Every summer, I lean into a handful of pasta dishes that give a nod or three to the flavors of summer. They are also super quick and easy to make and who is gonna hate that? This time around, I'm offering you one inspired by the flavors of a good 'ol fashioned bacon lettuce and tomato sandwich. Brimming with bacon, two kinds of tomatoes, and fresh hearty greens in a creamy sauce, this dish will be sure to make it into your menu rotation.
You can tweak this recipe, but I highly suggest making it as written. I tend to make it a bit on the saucy side because I inevitably have leftovers and the pasta is thirsty enough to make the reheat dry without a saucy start. Tweak as needed if you think your crew will demolish it in one sitting!
This can absolutely be a one pan meal. However, if you wanted to add some breadsticks for sopping up the juices or a light salad to up the veggie content, either would pair well with this dish. I like just spooning some into bowls and digging in. After all, dinner in under a half hour is already making me giddy and I'm about to have the flavors of a BLT in a bowl!
BLT Pasta
- 5 slices thick cut bacon, sliced into pieces
- ½ cup diced sun dried tomatoes
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 16 oz. short or medium length dried pasta
- 6 oz. cherry or grape tomatoes
- 3 oz. crumbled goat cheese
- 2 cups fresh hearty greens (kale, spinach, etc.)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
In a large sauté pan, fry the bacon pieces until crisp. During the last 1-2 minutes of frying, add the sun dried tomatoes and keep stirring.
Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer; add the pasta and cover the pan. Simmer the pasta for 10 minutes. Add the cherry or grape tomatoes and the crumbled goat cheese and stir until the cheese has melted and a creamy sauce has formed. Remove from the heat.
Add the greens and stir until they are completely wilted. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Serve hot.
- Yields: 4-6 servings
- Preparation Time:30 minutes