Craving a rich, comforting pasta dish but want to keep things firmly on track? This Creamy Alfredo with Bacon and Peas is the ultimate dinner solution. It perfectly mimics that luxurious, heavy restaurant profile while remaining surprisingly light and simple to whip up.
By combining a velvety, low-point garlic cream sauce with smoky bacon pieces and sweet green peas, you get a beautiful balance of savory and fresh notes in every single bite. It feels like an absolute cheat meal, but it fits seamlessly into a mindful routine.
Alfredo sauce is a classic Italian sauce known for its rich and creamy texture. This sauce is traditionally made with butter, cream, and Parmesan cheese. However, variations of this sauce have emerged over the years, including the addition of bacon and peas. This twist on the traditional recipe adds a savory and sweet flavor to the sauce, making it a favorite among many Italian food lovers.
If you're looking for more easy dinner recipes like this please try Crack Chicken Lasagna Roll Ups or Cheesy Chicken Green Bean Bake.
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Why You Will Like This Recipe
With this dish, everything is made in one pan, so the noodles are cooked in a skillet with some broth and water. The noodles absorb the water and broth and then you add in the ingredients for the alfredo sauce which are the heavy cream and parmesan cheese.
Bacon and peas are added for more flavor but you can add in anything else you like. For instance, chicken, sausage cut up into rounds would be a great source for protein.
Ingredients Needed for Alfredo with Bacon and Peas
- Thick-sliced bacon, coarsely chopped
- Chopped fresh garlic can take some time to chop so I often always use the freshly minced garlic that comes already made in a jar.
- pasta (rotini, penne, or rigatoni pasta)
- Chicken broth - The best type of chicken stock to use is one that is homemade. For canned stock, I look for ones that say reduced sodium or fat free.
- Freshly ground black pepper - always to taste
- Frozen peas - adds a good source of greens and fiber to the meal
- Whipping cream - Dairy does not like me at all so I go for a lactose free milk such as Fairlife. It also has more protein in it.
- Parmesan cheese (1 ounce) is a hard, granular cheese that originated in Italy. It is typically made from cow's milk and has a sharp, nutty flavor. Parmesan cheese is often grated and used as a topping for pasta dishes, salads, and other foods.
- See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to Make Creamy Alfredo with Bacon and Peas
Step 1: In a large deep skillet cook the 4 slices bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon and set aside on a plate. Do not drain any grease.
Step 2: Stir in garlic; cook and stir for 30 seconds more. Add in pasta, broth, the water, salt, and pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 12 to 15 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring once.
Recipe TIp: Step 2 is kind of another method for cooking the pasta in chicken broth and water. The water eventually evaporates and the noodles get cooked. You can skip this step entirely and just boil noodles the regular way until they are cooked.
Step 3: Stir in peas, whipping cream, and Parmesan cheese.
Cook and stir about 2 minutes more or until heated through. Serve immediately. If desired, top with crumbled bacon.
Serving size: 1 cup.
Pro Tips for Alfredo with Bacon and Peas
- To get the absolute most out of this dish, make sure your frozen peas are completely thawed and patted dry before you stir them into the sauce.
- If you toss them in straight from the freezer, they will release excess water and thin out your beautiful, velvety Alfredo.
- Additionally, always grate a tiny bit of fresh parmesan cheese right on top just before serving to elevate the restaurant-quality feel.
Storage
If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. When you are ready to reheat, the Alfredo sauce will naturally thicken up quite a bit.
To bring back that original creamy consistency, add a small splash of unsweetened almond milk or skim milk to the dish before microwaving it or heating it on the stovetop over low heat.
Serving Suggestions
This rich pasta pairs beautifully with a giant, crisp green salad tossed in a light Italian vinaigrette to cut through the creaminess. You can also roast up some quick air fryer broccoli or asparagus spears to serve on the side for an extra dose of zero-point volume.
Other Pasta Recipes
If you tried this Creamy Alfredo with Bacon and Peas any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you! Follow along on Tiktok @jennarecipediaries
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Creamy Alfredo with Bacon and Peas
- Prep Time: 15min
- Cook Time: 25min
- Total Time: 35min
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Easy
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Description
Rigatoni pasta with a creamy Afredo sauce and tossed with bacon and peas makes an easy weeknight dinner for all.
Ingredients
- 4 slices thick-sliced bacon, coarsely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 ounces dried pasta (rotini, penne, or rigatoni pasta)
- 1 (14 ½ oz) can chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup frozen peas
- ¼ cup whipping cream
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (1 ounce)
Instructions
- In a large deep skillet cook the 4 slices bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon and set aside on a plate. Do not drain any grease.
- Stir in garlic; cook and stir for 30 seconds more. Add in pasta, broth, the water, salt, and pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 12 to 15 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring once.
- Stir in peas, whipping cream, and Parmesan cheese.
- Cook and stir about 2 minutes more or until heated through. Serve immediately. If desired, top with crumbled bacon.
- Serving size: 1 cup.
Notes
Recipe and nutrition info from Better Homes and Garden
WW Points: 8 Click here to see in recipe builder (will have to log in)
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 378
- Sugar: 4
- Fat: 13
- Saturated Fat: 6
- Carbohydrates: 49
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 16
Kayla says
Great recipe! My family really enjoyed this!
Jenna says
In my store, it is next to the milk and with the half-and-half! Hope you can find it.
Amber Fusco says
This may be a stupid question, but where do you find whipping cream at the grocery store?
Jenna says
I have not tested this recipe with an Instant Pot yet and I don't just want to give out instructions without trying it first myself. Using a stovetop is just as easy, give that a try first!
Barb says
How can i make this in a instapot?
Kj says
Quick and easy and delicious
Jenna says
That's awesome!
Stepher says
Whole family loves this dish! My 3 year old had seconds because he said it was “so good mom!” Can’t go wrong with this recipe: super simple, made with “pantry” ingredients, one pot❤️
Monica says
I need to make this for 25 people. Should I multiply ingredients times 5?
Brittany says
I've made this a few times now and love it. It's yummy and easy to make.