Bacon Shells & Cheese is the perfect dinner when you’re looking for comfort food but short on time.
This easy pasta dish is full of summer vegetables, crispy bacon, pasta, and a creamy cheese sauce.
What beer pairs well with Bacon Shells & Cheese?
The beer: Fat Tire from New Belgium Brewing.
This is an amber ale is a great beer for the warmer weather. It has slightly fruity notes, so it pairs well with the salty bacon.
Pasta is Perfect for Entertaining
Do you have special dishes you pull out when people are coming over?
This dish is perfect to make when you are planning on having company over. Pair with a salad and garlic bread. It also goes great with these simple stuffed mushrooms.
When I say that this pasta comes together quickly, I’m not exaggerating.
How to make Bacon Shells & Cheese:
Start your pasta to boil and your diced bacon to cook according to package directions, they take approximately the same amount of time.
Once your pasta has cooked drain and set aside.
While they are both cooking chop your vegetables.
Once the bacon has cooked remove from the pan and reserve 1 tsp. of the bacon grease. Not too much but enough to keep the flavor.
In the same pan, melt 1 Tbs. butter in the bottom, then add onions and zucchini. Soften for around 3 minutes. Over the top of the vegetables sprinkle the flour and stir.
Add tomatoes. Sautee quickly. Pour in milk.
Bring to a simmer and add Parmesan cheese, shredded Italian cheese blend, garlic powder, and pepper. Let thicken, which should take about 2-3 minutes.
Put your pasta and bacon back into the pan.
Transfer to a beautiful serving bowl, garnish with more cheese & basil.
And here you are…..
From our home in the Bottom Left of the Mitten to yours ~ Enjoy!
Bacon Shells & Cheese
Ingredients
- 8 ounces small shell pasta cooked to package directions
- 1 Tbs butter
- 12 ounces bacon cooked to package directions, reserve 1 tsp oil after cooked
- 1/2 cup shredded italian cheese blend more for garnish if desired
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
- 1 cup milk
- 2 small zucchini diced
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 small roma tomato diced
- 2 Tbs flour
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Start your pasta to boil and your diced bacon to cook according to package directions, they take approximately the same amount of time.
- Dice vegetables.
- Once your pasta has cooked drain and set aside. When bacon is cooked remove from the pan and reserve 1 tsp. of the bacon grease in the pan.
- In the same pan, melt 1 Tbs. butter in the bottom, then add onions and zucchini. Soften for around 3 minutes. Over the top of the vegetables sprinkle the flour and stir.
- Add tomatoes. Sautee quickly. Pour in milk.
- Over the top of the vegetables sprinkle the flour and stir. Pour in milk. Bring to a simmer and Parmesan cheese, shredded Italian cheese blend, garlic powder and pepper. Let thicken, which should take about 2-3 minutes.
- Put your pasta and bacon back into the pan.
- Garnish with more cheese & basil.
Originally published in September of 2016. Updated post in May of 2021.
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With a small gathering this weekend, I now know what to make. And adding beer to my shopping list, too!
Sounds great Linda! Thank you.
So I’m excited to make this because my garden has a plethora of zucchini and tomatoes right now. However, seeing as there are several types of Italian cheeses, I wanted to inquire as to which one you meant? Some are much more viscous than others.
I use an Italian cheese blend that includes mozzarella, provolone, Romano, Asiago, and Parmesan cheese. I hope you enjoy it!