This one, It’s comfort on a fork. Jamie Oliver Bacon Tomato Pasta is exactly the kind of meal you throw together when your brain’s fried and your fridge is nearly bare, yet—somehow—you still end up eating something that tastes like you actually planned ahead. Bacon, tomatoes, that sharp hit of Parmesan melting into everything… it’s rich without being heavy. I made this on one of those evenings where everything felt like too much, and wow—it turned my night around. (inspired by Jamie Oliver)

Ingredients Needed

160 g spaghetti
1 tsp olive oil or butter
150–180 g bacon, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
½ onion, chopped
400 g crushed tomatoes
Salt & pepper, to taste
Pinch of sugar (if needed)
Extra virgin olive oil, to finish
Handful of parsley, chopped
Parmesan, grated or shaved

How To Make Jamie Oliver Bacon Tomato Pasta

Boil the Pasta: Get your water salty and boiling. Pasta goes in. Cook it ’til it’s just shy of done—don’t walk away. You’ll want to save a mug of that starchy water before you drain it. Trust me.
Build the Base: While the pasta’s doing its thing, grab a big pan and get your oil warming. Bacon in first. Let it crisp—really crisp. Then toss in the garlic and onion. Everything will start to smell like something real is happening in your kitchen. Give it 5, maybe 7 minutes. You’ll know when.
Sauce It Up: Splash in that pasta water—just a bit, maybe half a cup. Stir. The sizzle tells you it’s going right. After that, in go the tomatoes. Stir it up and let it simmer while you glance out the window or sip a drink or both. Five minutes, maybe more. You’ll see it come together.
Pasta Meets Sauce: Drain the pasta (not too aggressively, keep it a bit damp) and drop it straight into the sauce. Toss it like you mean it. Let it all mingle over low heat. If the sauce clings too hard, loosen it with a little more pasta water.
Taste and Finish: Salt. Pepper. Maybe a whisper of sugar. Only if it needs it. Then the parsley, the Parmesan—don’t hold back—and a little drizzle of that nice olive oil. Serve it up hot. Eat immediately. No waiting.

Why I Love This Recipe

I didn’t expect to love this as much as I did. I thought, “bacon and tomatoes? Sure.” But then the heat hit the garlic, and the smell filled the kitchen, and suddenly it felt like home. My partner took one bite and said, “This is… wow.” We both ate too much. No regrets.

Recipe Tips

Let the bacon get properly crisp before you do anything else. That’s the flavor.
Don’t forget to snag some pasta water before draining.
Seriously—it saves the dish. Simmer longer if you’ve got time. Let the sauce get deep and dark.
Season as you go. At the end too, but definitely not just the end.
Use the freshest parsley you can. And the best olive oil you own. They matter.

How To Store This Jamie Oliver Bacon Tomato Pasta

At Room Temperature: Don’t let it sit out more than a couple hours. You know that already.
In the Fridge: Tuck it into something airtight. Three days, give or take. It reheats beautifully.
In the Freezer: Sure. It’ll freeze fine. Just let it cool first, then stash it. Up to 3 months.

Reheating:

Oven: 350°F, foil on, 10–15 minutes.
Microwave: Cover it. Stir halfway.
Stovetop: A bit of water or extra sauce helps bring it back.

Let’s Answer a Few Questions! (FAQs)

Can I use a different pasta shape?
Absolutely. Use what you’ve got. Fettuccine, linguine, tagliatelle—it’s all good.

What bacon works best?
Thick-cut, smoked if possible. You want it bold. Don’t go too lean.

No crushed tomatoes?
Diced will do. Just mash ’em a bit as they cook. Tomato purée works too, if you’re into smooth.

Can I prep this in advance?
Yup. Make the sauce ahead, stash it in the fridge. Heat it up when you boil the pasta.

How to stop pasta from clumping?
Big pot, boiling water, and stir it early. That’s the trick.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Calories: 118
Carbs: 18g
Protein: 6g
Fat: 2.9g
Sugar: 2g
Fibre: 1g
Sodium: 160mg

Try More Recipes:

Jamie Oliver Bacon Tomato Pasta

Course: DinnerCuisine: British

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Calories

118

kcal

A salty, saucy tangle of pasta with bacon and tomatoes. Simple stuff. Big flavor. Just what you need sometimes.

Ingredients

160 g (5.6 oz) spaghetti or whatever pasta you like
1 tsp olive oil (or butter)
150–180 g bacon
diced 1 garlic clove
minced 1/2 onion,
finely chopped 400 g (14 oz) canned crushed tomatoes
Salt and pepper
Pinch of sugar if needed
Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
Handful of chopped parsley Parmesan cheese

Directions

Boil pasta. Save some cooking water.
In a skillet, heat oil. Crisp bacon.
Add garlic and onion.
Cook until soft. Splash in pasta water. Simmer 5 minutes.
Add crushed tomatoes.
Simmer again. Toss pasta into sauce.
Stir to coat. Loosen with more water if needed.
Season to taste. Sugar if too sharp.
Finish with parsley, Parmesan, olive oil. Eat hot. It’s best that way.

Notes

Let the bacon get properly crisp before you do anything else. That’s the flavor.
Don’t forget to snag some pasta water before draining.
Seriously—it saves the dish. Simmer longer if you’ve got time. Let the sauce get deep and dark.
Season as you go. At the end too, but definitely not just the end.
Use the freshest parsley you can. And the best olive oil you own. They matter.