Is there really anything more comforting than pasta? What about pasta and bacon? Okay, what about Brie, Bacon and Basil Pasta? Right? It's basically a match made in heaven and we all need to grab a bowl of this immediately.
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
I made this for the first time a few years ago on a whim because I had some leftover brie from a dinner party and decided throwing it into some freshly cooked spaghetti was the sensible thing to do. I was a little worried because I didn't know what the brie would do, but the result was mind blowing. Melted brie + spaghetti. Be still my heart. I was and still am in love and I just want everyone to taste the epicness that comes from this recipe and have the best possible meal ever. Plus this would make an incredible Valentine's Day date night in along with some Cheesecake Cookie Bars or Chocolate Brownie Pudding.
Fast forward a few months and I've jazzed it up even more. Because that's what I do. I added some bacon and basil and reserved a scoop of the pasta water to help the brie melt down even faster. Brilliant. I'm obsessed. The squeeze of lemon juice really helps brighten this cozy dish and bring out all the flavors.
A common question I get asked about this recipe is whether or not you should remove the rind from the brie. The answer actually is that you leave it on. The rind melts down and doesn't affect the taste at all. But you can totally cut it off if you'd prefer.
I'm for sure adding this quick and easy Brie, Bacon and Basil Pasta into the regular rounds of dinner. It goes exceptionally well with a little Monday night Bachelor viewing. (something I consider myself to be very good at)
Trust me - you're going to want to try this one!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Pasta
- Pasta Water reserved
- Sliced Bacon
- Yellow Onion
- Garlic
- Brie
- Basil Leaves
- Kosher Salt
- Black Pepper
- Lemon Juice
*For a full list of ingredients and instructions please see recipe card below.
How to Make Brie, Bacon and Basil Pasta
Step 1: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and the cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water before draining, then drain the pasta and set it aside.
Step 2: Place the bacon in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat and cook the bacon on both sides until brown and crispy.
Step 3: Remove the bacon from the skillet and set it to cool on a paper towel lined plate. Once the bacon is cool, break it into bite sized pieces.
Step 4: Add the thinly sliced onion into the cast iron skillet with the bacon grease and sauté over medium high heat until the onions are caramelized, about 5 minutes.
Step 5: Add the garlic and toss for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
Step 6: Add the cubed brie into the cast iron skillet along with ½ cup of the reserved pasta water and a few squeezes of lemon juice.
Step 7: Stir constantly until the cheese is melted and then add the cooked pasta to the mixture and toss to combine.
Step 8: Add the bacon and basil and season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately.
How to Store Brie, Bacon and Basil Pasta
You can store leftovers in an airtight container for 2-3 days. The bacon may not remain as crisp, and if you want you can also save some pasta water to use while warming it since it can dry out a little. I recommend heating on the stove to keep the sauce from breaking, but microwave is fine too if that is what you prefer.
How to Freeze Brie, Bacon and Basil Pasta
I do not recommend freezing this pasta since the sauce is cheese based and it won't freeze well.
Tips & Tricks
A common question I get asked about this recipe is whether or not you should remove the rind from the brie. The answer actually is that you leave it on. The rind melts down and doesn’t effect the taste at all. But you can totally cut it off if you’d prefer.
FAQs
What other veggies can I add to this?
Honestly, there are so many options!! But, mushrooms, spinach or roast red peppers would all go great.
Can I make this with a different pasta?
Yes you can!! You can make this with any pasta you have on hand, short pasta works too.
Similar Recipes
If you tried this recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today
Brie, Bacon and Basil Pasta
Ingredients
- 10 oz pasta
- ½ cup pasta water - reserved
- 4 pieces thin sliced bacon
- ½ yellow onion thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ lb brie cut into cubes
- 10-15 basil leaves cut into a chiffonade
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- lemon juice to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and the cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water before draining, then drain the pasta and set it aside.
- Place the bacon in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat and cook the bacon on both sides until brown and crispy. Remove the bacon from the skillet and set it to cool on a paper towel lined plate. Once the bacon is cool, break it into bite sized pieces.
- Add the thinly sliced onion into the cast iron skillet with the bacon grease and saute over medium high heat until the onions are caramelized, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and toss for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the cubed brie into the cast iron skillet along with ½ cup of the reserved pasta water and a few squeezes of lemon juice. Stir constantly until the cheese is melted and then add the cooked pasta to the mixture and toss to combine. Add the bacon and basil and season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately.
Wanted to use up some brie I had left over from Christmas and came across this recipe. It was delish! Will totally make again! Thank you!
This was amazing!!! I used gluten-free rice spaghetti and Trader Joe's Goat brie (rind removed) and added 4 slices of turkey bacon with the regular bacon. I also used more basil because we have a lot growing that I wanted to use up. Even my picky kids loved it.
My only problem with this is. . . .how can there be leftover brie? Sacrilege!!!!
I just made it! Tasted really good. Even my husband who is a picky eater thought it was really good. Thanks a lot for this recipe Greetings from Denmark
Regarding the bacon, brie pasta recipe, what about the rind on the brie? Just cube the brie, rind and all?
yup!! or you can take it off if you prefer
We made this tonight and did not have bacon so we subbed pancetta. Amazeballs! So delish! We will be doing this again!
I can only imagine how delicious this is!
Um, totally agree. This isn't kind of meal!
This looks like a pasta winner!
What size skillet do you usually use for your recipes? Do you have a recommended brand? In the market for a new one!
Yum! That looks amazing!
Kari
http://www.sweetteasweetie.com
I'm going to use left over party white wine instead of the pasta water..... We'll see. Also inspired by the gluten free pasta idea as I'm trying to be mainly wheat free.
This was the perfect recipe to use up my leftover NYE Brie and bacon...yummm. Thanks.
Successfully made tonight for dinner. We loved it.
Will this be tasty reheated tomorrow or even frozen?
reheated tomorrow = YES!! Frozen = I'd say probably not the best
I got in from work tonight and scoured the fridge for something quick to cook. My eyes fell upon the bacon and brie and I thought they would work well together. So, I typed "with bacon and brie" in to Google and one of the results jumped out at me, only because of it sharing my daughter's name, albeit with a spelling variety.
Sometimes the best discoveries are made by chance and coincidence, this was one. I'm terrible at sticking to recipes and have to tinker, so I added a couple of birdseye chillies to the mix and stepped down the liquid. I had no fresh basil. I could pretend that the reduced liquid was deliberate, but I'm European and haven't the faintest idea what a cup is and oz is where Dorothy went, so I just chucked some of the pasta liquid in to my guesstimated quanities and hoped for the best. Additionally, I was using gluten free pasta which is much more absorbent.
The result was a fairly dry (not creamy) and sticky pasta dish with a real depth of flavours and a nice afterburn. I'm sure it bears no relation to the original recipe, I'd like to think it is inspired by it.
Happenstance, coincidence, luck, the stars aligning, call it what you will. But I'll be back. Nice one Gaby.
BEST COMMENT EVER!! Glad you enjoyed it Timmy!
I've just toured the site a little, nice, my Gabriela shares your book taste too.
I'm now thinking of adapting this recipe with a nice soft goats cheese. If I hadn't just over eaten, I'd donit right now. Oh, no goats cheese in the fridge anyway.