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    Home » Recipes » Pasta » Spinach Pesto Pasta With Bacon

    Spinach Pesto Pasta With Bacon

    Published: Mar 10, 2021 · Modified: May 15, 2022 by Jenna Passaro · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    collage of spinach pesto pasta with text overlay

    Delicious and packed with nutrients, this spinach pesto pasta with bacon is the perfect dish for a family dinner. With all the vegetables, it’s basically a salad and pasta dish in one. Learn how to make this vegetable pasta recipe.

    top shot of large pan with spinach pesto pasta with bacon peppers and basil
    Are you trying to find ways to sneak in a daily serving of veggies? This spinach pesto pasta is a more-healthy recipe your family will love!

    Did you know that the US is the second nation that consumes the most pasta — right under Italy, of course! Pasta is easy to make, feeds a whole family, and there are many fun pasta varieties to spice things up (literally).

    Pesto pasta is one of our personal favorites, especially this tasty spinach pesto pasta with bacon (or other protein). Even my toddler devours this. Here’s how to make it!

    serving spinach pasta dish on a table with a napkin

    Ingredients to make spinach pesto pasta with bacon

    For the spinach basil pesto, you need:

    • Walnuts
    • Basil
    • Spinach
    • Lemon zest and juice
    • Seasonings: salt, pepper, garlic, red pepper flakes

    To complete the pasta dish, you need:

    • Bacon
    • Spaghetti
    • Pepper (learn how to slice peppers)
    • And for plating: basil, pepper, parmesan cheese
    dinner plate with spinach pesto pasta topped with parmesan cheese

    How to make this vegetable packed pasta dish

    Here’s an overview of the recipe. See the video and detailed instructions at the bottom of this post.

    Step 1. Cook the bacon in the oven at 400 degrees F for ~10-15 minutes, flipping once around the 10 minute mark, until bacon is cooked to desired crispness. Dice bacon in large chunks and set aside.

    Step 2. Boil pasta. Bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil on high heat. Cook pasta to al dente. Drain and set aside.

    Step 3. Saute peppers with olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat for ~10 minutes, until pepper is soft and the edges start to brown.

    Step 4. Toast walnuts on the stove over medium-low heat for 3-5 minutes until they are lightly browned and fragrant.

    ingredients for spinach pesto in a food processor

    Step 5. Make the spinach pesto. Add fresh basil, spinach, toasted walnuts, 3 tablespoons olive oil, lemon zest and juice, salt, pepper, garlic, red pepper flakes, and ¼ cup water to a food processor. Puree until smooth.

    spinach pesto in a bowl next to parmesan cheese

    Step 6. Assemble pasta dish. In the large skillet, mix together bacon, pasta, peppers, and spinach pesto. Turn the heat to medium if needed to reheat the mix together, for just a couple of minutes. Serve with basil, a crack of fresh ground pepper, and parmesan cheese.

    Want another veggie packed recipe? Ready in under an hour, this delicious and keto-friendly baked feta with peppers, onions, and spaghetti squash is a dish worth trying.

    serving pan filled with spinach pesto pasta with bacon

    The benefits of spinach pesto pasta

    First, everyone loves this recipe! Even our picky toddler loves it (and he’s a tough critic). It’s not only delicious but healthy and guilt-free (especially if you use whole grain or veggie pasta).

    If you don’t eat enough veggies or if your child refuses to eat greens, then don’t feel bad. But there are ways to sneak them into your meals, especially if you’re eating pasta. If you have no luck serving a spinach salad on the side, mix the spinach into your recipe — which is what we did here! My toddler can’t get enough homemade pasta covered in spinach sauce. It’s a miracle.

    While you can add veggies to any pasta dish, the spinach blends in well with the pesto. You just blend it with the other ingredients and your picky toddler or spinach-hating spouse, family member, or friend won’t even be able to taste it.

    Check out this chicken piccata pasta for more weeknight meal inspiration!

    drink with dinner plate with a serving of pesto pasta with bacon

    Why this recipe is a great way to add veggies to your diet

    This recipe is perfect for that reason. All of the other flavors in pesto dominate the taste of spinach, disguising the fact that it’s even there. This recipe can also be used for other leafy greens, such as kale.

    side shot of freshly blended pesto in a food processor

    More easy recipes that use pesto…

    • Pesto pasta
    • Grilled romaine salad
    • Tomato pesto pasta salad
    • Spinach pesto pasta
    • Spinach pesto lasagna
    • Pesto pizza

    Common Questions When Making Pesto

    This recipe calls for homemade pesto. Yes — homemade. Don’t worry, this recipe for spinach basil pesto is easier to make than you think. But it’s normal to have a few questions.

    How do you select the best spinach? Look for spinach that’s dark green in color and has a fresh aroma and crisp texture. Make sure you avoid spinach with spots, wilted leaves, a sour odor, and if the leaves are slimy.

    How do you make pesto? Just put all of the ingredients in the blender or food processor and BOOM! Pesto is made.

    Do you cook pesto? Pesto has the best flavor when it’s fresh. So that’s why I don’t recommend actually cooking it. Even heating it a little bit in the microwave can reduce the flavor. Instead, add pesto to hot food so it melts. You can also add some melted butter if needed to help spread around the pesto.

    Why does my pesto taste bitter? Olive oil becomes emulsified in the blender, so a slight bitter taste is normal. If you don’t like the taste, add a pinch of salt or sugar to the mix.

    side view of spinach and pesto pasta with vegetables on a table

    Discover more recipes

    Do you love this spinach and pesto pasta? Head over to the recipes section for more dinner inspiration! You can find me on Instagram @sipbitego to see my latest recipe guides on the Sip Bite Go channel.

    The perfect condiment makes the meal

    Anyone who knows me, knows I’m a true believer in pairing the perfect condiment with a meal to make it feel “complete”. For real — I’ll order a dish at a restaurant just because I’m excited to try the sauce or dressing.

    Here are some of my favorite kitchen supplies for making sauces on the fly:

    • Shun chef’s knife
    • Nice olive oil
    • Mandoline
    • A finishing salt, like Jacobsen’s black garlic sea salt
    • Bamboo cutting boards
    • Pyrex glass mixing bowls with lids
    • Aerogarden for having fresh herbs on hand
    • Mini mason jars for storing dressings in the fridge

    Inspire the inner home chef in you. Grab a copy of my free Sous Vide Beginners ebook and free cooking with herbs ebook.

    closeup of fresh basil on side view of spinach pesto pasta with veggies
    top shot of large pan with spinach pesto pasta with bacon peppers and basil

    Spinach Pesto Pasta With Bacon Recipe | Sip Bite Go

    Delicious and packed with nutrients, this spinach pesto pasta with bacon is the perfect dish for a family dinner. With all the vegetables, it’s basically a salad and pasta dish in one. Learn how to make this vegetable pasta recipe.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dinner, Entree, Main Course
    Cuisine: Italian
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes
    Finish Time: 5 minutes
    Total Time: 55 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 897kcal
    Author: Jenna Passaro

    Ingredients

    For the pasta

    • 6 slices bacon
    • 1 lb spaghetti
    • 3.5 tbsp olive oil divded
    • ½ orange pepper medium, sliced
    • 1 spring basil fresh
    • fresh cracked pepper
    • ¼ cup parmesan cheese

    For the spinach basil pesto

    • ½ cup walnuts
    • 1 cup basil fresh
    • 3 tbsp olive oil
    • 1 lemon zest and juice
    • ½ tsp salt
    • ½ tsp pepper
    • 1 tbsp garlic minced
    • ¼ tsp red pepper flakes

    Instructions

    • Cook the bacon. Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Add strips of bacon to a parchment lined, rimmed sheet tray, and cook for ~10-15 minutes, flipping once around the 10 minute mark, until bacon is cooked to desired crispness. Remove bacon and transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Dice bacon in large chunks and set aside. While bacon cooks, make the other pasta add-ins.
    • Boil pasta. Bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil on high heat. Cook pasta to al dente. Drain and set aside.
    • Saute peppers. Add ½ tbsp of olive oil and orange pepper to a large skillet over medium heat. Stir regularly, caramelizing red pepper for ~10 minutes, until pepper is soft and edges start to brown. Turn off heat, and leave sauteed peppers in the pan for assembling the pasta dish later.
    • Toast walnuts. Add walnuts to a small skillet on the stove over medium-low heat. No need to add oil or butter, just heat the walnuts as-is, stirring regularly for 3-5 minutes until they are lightly browned and fragrant.
    • Make the spinach pesto. Add fresh basil, spinach, toasted walnuts, 3 tablespoons olive oil, lemon zest and juice, salt, pepper, garlic, red pepper flakes, and ¼ cup water to a food processor. Puree until smooth.
    • Assemble pasta dish. In the large skillet, mix together bacon, pasta, peppers, and spinach pesto. Turn the heat to medium if needed to reheat the mix together, for just a couple of minutes. Serve with basil, a crack of fresh ground pepper, and parmesan cheese.

    Video

    Notes

    Watch the Spinach Pesto Pasta with Bacon recipe step-by-step on Sip Bite Go Youtube!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 897kcal | Carbohydrates: 92g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 49g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 621mg | Potassium: 489mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 896IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 138mg | Iron: 3mg
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    jenna passaro food blogger from Portland Oregon

    Hey, I’m Jenna Passaro.

    I develop easy recipes that can transform your kitchen into a restaurant – and you into a true home chef.

      

    Where to start?

    Learn the secrets to making pizza at home. And cook amazing tri tip steak dinners.

    Or, fall in love with something new to cook with your air fryer, pellet smoker, BBQ grill, sous vide cooker, and more…

    You’ll notice, I kind of geek out over new cooking trends and tools!

    Instagram me @sipbitego & chef hubs @handmodelpatrick

    My story. Growing up, I didn’t learn to cook.

    (I was actually banned from cooking for years)

    And then in my 20’s I didn’t have to cook because my job as an event planner involved a lot of travel and it was easier to eat out. At the time, I was 100% positive that restaurant food would always taste better than cooking at home, and there was nothing I could do about it.

    Until I fell in love with a chef. He would come over and cook me delicious meals right in my own kitchen. My mind was blown.

    Since then, I’ve been on a mission to figure out easy ways to make restaurant style food at home and share it here on Sip Bite Go.

    Love to eat out and travel? I can totally relate. See my guide on where to eat in Portland, OR.

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    Never in a million years did I imagine I’d ditch the 9-5 lifestyle in my late 20’s, move across the country on a whim, start a new life, start a food blog, and write a book.

    But here I am!

    See my book on Amazon: The Home Chef’s Sous Vide Cookbook.

     

       

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