Salty and greasy crisp bacon with sauteed red onions tossed in a slightly sweet and savory balsamic-tomato sauce. With the bacon grease that was leftover, the red onions soak up that beautiful flavor and make an amazing dish. The freshness comes from the basil that is added to the sauce to give the sauce extra flavor. This exquisite dish will send you running for a second dish every time! Make this dish for your next potluck or for your family on pasta day!
I have a huge thing about not wasting extra flavor that is leftover from meats. The same goes for bacon. I NEVER drain the bacon grease from a pan. I always find a way to use it. I make my eggs with bacon grease instead of butter. I’ll make a pan sauce out of the bacon grease if I’m making bacon with chicken or pork. You can actually store bacon grease for later use! There are plenty of people out there that grew up with relatives who stored their bacon grease in a jar and set it on the counter or on the back of the stovetop. According to food safety experts, they don’t recommend storing it that way now. Instead, store the grease in the refrigerator (up to 3 months) or freezer.
Does bacon belong on pasta?
You know what they say, bacon goes on everything! It can go with chicken, steak, pork, shrimp, rice, and even pasta! There are many more ingredients bacon can go with, but I don’t have the space to write it all! Take the classic pasta carbonara. Crumbled bacon is in this dish too. Sometimes it can be pancetta. I’ve made it with regular eggs and not the cream that restaurants serve. You can even make breakfast pasta with bacon, eggs, scallions, and cheese! I haven’t done it, but I have a written recipe that I thought of sitting in my arsenal of test recipes.
Why is this dish amazing?
- It’s unique! I haven’t seen a recipe like mine online yet, so I’m hoping to make a statement with this. My original recipe was with a cream sauce, but since I didn’t have enough milk or cheese to make it, I decided to go with a red sauce instead. Maybe I’ll post my cream sauce version of this.
- You get salty, sweet and smoky all in one dish. This one-pot dish is packed full of different flavors that not one of them overpowers the other. You get salty and smoky from the bacon, sweet from the balsamic vinegar, with the hint of freshness from the basil and red onion! This is such a delicious dish.
- Pair this with: a nice salad featuring leafy greens, feta, pecans, roasted red peppers, and toss with either a fruit-based dressing or a red wine vinegar and oil mixture with italian herbs! Make some cheesy garlic bread and serve on the side. If we are speaking in wine terms, I would recommend a chianti, cabernet sauvignon or a red blend with notes of oak.
Want the recipe? Click print below! Let me know how it came out for you by tagging me on Instagram (@missravenskitchen) and using #missravenskitchen! Let me know if I need to tweak anything.
Red Onion & Bacon Pasta with a Balsamic-Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
- 12 oz applewood smoked bacon
- 1 medium red onion, sliced into 1/2-inch slices
- 4 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1 (28 oz can) diced tomatoes (*1)
- 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
- 3 tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped
- Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- 10 oz frozen broccoli
- 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 lb spaghetti, or pasta of choice
Instructions
- In a large skillet, place the bacon and heat it on medium-high heat. Cook for 5 minutes per side until crispy, then set aside. Repeat with the remaining bacon until all the bacon is cooked. Chop the bacon into 1/4-inch bits. Do not drain the bacon grease!
- In the same skillet, add the red onions and saute for 3 minutes, then add the garlic and saute for 2 minutes until the red onions are soft and the garlic is aromatic.
- Add the tomatoes with the juices, balsamic vinegar, and basil to the skillet. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and crushed red pepper flakes. Simmer for 15 minutes.
- Cook the pasta in a separate pot according to package directions. Drain and reserve 1/3 cup of the pasta water.
- Pour in the pasta water to the sauce and stir. Add the broccoli and allow to steam in the sauce, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle in the parmesan cheese and mix it into the sauce.
- Add most of the bacon back to the sauce and stir. Reserve some to top the pasta with. Add the pasta and toss to coat in the sauce. Serve immediately with some bacon on top.
Notes:
(*1) I used a 28 oz can of whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes and then diced them. This is a good option if you do not have diced tomatoes readily available! Do not drain the tomatoes either.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
490.73Fat (grams)
21.27Sat. Fat (grams)
7.20Carbs (grams)
45.43Fiber (grams)
4.09Net carbs
41.34Sugar (grams)
5.68Protein (grams)
28.16Sodium (milligrams)
929.40Cholesterol (grams)
57.57I did my best to research! Let me know if these are correct!
Miss Raven's Kitchen 
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