The Pioneer Woman Tasty Kitchen
Profile Photo

Bacon, Gorgonzola, Avocado and Basil Pasta

5.00 Mitt(s) 2 Rating(s)2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 52 votes, average: 5.00 out of 52 votes, average: 5.00 out of 52 votes, average: 5.00 out of 52 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5

Prep:

Cook:

Level: Easy

System:

6
x

Print Options

Page size Letter 3x5 4x6
Text Size Small Medium Large
Content Include description
Include prep time, etc.
Show image

Description

Perfectly ripe avocado, crispy bacon, onions cooked in a hint of bacon fat, Gorgonzola cheese, garlic and freshly snipped basil stirred into freshly cooked, hot al dente pasta with a splash of red wine vinegar; the avocado melts around the pasta forming a delicate creamy sauce. Oh yes. It’s true. It forms its own sauce. Contented sigh.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Uncooked Small Shaped Pasta (Fusilli, Farfalle, Penne, Rotini, Etc.)
  • 1 pound Bacon, Sliced Into 1/2" Strips
  • 2 whole Small Cooking Onions, Peeled, Cut In Half And Sliced Into Very Thin Half Moons
  • 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
  • 1 whole Very Ripe Avocado, Peel And Pit Removed And Discarded
  • 2 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
  • 2 cloves Garlic, Peeled And Minced (or 1 Teaspoon Garlic Paste)
  • ½ cups Crumbled Gorgonzola Cheese
  • ½ cups Lightly Packed Fresh Basil Leaves, Snipped Or Very Thinly Sliced
  • ½ teaspoons Kosher Salt, Or To Taste
  • ½ teaspoons Freshly Ground Black Pepper, Or To Taste

Preparation

Bring a gallon of water to a full rolling boil in a large stockpot. Salt the water and pour in the pasta. Cook to al dente according to package directions.

Add the bacon strips to a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Stir the bacon and cook until crispy. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Pour all but about 2 teaspoons of the bacon fat into a jar*.

*You know what I’m going to say right? Go on, say it with me, “SAVE THAT BACON FAT!” Pop a lid on that jar of bacon fat and stash it in the refrigerator. You never know when it might come in handy.

Return the pan to the burner over medium heat and add the onions along with a pinch of salt. Stirring frequently, cook until the onions are crisp tender (about 5 minutes) and golden in color. Transfer the onions to a large mixing bowl.

Pour the lemon juice over the two halves of avocado. Coarsely chop the avocado and add to the bowl with the onions. Stir to combine. Add the red wine vinegar, garlic, and all but 2 tablespoons each of the crispy bacon, snipped basil and the Gorgonzola cheese and stir well again.

Drain the pasta and add to the avocado mixture. Stir in gently but thoroughly to distribute the sauce. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt and black pepper. Top the pasta with the reserved basil, bacon and Gorgonzola cheese and serve warm or room temperature.

One more thing. Avocados, once they are cut, don’t age gracefully. The day it’s made, it’s both pretty and delicious. So for the best looks, eat this the day it’s made. As leftovers, it will still taste fabulous; it just won’t look great.

3 Comments

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Profile photo of feelingsauceyincali

feelingsauceyincali on 7.21.2010

Sounds awesome, I will be making this soon! Thanks

Profile photo of AlaskanAlison

AlaskanAlison on 7.15.2010

Oh, yum. This sounds awesome!

Profile photo of tlsintexas

tlsintexas on 7.1.2010

I will be trying this very soon….thanks for sharing!

2 Reviews

You must be logged in to post a review.

Profile photo of AlaskanAlison

AlaskanAlison on 1.15.2011

I reviewed this before and gave it 4 stars, but I’ve made this recipe many many times since then so I deleted my previous review and am now giving it 5 stars.

We make this recipe at least twice a month. It’s so so good. I’ve made a few alterations, for instance I find that the lemon juice provides enough acid and I leave out the vinegar. I also use two avocados and add a bit of the pasta water to make it a bit more “saucy.” We also prefer it with spaghetti noodles.

We absolutely love this recipe and I think it will be a family favorite for a very long time.

Profile photo of alllove

alllove on 11.30.2010

I really enjoyed this very yummy pasta! It does make its own sauce! I substituted mozzarella for feta and it was super yummy. My hubby wanted more meat in it, so I’ll add chicken next time.

Related Recipes

Garlic Shrimp Scampi with Angel Hair Pasta
Profile Photo by Blondelish.com in Main Courses
This shrimp scampi with angel hair pasta is a delicious dinner...
5.00 Mitt(s) 1 Rating(s)1 vote, average: 5.00 out of 51 vote, average: 5.00 out of 51 vote, average: 5.00 out of 51 vote, average: 5.00 out of 51 vote, average: 5.00 out of 5

Prep: Cook:

Serves: 4 Level: Easy


Mango Tilapia
Profile Photo by Shavanna in Main Courses
This is an easy, tasty and healthy recipe for a pan-seared...
0.00 Mitt(s) 0 Rating(s)0 votes, average: 0.00 out of 50 votes, average: 0.00 out of 50 votes, average: 0.00 out of 50 votes, average: 0.00 out of 50 votes, average: 0.00 out of 5

Prep: Cook:

Serves: 4 Level: Easy


Sage Garlic Lamb with Feta Yogurt Sauce
Profile Photo by Molly Mulligan in Main Courses
Using few ingredients, this recipe for ground lamb is so tasty!...
0.00 Mitt(s) 0 Rating(s)0 votes, average: 0.00 out of 50 votes, average: 0.00 out of 50 votes, average: 0.00 out of 50 votes, average: 0.00 out of 50 votes, average: 0.00 out of 5

Prep: Cook:

Serves: 4 Level: Easy


Cabbage Rolls
Profile Photo by Beth Pierce in Main Courses
These delicious traditional stuffed Cabbage Rolls are made with ground sausage...
0.00 Mitt(s) 0 Rating(s)0 votes, average: 0.00 out of 50 votes, average: 0.00 out of 50 votes, average: 0.00 out of 50 votes, average: 0.00 out of 50 votes, average: 0.00 out of 5

Prep: Cook:

Serves: 12 Level: Easy


Dorito Casserole
Profile Photo by Krystle in Main Courses
Flavorful ground beef, and melty cheese in a crunchy doritos crust....
5.00 Mitt(s) 2 Rating(s)2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 52 votes, average: 5.00 out of 52 votes, average: 5.00 out of 52 votes, average: 5.00 out of 52 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5

Prep: Cook:

Serves: 8 Level: Easy