Creamy Spicy Bacon Pasta (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Pasta and Vegetables
01 -
8 ½ ounces orecchiette
02 -
Salt - to taste
03 -
1 small broccoli head - chopped into bite-sized pieces
→ Sauce Base
04 -
7 ounces bacon bits
05 -
1 brown onion - diced
06 -
2 garlic cloves - minced
07 -
1 tsp dried thyme
→ Sauce
08 -
1 tbsp tomato paste
09 -
2 tbsp gochujang paste - more or less to taste
10 -
1 ½ cups heavy cream
11 -
Freshly ground black pepper - for serving
# Instructions:
01 -
Fill a large pot with water, add a generous pinch of salt, and set it over high heat to bring to a boil.
02 -
While waiting for the water to boil, dice your onion and mince the garlic. For the broccoli, cut off the stem, break the head into florets, then chop them into smaller, bite-sized pieces.
03 -
Once the water's boiling, toss in the orecchiette. Cook it for 3 minutes less than what the package says - we'll finish it in the sauce later.
04 -
When the pasta timer's up, add the broccoli florets right into the same pot and cook everything together for another 3 minutes.
05 -
While the pasta and broccoli cook, heat a large skillet over high heat. Add the bacon bits and cook until they get nice and crispy. Then toss in the diced onion and minced garlic, cooking for about 2 minutes until they soften and smell amazing.
06 -
Stir the dried thyme, tomato paste, and gochujang paste into the bacon mixture. The gochujang adds that perfect spicy kick - add more if you like it hot, less if you're spice-shy.
07 -
Pour the heavy cream into the skillet and bring everything to a gentle simmer. Once it starts bubbling, reduce the heat to low to keep the sauce from reducing too much.
08 -
When the pasta and broccoli are done, drain them but save about ½ cup of that starchy cooking water - it's liquid gold for sauces! Add the pasta, broccoli, and a splash of the cooking water to your sauce.
09 -
Toss everything together until the pasta is well coated in that creamy, spicy sauce. Give it a taste and add a pinch more salt if needed. Finish with a few grinds of fresh black pepper right before serving.
10 -
Dish it up while it's hot and dig in! The little ear-shaped pasta catches all that creamy sauce perfectly.
# Notes:
01 -
This dish is perfect for weeknight dinners when you need something quick but still want big flavor.
02 -
Gochujang is a Korean fermented chili paste that adds both heat and depth to the dish.
03 -
The starchy pasta water helps create a silky sauce that clings beautifully to the pasta.