Bacon and Asparagus Pasta Recipe
Welcome to month #4 of our Monthly Ingredient Challenge! This month I am sharing my Bacon and Asparagus Pasta recipe, my family’s favorite. This is the one post each month where I take a break from DIY and Design. If you’re new to this, the challenge is once a month, Â 11 other bloggers and myself each make a recipe using 1 specific ingredient. This month the chosen ingredient is bacon! In case you missed any of our previous months, you can catch up here: #1 was cilantro, #2 apples and #3 was peanut butter.
Initially this month, I had a completely different recipe in mind. I first made my grandmother’s German Potato Salad, which was always a favorite. One ingredient in the recipe was MSG, so I decided to substitute turmeric instead (for obvious health reasons) which turned the entire salad a weird yellow/green. My husband asked if it was nuclear potato salad. So I decided to go a different route and share this recipe that  I make very often.
This bacon and asparagus pasta recipe is one the whole family loves. It’s quick enough to make for a weeknight meal, but still healthy and filling. It’s also inexpensive to make. I prefer to use the whole grain penne pasta, but you could swap that out for your favorite.
 
Scroll to the bottom of this post for the recipe. Click on the links below to see what everyone else made!
Bacon and Asparagus Pasta
Ingredients
- 1/2 box penne pasta whole grain
- 8 slices bacon
- 1/2 cup sweet onion chopped
- 1 lb asparagus
- 1/2 cup chicken broth fat free
- 4 cups baby spinach
- 1/2 cup shaved parmesean cheese
- to taste red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- Boil water for pasta & cook according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, fry the bacon, remove from pan, crumble and set aside. Add onion to the drippings and saute for 1 minute. Add asparagus and broth to pan, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer 5 mins or until asparagus is crisp-tender.
- Add the pasta, 1/4 cup of the cheese and the red pepper. Toss well. Serve over fresh spinach, top with remaining cheese and crumbled bacon.
I LOVE asparagus at this time of year! Great recipe idea! Pasta is always a hit in out home 🙂
Great minds think alike 😉 I also made an asparagus pasta for this round of the challenge! This looks delicious and of course I can’t pass up anything with Parmesan cheese in it! Yum! Sharing on Facebook later today!
Thanks, Christin!
Bacon and Asparagus are such a good combination. This dish looks delicious.
So simple yet beautiful and tasty! Great recipe 🙂
My roommate doesn’t really like bacon (we’re not sure what’s wrong with her) but she’d eat the heck out of this courtesy of the asparagus. Yum!
We love bacon and pasta and I loooove asparagus so this would definately be a favorite in our home! Such a delicious combination! So fun to be a part of this challenge with you!
This looks like such a delicious meal OR side option! can’t wait to try it.
Asparagus and bacon…this sounds like a great combo! Plus pasta…my boys will love this!!
Delicious! What a wonderful and easy pasta recipe. 🙂
Will you ever post the recipe for your grandmother’s potato salad? I’m curious, but would sub out the MSG as well, even if tumeric does turn the salad a funny shade of green!
Thanks, Mary. Yes, I plan to share the potato salad recipe in the future!
Yum, I love asparagus and bacon together. This looks great!
This is a perfect recipe for the start of summer! Yummy!!
That looks divine! Love every single ingredient! Thank you for sharing at Thursday Favorite Things. Hope you have a fabulous day!