This creamy spaghetti with zucchini and bacon is an easy, comforting pasta dinner that’s packed with flavor. Tender zucchini, crispy savory bacon, and perfectly cooked spaghetti are tossed in a rich Parmesan cream sauce that coats every strand of pasta.<\/p>\n
It’s creamy without being complicated, making it perfect for a quick weeknight dinner when you want something delicious and satisfying.<\/p>\n
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.<\/p>\n
Add the spaghetti and cook according to the package directions until al dente<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Before draining, reserve about \u00bd cup of the pasta water<\/strong>. This starchy water is important for creating a smooth, silky sauce.<\/p>\n Drain the spaghetti and set it aside.<\/p>\n Wash the zucchini and cut it into thin half-moons or small cubes.<\/p>\n Try to keep the pieces relatively similar in size so they cook evenly.<\/p>\n Set the zucchini aside while you prepare the bacon.<\/p>\n Heat a large skillet over medium heat.<\/p>\n Add the diced bacon and cook for approximately 5\u20137 minutes<\/strong>, stirring occasionally, until it becomes golden brown and crispy.<\/p>\n Transfer some of the crispy bacon to a plate lined with paper towels, leaving the bacon drippings in the skillet.<\/p>\n The bacon drippings add an incredible savory flavor to the zucchini and sauce.<\/p>\n Add the sliced zucchini to the same skillet.<\/p>\n If the pan seems dry, add about 1 tablespoon of olive oil<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Cook the zucchini for approximately 4\u20136 minutes<\/strong>, stirring occasionally, until tender but not mushy.<\/p>\n Add the minced garlic, black pepper, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes if using.<\/p>\n Cook for another 30\u201360 seconds<\/strong>, just until the garlic becomes fragrant.<\/p>\n Reduce the heat to low.<\/p>\n Add the butter and allow it to melt.<\/p>\n Pour in the heavy cream and gently stir.<\/p>\n Let the cream warm for about 2\u20133 minutes<\/strong>, but avoid bringing it to a rapid boil.<\/p>\n Gradually add the freshly grated Parmesan cheese while stirring continuously.<\/p>\n Continue stirring until the Parmesan melts and the sauce becomes smooth and creamy.<\/p>\n Slowly add the reserved pasta water, a little at a time.<\/p>\n You may not need all of it.<\/p>\n The starchy pasta water helps loosen the sauce while also helping it cling beautifully to the spaghetti.<\/p>\n If the sauce becomes too thick, add another splash of pasta water.<\/p>\n Add the cooked spaghetti directly to the skillet.<\/p>\n Toss everything together until every strand of pasta is coated in the creamy Parmesan sauce.<\/p>\n Add most of the cooked bacon and gently mix it through the pasta.<\/p>\n Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional black pepper or salt if necessary.<\/p>\n Remember that bacon and Parmesan are already salty, so add salt carefully.<\/p>\n Transfer the creamy spaghetti to serving plates or a large serving bowl.<\/p>\n Top with the remaining crispy bacon, freshly grated Parmesan, freshly ground black pepper, and chopped parsley.<\/p>\n Serve immediately while the sauce is warm, creamy, and silky.<\/p>\n Use freshly grated Parmesan:<\/strong> Freshly grated Parmesan melts much more smoothly than pre-shredded cheese and gives the sauce a better texture.<\/p>\n Don’t boil the cream:<\/strong> Keep the heat low when making the sauce. A gentle heat helps prevent the cream and cheese from becoming grainy.<\/p>\n Save the pasta water:<\/strong> Don’t skip this step. The starchy water is one of the secrets to getting a smooth pasta sauce that coats the spaghetti beautifully.<\/p>\n Don’t overcook the zucchini:<\/strong> The zucchini should be tender but still have a little texture.<\/p>\n Cook the pasta al dente:<\/strong> Since the spaghetti will be tossed with the warm sauce, cooking it al dente gives the best final texture.<\/p>\n Taste before adding salt:<\/strong> Bacon and Parmesan can provide plenty of saltiness, so taste the sauce first.<\/p>\n Add extra red pepper flakes or a pinch of cayenne pepper for a spicy kick.<\/p>\n For a more filling meal, add sliced grilled or pan-seared chicken breast.<\/p>\n Saut\u00e9 sliced mushrooms together with the zucchini for an extra savory flavor.<\/p>\n You can add spinach, cherry tomatoes, peas, or roasted bell peppers.<\/p>\n For an even richer sauce, add a little shredded mozzarella along with the Parmesan.<\/p>\n Serve this creamy spaghetti with:<\/p>\n A little extra Parmesan and freshly cracked black pepper on top makes the dish even more delicious.<\/p>\n Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days<\/strong>.<\/p>\n When reheating, add a small splash of milk, cream, or water to loosen the sauce.<\/p>\n Warm gently in a skillet over low heat, stirring frequently until heated through.<\/p>\n Avoid overheating the pasta, as this can cause the Parmesan cream sauce to become too thick.<\/p>\n Prep Time:<\/strong> 15 minutes This creamy zucchini and bacon spaghetti is the perfect combination of crispy bacon, tender zucchini, garlicky Parmesan cream sauce, and perfectly cooked pasta<\/strong>. It’s rich, comforting, and easy enough for a weeknight meal\u2014but delicious enough to serve to guests!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u00a0Creamy Spaghetti with Zucchini and Bacon Parmesan Cream Sauce This creamy spaghetti with zucchini and bacon is an easy, comforting…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":7438,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7437","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-recipe"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/recipes.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7437","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/recipes.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/recipes.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/recipes.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/recipes.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7437"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/recipes.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7437\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7439,"href":"https:\/\/recipes.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7437\/revisions\/7439"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/recipes.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7438"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/recipes.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7437"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/recipes.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7437"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/recipes.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7437"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}2. Prepare the Zucchini<\/h3>\n
3. Cook the Bacon<\/h3>\n
4. Saut\u00e9 the Zucchini<\/h3>\n
5. Make the Parmesan Cream Sauce<\/h3>\n
6. Add the Pasta Water<\/h3>\n
7. Combine Everything<\/h3>\n
8. Serve<\/h3>\n
\u00a0Tips for the Best Creamy Spaghetti<\/h2>\n
Easy Variations<\/h2>\n
Make It Spicy<\/h3>\n
Add Chicken<\/h3>\n
Add Mushrooms<\/h3>\n
Add More Vegetables<\/h3>\n
Extra Cheesy<\/h3>\n
\u00a0Serving Suggestions<\/h2>\n
\n
\u00a0Storage and Reheating<\/h2>\n
\u00a0Recipe Details<\/h2>\n
\nCook Time:<\/strong> 25 minutes
\nTotal Time:<\/strong> About 40 minutes
\nServings:<\/strong> 4
\nCuisine:<\/strong> Italian-inspired
\nDifficulty:<\/strong> Easy<\/p>\n