. Wonderful for some extra color and flavor. I will be making this dish again. Thank you SusieQ for sharing this recipe.

Added blue cheese in lieu of parmesan and it was awesome. I also added some chopped garlic for extra flavor. Next time I will probably just use garlic powder. Also, this is a great recipe to add veggies to; broccoli, zucchini, tomatoes. Just add them, in towards the end so they don't get cooked to mush.

This recipe is AMAZING! I accidentally found that letting the bacon (Took out the onion all together) burn in the warming oil tastes really good! Just be careful heating the oil!

Such a yummy base recipe! My roommate and I stirred in peas and sundried tomatoes to up the nutritional value, but I could see this going well with broccoli, spinach, or even kale. For a little more zing, we sauteed a few cloves of garlic with the veggies and onion. We listened to SusieQ's advice and added a bit of bacon grease to the finished dish--boy, were we glad we did. Just a couple spoonfuls added tons of flavor. We'll definitely be making this again.

Everyone went back for more. Sometimes that's hard to achieve. Would b great w chicken added to it.

This was really good. I made it as written with the exception of adding a couple of teaspoons of minced garlic to the bacon/onion mixture while cooking. It turned out great. Everyone in my family loved it including my six year old.

A quick and easy dinner idea. I took on Johnsonville's challenge of substituting a protein in a 6-ingredient or less recipe with one of their sausages. I chose to substitute the bacon with their Sweet Italian Sausage. I loved the ease of this recipe. It was on the table in a flash.

I did do a few things differently. I added fresh garlic to the bacon and onion, a little garlic salt and oregano to the cooked pasta, and used a mixture of cheese. Everyone really liked it! Very easy and quick!!!

Not very exciting. Might be worth trying with some sort of pasta sauce though.

I love this recipe. I cooked the bacon and onions separately and sautéed the onions in some minced garlic, like it has been suggested. I threw in some black pepper and a few drops of tobacco sauce, which I found really elevates this dish. Also, I did not throw the Parmesan on it right before serving. Instead I threw it into the pot with the pasta and bacon mixture and let the cheese melt on the stove, so it was nice and gooey with each bite. Next time, I might also throw in some Asiago in addition to the Parmesan.

I used apple wood smoked bacon and added in garlic and a few other liked ingredients. Turned out FANTASTIC!! I will be making this again for sure!!!

Yes will make it again. I substituted garlic for the onions because I wasn't sure the grandkids would like it. The next time we make it, if there are no grandkids for dinner, I think we would keep the onions and add a little red pepper flakes. Great recipe to add vegetables to.

good, but not great. a little dry and bland. added shredded parmesan & couple tablespoons of balsamic dressing. i would cook the bacon first & then the onions.

My family loves this dish! I am adding a few diced tomatoes just prior to serving to add a little acidity as it is a very rich meal. Delicious!

this was great! I used spaghetti noodles instead and added some garlic and parsely. I garnished with sliced black olives.....YUMMERS!

This is really satisfying! I cooked as directed except used spiral pasta in an effort to clear out my pantry. I ate about 1/2 of my portion and enjoyed it very much, but also loved it after adding a splash of balsamic.

This is so simple and yummy. Different and a new go-to meal!

Followed recipe exactly and it wasn't all that great. Edible, but not a 4 1/2 star recipe for our family.

This recipe is absolutely amazing. I took a couple of chicken breasts and cubed them. Then cooked them through and added it to the pasta. I've also added other shredded cheese to it in addition to the Parmesan. Excellent.

Personally, I felt underwhelmed. but my boyfriend absolutely loved it. He's Italian and told me that I made a dish a true Italian would be proud of. And heck if he's happy, I'm happy.

this was good. i would make it again . just expected more i guess.

Added shredded chicken to make it a main dish.

If you add some fresh basil cut in julienne pieces at the very end, this will really add some great flavor and just a dash more olive oil, this will be a winner ! I also added a little garlic and cokked the onions.

I followed some of the suggestions and those added some life to this basic recipe. Added fresh garlic to the onions and bacon as they fried up. then in the last two minutes, added quartered campari tomatoes. then added some Italian seasoning to the olive oil before I poured it over the pasta finally, someone mentioned a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and adding a drizzle of that over your plated pasta adds that extra flavor kick.

all the bacon grease!! crowd pleaser for kids and partner.

I made this the other night and my husband loved it! I did add a little salt and pepper to taste and will add garlic next time because I'm a firm believer that garlic makes everything better. The absolute best part of this recipe is it's sheer simplicity--quick and easy works best in our busy household and I will definitely make it again.

Was very good, but definitley had to add about a tablespoon italian seaonings and about 3 chopped plum tomatoes sauted in olive oil. This made it much more flavorful. I also used pancetta instead of regular bacon.

I used red onion, just a little, and cooked the bacon slowly with the onion, I used only 4 pieces of bacon. I added garlic salt. I really loved it, I added tomatoes to the top of mine, I think the longer it sits the better it tastes.

This is so super easy and I would give it 5 stars, but I think it’s better when you add some kind of acidic vegetable. I have used red or yellow bell peppers or tomato—both are great. I also like mushrooms in it. Garlic is an absolute MUST. I add around 5 cloves, but we really like garlic. With those additions, it would be 5-star.

Added mushrooms, tomato and spinach... All things that taste good with bacon! It seemed a little oily but overall flavor was delish! Thank you for sharing this recipe :)

This turned out really well! Only, I ditched the onions and did tomato instead.

I love to make this dish for new moms. It is so delicious and comfort-style.

My husband asked me to make this several times. It is sooo good. Highly recommended if you're not watching your weight!

This recipe was alright, but the flavors were fairly bland. I took the suggestion of some other reviewers and added garlic cloves, a bit of garlic powder, and some black pepper. My fiancé likes a little more kick, so I suggested that he also add paprika. I also threw in a bit of pecorino romano. In the future, I would also add diced tomatoes to make it a little more interesting in both texture and flavor. Overall, a decent basic idea, but needs some work to make it a meal worth eating.

I also make this recipe quite often. Using this basic recipe, we will sometimes add cooked, frozen peas. Another option, is to use Italian dressing and halved grape tomatoes. Anyway, it is delicious.

i didn't make this yet but think sun dried tomatoes would be worth trying also.

My kids loved this. The recipe is a perfect base and after that the sky is the limit. I used mushrooms instead of onions and added some peas. I also added a splash of balsamic vinegar like another user suggested and chopped a little basil on top. My oldest daughter wanted seconds and even my hubby, who isn't really a pasta fan, finished a huge bowl. Thanks for the recipe, we will add it to our rotation for sure.

This was okay, sorta plain neutral side dish or a very simple main dish. Unless you really enjoy olive oil use an extra light olive oil. We used low-sodium bacon and fresh grated cheese with mini penne pasta.

Made this recipe but only half. I did not have the small penne pasta but the larger size. It still tuned out good, but better to use the smaller ones. I am giving it 5 stars because it was easy to prepare and everybody loved it. I added more parmesan though for a richer taste.

Surprisingly good. I didn't expect my wife and daughter to be keen, but they loved it.

Very good added garlic and spinach to the mix.

I added tomato, as well as fried mushroom. Loved it!! It’s a little bit bland without a proper sauce, but it’s great because you can add / subtract most of the ingredients & it’s something I can make for my little sisters when my parents are gone.

This made for an excellent side dish. Added Romano cheese in addition to the Parmesan.

It's good, but not as a main dish....