A simple recipe for pasta with peas and bacon, this angel hair pasta dish can be made in less than 15 minutes and served hot or cold. It's perfect for lunches or a light dinner.
Nothing screams fresh more than the color green, and this goat cheese and arugula pasta has lots of it. Tender baby arugula leaves and crispy spring peas pair perfectly with a burst of fresh lemon juice and zest.
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simple bacon pea pasta
I am always looking for fun and delicious new combinations for pasta dishes. The possibilities are close to endless and you can make them as simple or as complicated as you would like. Some of our favorite more involved pasta dishes are steak gorgonzola and spicy chicken pasta.
Sometimes the day calls for something simple, and that's where this easy pasta recipe comes in.
Seasonal produce is a great addition to pasta dishes, and that's what shines in this bacon pea pasta with arugula. I used frozen peas, but if you can get your hands on fresh, go for it!
Ingredients
- angel hair pasta
- peas
- baby arugula
- goat cheese
- lemon
- cooked bacon
- pasta water
How to make pasta with peas and bacon
- Cook pasta according to package instructions, and reserve ½ cup of pasta water to use later.
- Cook bacon until crispy and crumble.
- In a small bowl, use a fork to mix together goat cheese, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
- Combine all remaining ingredients in a large bowl.
- Pour goat cheese mixture over pasta and stir to coat. Add reserved pasta water as needed to make sure everything is well combined.
- Top with fresh parmesan cheese if desired.
Recipe Tips
- Make it creamy: This pasta does not have a cream sauce, it is made creamy with goat cheese. You can add a little bit of heavy cream (start with ¼ cup) to make the sauce silkier.
- Switch up the vegetables: I think asparagus cut up into bite-sized pieces would be wonderful! I added baby arugula because I love how light and airy it is. Any tender veggies would work-- think baby spinach, asparagus, green beans.
- Serve it cold: This pasta can be served hot or cold! Try it warm to start and then enjoy the leftovers as a cold lunch the next day.
What to pair with goat cheese pasta
Serve this easy to make pasta dish on on its own or paired with any of the following.
- honey balsamic sauteed mushrooms
- grilled chicken or air fryer chicken thighs
- bavette steak
- ninja foodi salmon
- roasted vegetables
- rocca salad
more easy pasta recipes
- Gigi Hadid Pasta (Spicy Vodka Sauce Pasta)
- Lemon and Arugula with Capellini Pasta
- Chicken Spinach Alfredo Pasta with Bacon
- creamy boursin pasta with peas and chicken
Recipe FAQs
Of course! Simply leave out the bacon and this becomes a vegetarian dish. If you choose to do so, you may want to add a bit of salt to make all of the flavors pop. The recipe doesn't call for it originally because the bacon is salty enough.
Instead of goat cheese, you can substitute cream cheese, ricotta cheese, or marscapone in this recipe.
Pasta with Peas and Bacon
Ingredients
- ½ lb angel hair pasta
- 1 cup frozen peas thawed
- 2 cups baby arugula packed
- 5 oz goat cheese
- juice and zest of 1 lemon
- 3 pieces bacon cooked and crumbled
- ½ cup reserved pasta water
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package instructions, and reserve ½ cup of pasta water to use later.
- Cook bacon until crispy and crumble.
- In a small bowl, use a fork to mix together goat cheese, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
- Combine all remaining ingredients in a large bowl.
- Pour goat cheese mixture over pasta and stir to coat. Add reserved pasta water as needed to make sure everything is well combined.
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