Bacon Broccoli Pasta with Parmesan Cheese is an easy dinner meal you can get on the table in about 20 minutes. Parmesan cheese, tender noodles, bacon, and broccoli pair so well together!

Every family needs to have an easy dinner that they can get on the table in less than 30 minutes. It has to be easy to make and taste delicious! I love sharing new recipes with you!

In my house, we call this pasta dish Michael’s Pasta. My cousin brought it to a family dinner and the first time we had it my whole family was instantly obsessed with it! He said it was so easy and rattled off the ingredients. I finally tried to make it, and I couldn’t believe how easy it was to make.  Even better – the leftovers are delicious. 

 

This meal is on regular rotation on our meal planning menu. I have started to double the recipe, and the leftovers only make it a day. My kids have asked me to triple and quadruple the recipe because they fight over the leftovers after school.

Tip to make Easy Weeknight Broccoli Bacon Pasta:

Pasta – Use any kind you want. We have used ziti, penne, spiral, and bowtie. Bowties are our favorite. 

Bacon – the leaner, the better, and don’t get any fancy flavors. I have used smoky bacon and applewood. I use a scissor to chop it into bite-size pieces and add it to a large skillet

Broccoli – I buy a big frozen bag and steam it on the stove while I cook the pasta. In this meal, I don’t like crunchy broccoli. We like our broccoli cooked so it’s a little mushy – but do what you want. I prefer the small florets. You could also use raw broccoli and cook it to your desired crunchiness. 

Butter – You can use unsalted or salted. I like to salt my food after I cook – but if you like to add the salty ingredients while you are cooking – use salted butter. 

Parmesan Cheese – I like to buy the 6oz shredded container. I use about 3/4 of it while making the pasta and the test to garnish it. 

Salt – The bacon and cheese add saltiness to this dish – but you can add a sprinkle after you serve it to accent the flavors more. 

If you like it a little bit spicy you can add some red pepper flakes. 

I feel like this recipe is very customizable. You could use yellow or white cheddar cheese or even mozzarella cheese to change up the recipe. You can even replace the bacon with some cooked chicken breast – use rotisserie chicken to make it even faster!

Bacon Broccoli Pasta With Parmesan Cheese

• 1 16oz box of bowtie pasta
• 1 pound of bacon – chopped
• 4 cups broccoli florets (frozen or fresh broccoli)
• 4 Tablespoons butter 
• 3-4 minced garlic cloves
• 3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese + extra parmesan for garnish
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions for this quick and easy broccoli pasta recipe

Boil a large pot of salted water for your pasta. For best results – use the instructions on the box of pasta for al dente pasta. Add the pasta to boiling water. When it’s cooked, drain the pasta water, add it back to the pot, and set aside. 

 

In a large frying pan, over medium heat, add the chopped-up bacon. (Use a scissor or cutting board). Stir this frequently to avoid burning the bacon. Once the bacon is cooked, remove the browned bits of bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate to remove the bacon fat. 

 

Pour all BUT about 3 Tablespoons of the bacon grease out of the pan so you have extra bacon flavor and add the butter. 

 

Add the garlic and, sautee the garlic over medium-low heat until fragrant – about 3-4 minutes. Be careful because this can burn quickly.

Cook your broccoli according to the package instructions and desired tenderness. 

 

Once everything is cooked, you can assemble your meal.  Place the crispy bacon, broccoli, and garlic butter into the pasta pot – mix well. Add the Parmesan cheese and mix again. 

 

Serve with a little salt, extra cheese, garlic bread, and a side salad with a creamy dressing – but it’s really filling without the side dishes!

Store leftovers for up to 3 days – but in my house, they don’t even last a day! 

I love this meal because I can cook everything at the same time and then throw it together for a quick and filling meal! It’s also budget friendly. You can probably get all the ingredients for about $10 (even less if there is a sale!) and it feeds about 6 people. 

I love easy recipes and this one is at the top of my list! This is going to be a new favorite meal your entire family will love because it has simple ingredients and it tastes so yummy! You could even bring it to a BBQ as a main dish or side dish. 

Looking for more easy pasta meals – check out this Blackened Chicken Pasta Recipe you can make in 30 minutes! If you are planning your meals for the day check out our favorite pancake recipe. Then you can serve this cream cheese chicken croissants for lunch and make my favorite chocolate chip cookies for dessert.