Cheesy Chili Bacon Pasta
Creamy chili-spiked pasta loaded with crispy bacon and melty cheese. Smoky, spicy, in just 15 minutes.
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Servings: 3 servings
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Equipment
Ingredients
Pasta
- 12 oz Pasta: Spaghetti
Sauce Base
- 6 slices Bacon chopped
- 4 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 1/2 tbsp Gochujang Korean chili paste
- 1/2 cup Heavy cream
Cheese
- 1/2 cup Mozzarella shredded
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
Seasoning
- 1/2 tsp Black pepper freshly cracked
Instructions
Cook the Pasta
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Cook spaghetti until al dente according to package instructions.
Cook the Bacon
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook chopped bacon until crispy and golden.
Build the Sauce
- Add minced garlic to the bacon and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in gochujang and cook another 30 seconds to bloom the chili paste.
- Pour in heavy cream and stir to combine.
- Let simmer gently for 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened, then add a splash of water (2 to 4 tablespoons will suffice)
Combine
- Stir in mozzarella and parmesan until melted and creamy.
- Add drained pasta to the skillet.
- Toss continuously until glossy and add more water if needed to loosen the sauce.
Add the Cheese
- Reduce heat to low.
Finish
- Top with cracked black pepper.
Notes
- Use freshly grated parmesan for best melt and flavor.
- Don’t boil the cream too aggressively — keep it at a gentle simmer.
- If you want more heat, add extra gochujang or chili flakes.