My herb garden is overflowing with sage, rosemary, parsley, chives, mint and basil. Time is running out, so I need to use as many fresh herbs as possible in my favourite family dishes. One of our best is this super quick pasta dish made with a few uncomplicated ingredients – Crispy Sage and Bacon Pasta. In the process of crisping the sage leaves, you need to use fresh sage leaves which is a key feature of this delicious pasta dish. You will have it on the table in the time it takes to cook the pasta. Just pour a glass of wine, relax and enjoy this delicious herb from your garden.
Crispy Sage and Bacon Pasta
CHEF TALK: Super quick, super easy and very delicious! Use gluten-free pasta if necessary, cooked to al dente stage. If your sage leaves are large, cut them into chiffonade before adding to the butter.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 lb. linguini, spaghetti or spaghettini
- 2 slices bacon, cut into lardons
- 6 Tablespoons (85 g) salted or unsalted butter (or 1/2 butter and 1/2 olive oil)
- a handful of fresh sage leaves (I used about 30 small fresh sage leaves)
- 2 – 3 small cloves garlic, minced
- 3/4 cup to 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
- 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Olive oil for drizzling, as needed
METHOD:
- Cook the pasta according to the product directions or until perfectly al dente.
- Meanwhile, in a large fry pan, fry the bacon lardons until browned and crispy. Drain the bacon and set it aside to be mixed into the pasta later. Discard the bacon fat or save it for other uses.
- In the same frying pan, over low heat, add the butter, sage leaves and salt. Allow the butter to brown (you are making brown butter or “beurre noisette”). At this point, the sage leaves will be crispy. It is time to add the garlic. Be careful that the garlic does not burn. The pasta should be just about ready. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.
- Drain the pasta and immediately pour the pasta into the fry pan, turning to coat the pasta with the sage and garlic brown butter.
- Return the crispy bacon lardons to the pan, in addition to 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese and some freshly ground back pepper. Using a pair of tongs, turn the pasta in the sauce to incorporate all of the ingredients. Add pasta water if necessary, to loosen up the pasta.
- Serve in heated bowls with additional fresh ground pepper, Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil to finish. Perhaps garnish with more of your fresh garden herbs, such as chopped parsley, finely sliced chives or chiffonade of basil. Simple and delicious!
Please CLICK the link above to access my UrbnSpice LEARNING TIPS, which are listed alphabetically on the Learning Tips blog post under the following subheadings:
- Chiffonade
__________
You might also enjoy these Urb’n’Spice Pasta Recipes:
Turkey, Mushroom and Power Greens Pasta
Herb and Garlic Chicken, Pancetta and Broccoli Pasta
How to Make the Ultimate Mac and Cheese
If you try my recipe for Crispy Sage and Bacon Pasta, please leave me a comment below with your feedback. Don’t forget to pin this recipe for later!
Denise Paré-Watson
The Urb’n’Spice Chef
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This pasta looks so perfect for fall! I have actually been craving a dish like this, there’s something so cozy about pasta and our temperatures have gotten chillier! Must try!
Thank you very much, Katherine. I totally know what you mean about pasta being cozy. This pasta dish is so quick – you will enjoy it, I am sure!
Denise, this a great pasta recipe and a lovely platting job. I love butter-fried sage crumbled on my baked sweet potato along with a drizzled of the butter I fried the sage in.
Thanks, Ron! I appreciate your comments very much and the plating compliment. I must try the butter fried sage on a baked sweet potato – that sounds wonderful! That crispy sage is a winner, isn’t it?
This looks delicious, Denise! I’m going to make this for my family…can definitely see them loving it!
Yes, I think your family will love this dish, Lisa (and hopefully you can easily obtain some really great gluten-free pasta in Hong Kong similar to what we have here). Tag me if you try it. Cheers!
This looks delicious and the perfect meal for a weekday!
It is definitely a great weekday meal – so quick and delicious, Melanie. I hope you get to try it one day. Cheers.
The time is definitely up on my herb garden!! Ugh. We’re currently getting our second dump of around 10 cm. Thankfully I did pick much of my herbs before it snowed. I’ll eat this pasta with fresh herbs any day!
We haven’t had snow yet here in Kelowna, so I am still sneaking out to my herb garden to clip here and there. I hope you had salvaged enough sage before it snowed again to try this pasta dish, Bernice. You are going to love it! Thanks for stopping by Urbnspice 🙂
Hi Denise, my garden also is overflowing with herbs. Crispy sage is absolutely the best, and now I have one more way to use it. I can just taste the yummy combo of bacon & sage. Thanks for a great recipe.
If your herb garden is anything like mine, I totally understand! I hope that you are going to love this easy pasta dish, Colleen.
Ok, I seriously want this for lunch right now! Some of my fave ingredients right there. And crispy sage leaves? Love using them…and I could honestly snack on them when freshly made. This looks like the most perfect date night meal and can’t wait to try 🙂
Oh, yes! This easy and delicious pasta dish is perfect for date night – drop me a line or tag me if you try it! Cheers and enjoy, Dawn!
I absolutely love pasta, and a simple yet flavourful one like this is right up my alley! My mouth is watering right now that’s how much I want it!
That is great to hear, Vanessa. I think that you are going to love this pasta dish! Let me know if you try it! Cheers!
I love a good pasta dish this time of year and the crispy sage is screaming cozy fall feels to me. I will definitely be making this over the weekend.
Thanks so much, Kristen. I am excited to hear what you think of this Crispy Sage and Bacon pasta dish. 🙂
This looks like a great weeknight dinner option!
Thanks, Shareba! It is definitely a quick and very delicious dinner.
I wish I grew my own herbs. I love the smell of fresh sage and rosemary! This pasta dish looks phenomenal Denise! Crispy sage is so tasty and pairing it with bacon really takes pasta up a notch! Happy weekend!
Thanks so much, Leanne. I know what you mean about growing herbs. Luckily, most grocery stores now carry fresh herbs year-around and I use those often in the off seasons. I hope that you will be able to try this pasta dish one day – I just know that you would enjoy it!
What a great use of sage- I had so much left over this year and was looking for recipes. Will definitely be trying it!
Thanks, Terri! This is a great pasta dish – let me know if you try it!
Two whole slices of bacon for a pound of pasta? Yikes!
Actually the focus is on the fresh sage in the recipe and it is indeed delicious as written however, feel free to use as much bacon as you wish. You are the cook! ?