In December we did a camping trip around South Africa and the intention with meals was to keep them SUPER simple, trying to use the least amount of pots and dishes as possible! Anyway, this 5-ingredient, 20-minute recipe was one I made up on the way with a few basic supplies. I think they were the only ingredients we had left 😅 I took an onion, a packet of bacon, tomato paste, pasta and a carton of long-life cream and just hoped for the best.
Thankfully everyone, even my pickiest of eaters, wolfed it down. I’ve called it the “20-minute creamy tomato and bacon pasta” and I made it again yesterday and splurged on an extra ingredient by adding in some garlic, oh and some Basil leaves too!!
I find the less ingredients I use, the more likely my kids are to eat the dish. Maybe the flavours are better but maybe there are just less things for them to pick out. Either way, its a great motivation for me to create more 5-ingredient meals.
If you have any vegetarians in the house, remember you can modify this recipe by omitting the bacon and adding smoky Paprika (I get mine form Woolies) to the recipe for flavor. I mean, you could do that anyway, along with the other optional additions I mention in the recipe, but this recipe is really easy for you to just add the bacon right at the end once the vegetarians have dished up. I loved adding some Basil right at the end but you could quite easily add some shredded spinach too.
Lastly, and this is important. Add the pasta bit by bit into the sauce, as in, go slowly. You don’t want to add too much pasta and not have enough sauce to coat the pasta. That is just sadness in a pan right there, unless you prefer less sauce and more pasta that is. So, judge it accordingly.
So what to serve this baby with:
- Camping style – just this!
- Energetic Campers – This with sliced cucumber drizzled with Balsamic vinegar
- At home style – With a lovely crisp green salad
- Super energetic at home style – crisp green salad and roasted pumpkin
So, enjoy guys!
If you liked this recipe, then you may also like these other 5-ingredient meals:
- 5-Ingredient Butternut Soup
- Bacon and Basil Pesto Pasta
- 5-Ingredient Chicken Teriyaki (also only 20 mins)
20-Minute Creamy Bacon Pasta
Prep Time: 2 mins- Cook Time: 18 mins
- Total Time: 20 mins
Yield: 4-5 1x
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Pin RecipeDescription
With only 5 core ingredients and just 20-minutes to make, this creamy tomato and bacon pasta is perfect for a last-minute dinner that is family friendly and SO delicious.
Ingredients
- 2 onions
- 3 tablespoons olive oil (or butter)
- 4 cups of pasta
- 2 packs of bacon (250g each)
- 2 tins (70g each) of tomato paste
- 2 cups of cream (250ml each)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Optional additions:
- Add 2–3 minced garlic cloves when cooking the onions.
- If you’re vegetarian, you can always omit the bacon and add 2 teaspoons smoky paprika for flavour.
- Basil Leaves for garnishing.
Instructions
- Chop and fry 2 onions in 3 tablespoons olive oil or butter until soft and translucent (See optional extras below.)
- In the meantime, get 4 cups of pasta on the boil (any pasta will do)
- Once the onions are done, remove from the pan and set aside.
- Add 2 packs of bacon (250g each) to the pan and fry them as you like your bacon done, crispy or soft. Once done, chop into little pieces. Add the onion back to the pan.
- Now add in 2 tins (70g each) of tomato paste to the bacon and onion mix and simmer for 2-3 minutes, deglazing the pan with a tablespoon or so of red wine or water.
- Once those flavours have developed, add 2 cups of cream and mix through until well combined.
- Drain the pasta once cooked and add to the pan, mix and coat pasta with the sauce.
- Serve just as is, camping style or if you’re energetic, serve with a crisp green salad.
- See garnishing notes below.
Notes
Optional Extras:
- Add 2-3 minced garlic cloves when cooking the onions.
- If you’re vegetarian, you can always omit the bacon and add 2 teaspoons smoky paprika for flavour.
- Sprinkle with fresh Basil leaves for a dash of colour and an extra flash of flavour – totally optional!
