Shrimp and Bacon Pasta

This shrimp and bacon pasta recipe is fresh and full of flavor. The creamy tomato sauce is to die for, and this dish is ready in only 30 minutes!

and that’s one of my favorites. You still get your creamy sauce, but the tomato brightens it a bit, and so it tastes much less heavy. I guess you’d call it a rosé sauce (not to be confused with the wine!).

This shrimp pasta with tomato is very fast and straightforward. It’s one of those pasta dishes that work if you want something a bit different and more elevated on a busy weeknight, but it’s also good enough for when you’ve got company.

Those are my favorite types of dishes to create

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces uncooked pasta
  • 1 pound medium or large shrimp thawed & peeled (remove tails if desired)
  • 4 strips bacon cut into small pieces
  • 1 medium tomato diced finely
  • 1 large clove garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 dashes Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 cup chicken broth or dry white wine
  • 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • Fresh parsley chopped (optional)

Instructions

  1. Boil a large, salted pot of water for the pasta. Cook al dente according to package directions.
  2. Prep your bacon (I use kitchen shears to make it easy to cut it up). Fry the bacon over medium-high heat in a skillet until crispy (7-10 mins.). Take the bacon out of the pan and set aside.
  3. Drain most of the bacon fat from the pan, but keep a little bit in for flavor. Add the tomato, garlic, Dijon mustard, Italian seasoning, and chicken broth to the pan. Give it a good stir and let it simmer for about 1-2 minutes.
  4. Add the cream to the pan. Let it cook for 5 minutes (so it reduces & thickens). If it’s bubbling like crazy, turn down the heat.
  5. Add the shrimp and bacon to the pan. Let it cook for another 4-5 minutes or until the shrimp have cooked through.
  6. Drain the pasta and add it to the pan, tossing until it’s nicely coated in the sauce.
  7. Stir in the parmesan cheese and season with salt & pepper as needed. Garnish with parsley if using.

Recipe Notes

  • I used large shrimp (41-50/lb. size) in this recipe. Smaller shrimp will work too.