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The spaghetti in a cast iron pan.
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5 Ingredient Bacon Spaghetti Aglio Olio

This smoky, spicy and super easy 5 ingredient bacon spaghetti aglio olio recipe is perfect for the bacon lover! Learn how to make this traditional Italian recipe in exactly 20 minutes from start to finish.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 6 Portions
Calories 356kcal
Author Richa

Ingredients

  • 400 grams Spaghetti
  • 6 Strips Bacon diced
  • 1 teaspoon Olive Oil optional
  • 6 - 7 Cloves Garlic finely chopped
  • ¾ teaspoon Chili Flakes
  • ¼ cup Parsley fresh , finely chopped

Instructions

  • Boil spaghetti in salted water as per package directions until al dente. Reserve cup of the pasta water before draining the pasta.
  • While the pasta is boiling, heat a large pan or skillet and add the diced bacon to it. Cook till the bacon is slightly crisp and light brown. Remove bacon on a plate with a slotted spoon, reserving bacon fat in the pan. Leave the flame on.
  • Add olive oil to the pan, if using, along with the chopped garlic. Saute for a minute or so and add the chili flakes. Cook for 30 seconds and add the reserved pasta water. Bring this to a boil and continue boiling till the liquid reduces by half.
  • Add spaghetti, salt and bacon to the pan, and cook till the liquid is reduced to a thick sauce which coats the pasta. Stir in parsley and let it rest for five minutes before serving.

Notes

  1. Always add the pasta to boiling water. Never add pasta to warm or room temperature water. Time it and cook it till al dente. 
  2. Reserve some of the pasta water as the starch present in this will help thicken the sauce.
  3. Cook bacon on medium high heat instead of low heat. Slow cooking tends to make the it limp. Do not overcook. 
  4. Do not throw away the bacon fat. This holds a lot of flavour so make sure to use it. 
  5. Time it so that the spaghetti gets cooked just about the same time the bacon is crispy. This way the spaghetti won't harden and the bacon won't lose it's crispiness.
  6. Feel free to swap the bacon for something else like bacon (see mushroom spaghetti aglio olio) or shrimp (see shrimp aglio olio)

Nutrition

Calories: 356kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 152mg | Potassium: 232mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 211IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg