Brussels Sprouts and Bacon Pesto Pasta

4.45 from 238 votes

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Brussels Sprouts and Bacon Pesto Pasta is a simple, but hearty weeknight meal. Shredded brussels sprouts, crisp bacon and pasta are tossed together in pesto, parmesan cheese and fresh lemon juice. An effortless dinner that only takes 30 minutes to make!

Looking for another pesto pasta? Try this grilled chicken and asparagus pesto pasta!

Save this recipe!
Get this sent to your inbox, plus get new recipes from us every week!
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.
Brussels Sprouts and Bacon Pesto Pasta

Why I love it

Minimal ingredients – You only need 7 ingredients to make this pasta recipe. None of them are fussy and you may already have a few of them.

30-minute meal – If you’re like me and are always looking for dinner recipes that are quick and easy then you’ll love this pesto pasta! From start to finish it shouldn’t take you more than 30 minutes to get this one on the table.

Brussels Sprouts and Bacon Pesto Pasta

Ingredients you’ll need

  • Bacon – preferably a high-quality uncured brand. I like to buy center cut and low sodium when possible.
  • Brussels sprouts – be sure to trim the bottom if it looks dry.
  • Garlic and crushed red pepper flakes
  • Pesto – A good quality basil pesto is best for this recipe since it will be providing most of the flavor for the sauce. I love DeLallo’s jarred pesto.
  • Lemon – Please use fresh squeezed lemon juice and not the bottled stuff.
  • Pasta – Any small sized pasta will work. I went with shells, but farfalle, cavatappi, or orecchiette would all be good alternatives. You can also use gluten-free pasta if you need to make this recipe gluten-free.
  • Parmesan cheese – Splurge and buy the real stuff it’s worth it!

Pro tip

Whenever I make a recipe that doesn’t use a lot of ingredients I buy the best quality ingredients I can find. For example I splurge and buy a block of Parmigiano Reggiano and grate it myself versus buying one that’s pre-grated.

Nothing compares to the flavor of Parmigiano Reggiano. Not to mention when you buy the block you can save the rind and use it in soups like I did with this Ground Turkey and Vegetable Soup.   

Brussels Sprouts and Bacon Pesto Pasta

How can I make this pasta vegetarian?

If you’re looking to make this pasta vegetarian it’s very simple. All you need to do is omit the bacon and use a tablespoon of olive oil to cook the brussels sprouts and garlic in versus the bacon fat. If you want to add protein to the dish, I suggest adding in a can of rinsed and drained cannellini beans at the end. 

Brussels Sprouts and Bacon Pesto Pasta

How to make brussels sprouts and bacon pesto pasta

Cook the pasta – When cooking pasta, always be sure to salt the water well. Think ocean water when you’re deciding how much salt to add. Cook the pasta just until al dente as it will continue to cook when you add it in with the other ingredients.

Slice the brussels sprouts – For the fastest method, use the shredding attachment on a food processor or buy then pre-shredded at the grocery store. Otherwise just use a sharp knife and cut them as thinly as you can.

Cook the bacon – In a large skillet, add the slices of bacon. Be sure there’s enough room so they aren’t on top of each other. Once the bacon is cooked and crisp, remove it and let it drain on paper towels. Chop it up into small pieces once it’s cool.

Sauté the brussels sprouts – Remove all of the bacon grease from the pan except for one tablespoon. Add the brussels sprouts in and sauté them for 3-4 minutes. Add in the garlic, red pepper flakes and season with salt and pepper.

Add in the pasta – Stir in the cooked pasta, pesto and bacon. Squeeze in the lemon juice and stir in the parmesan cheese. Taste for seasoning then it’s ready to serve. On the table and ready to eat in 30 minutes!

Brussels Sprouts and Bacon Pesto Pasta

More Pasta Recipes

Did you make this Brussels Sprouts and Bacon Pesto Pasta? I’d love if you’d leave a recipe rating and review below.

4.45 from 238 votes

Brussels Sprouts and Bacon Pesto Pasta

By Danae Halliday
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Brussels Sprouts and Bacon Pesto Pasta is a simple, but hearty weeknight meal that only takes 30 minutes to make!
Save this recipe!
Get this sent to your inbox, plus get new recipes from us every week!
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Ingredients 

  • 4 slices of bacon cooked and chopped
  • 12 ounces brussels sprouts
  • 1 clove garlic grated or minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
  • 8 ounces uncooked pasta shells or similar shape/size gluten-free if needed
  • 3 tablespoons pesto
  • 1 lemon juiced
  • 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Instructions 

  • Cook the pasta according to package instructions and drain. While the pasta cooks thinly slice the brussels sprouts or use the shredding attachment on a food processor.
  • In a large skillet cook the bacon. Drain on paper towels and chop when cool enough to handle. Reserve one tablespoon of the bacon grease in the skillet and discard the rest.
  • Add in the shredded brussels sprouts and red pepper flakes, season with salt pepper. Sauté for 3-5 minutes or until tender. Stir in the garlic and sauté another 30 seconds.
  • Add the chopped bacon, pasta, pesto, lemon juice and parmesan cheese into the skillet. Stir everything together until combined. Taste for seasoning and serve topped with extra parmesan cheese.

Video

Notes

To save time you can buy a bag of pre-shredded brussels sprouts.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 382kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 17gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 360mgFiber: 4gSugar: 3g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Tried this? Leave a comment below!

You May Also Like...

Get new recipes sent to your inbox!
Subscribe to get new recipes first!
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.
4.45 from 238 votes (237 ratings without comment)

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




13 Comments

  1. Jessica says:

    5 stars
    So good! Was looking for a good dinner recipe to use some bacon we had and this was perfect!

    1. Danae says:

      Thanks for the review!

  2. Keely says:

    This was good!!! I am gluten and dairy free so I had to make some modifications (also used turkey bacon), but it turned out awesome. The lemon makes the brussel sprouts taste like artichoke. Such a delicious dinner. I will be adding it into my regular rotation of meals. Thank you for sharing the recipe!! :)

  3. Lauren C. says:

    I think I added too much pasta and it was a little dry so I added a splash of cream at the end. So good! Thank you!

  4. Holly says:

    What form of pesto? Like basil pesto?

    Looks delish!!

    Thank you!!

    1. Danae says:

      Yes, I recommend using basil pesto. Jarred or homemade work great.

  5. Erika says:

    Delicious! Made for Easter dinner with my family. We had a non-traditional meal with a smoked turkey and this was the PERFECT side! Made it just as the recipe said and it was DELICIOUS. oh, wait…I did cut the bacon into small pieces before cooking it, but that obviously didn’t change the flavor profile. I am not sure what pesto I used, but it was the best I could find in my little town. Served it warm and the parmesan cheese stretched nicely and looked beautiful!

  6. DAVID OCONNOR says:

    Wouldโ€™ve liked to see them Deglaze that pan with chicken stock more flavor

  7. Adele says:

    Can any portions of the recipe be made a little ahead. Iโ€™d like to serve it at a family dinner and Iโ€™d prefer not cooking it completely while my guests are here. Maybe the pasta and the Brussels sprouts could be prepared a little ahead and then tossed together just before serving?

  8. Keira says:

    Love all things Brussel Sprouts. Can’t wait to make this for the family.

    1. Danae says:

      I hope you and the family love the pasta!

  9. Sandy says:

    Is this a cold dish? Not sure if u drain pasta and run under cold water.

    1. Danae says:

      I like to serve it warm. No need to rinse it in cold water.