Asiago Pasta with Pancetta
Bow tie pasta tossed in a simple creamy Asiago cheese sauce with pancetta is a quick 30-minute restaurant-inspired pasta dish.
Asiago Pasta Recipe
One thing I love is creating dishes inspired by the ones I’ve had at a restaurant. Well, in this case, I wasn’t the one who ordered the creamy Asiago pasta (I opted for the equally delicious bolognese), but I was lucky enough to get a couple of tastes. Just a few bites were enough to commit the flavors to memory and recreate the dish back at home.
It’s a simple pasta that packs a lot of flavor. It’s savory, creamy, rich, and ready in about 30 minutes. It’s sort of fancy-ish but so easy it’s weeknight dinner-worthy, too. It’s what I like to call a win-win.
How to Make It
This pasta is easy. In the time it takes to boil the pasta, you can make the creamy, cheesy sauce in a separate pan. I love the combination of pancetta, Asiago, and red onion, but you can easily switch this one up, so be sure to check the variation ideas after the recipe card. You might want to give some of those ideas a try, too.
More Pasta Recipes
Creamy Pesto Pasta | Gruyere Spaghetti | Mushroom Pasta | Buttery Eggplant Pasta
PrintAsiago Pasta with Pancetta
This simple pasta combines pancetta with pasta and a creamy cheesy Asiago sauce. It’s easy to make in about 30 minutes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stove
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients
- 8 ounces farfalle (bow tie pasta)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 (4-ounce) package diced pancetta
- 1/2 cup diced red onion
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 ½ cups shredded asiago cheese
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Chopped parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Boil the pasta according to the package directions.
- Place the pancetta in a large pan. Heat it over medium-high heat for about five minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the red onion and cook it with the pancetta until the pancetta is lightly browned.
- Add the butter to the pan and stir until it’s melted. Add the cream and stir. Once the cream is steaming hot (after a minute or so), add the cheese and black pepper. Stir until the cheese is melted.
- Add the cooked pasta to the pan and stir to coat it in the sauce. Garnish with the parsley for serving.
Notes
Storage: This pasta is best when freshly made, but leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for a few days. The sauce won’t be as creamy once it’s been chilled, so add a few splashes of milk or cream when you reheat it. I think it works best to reheat the pasta on the stove. I don’t recommend freezing the leftovers.
Nutrition
- Calories: 587
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 1132.5mg
- Fat: 45.1g
- Saturated Fat: 25.1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9.5g
- Trans Fat: 0.3g
- Carbohydrates: 46g
- Fiber: 2.2g
- Protein: 23g
- Cholesterol: 113.6mg
This recipe was inspired by a dish I had at Trombino’s Bistro Italiano in Albuquerque, NM.
The nutrition is an estimate only. It was calculated using Nutrifox, an online nutrition calculator.
Variations
This recipe is a great jumping-off point for other flavor combos. It’s easy to make some swaps, so here are some ideas you might like to try.
- Pasta: I think short pasta shapes for this recipe but long pasta shapes like spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine will work, too.
- Meat: Swap the pancetta for thick-cut bacon. Or try using diced ham or cooked chicken.
- Onion: Red onion adds great flavor and a pop of color, but you can use the same amount of white onion or yellow onion.
- Cheese: Asiago melts well and has a distinct nutty flavor and creamy texture. That said, grated Parmesan cheese, Romano cheese, or other hard Italian cheese will work great, too.
Side Dish Ideas
This is a rich and creamy pasta, so a lightly dressed green salad or cooked veggies like sauteed green beans or garlic butter broccoli goes great with it.
If you want to treat yourself, some garlic toast will amp up the comfort factor by several points. I highly recommend it.
If you’re craving creamy pasta, this Asiago pasta with pancetta is a great one to try. It’s so simple but so delicious. Enjoy!
Happy cooking,
