Pasta with Pancetta in a Smoky Tomato Sauce

At a glance

What stands out: Pasta with pancetta is straightforward and sophisticated, a reliable meal for entertaining or for everyday dining. It can stand alone or be served as a side. You’ll love the smoky tomato sauce!

How long it takes: 40 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: skillet, pasta pot
Servings: 8

Sometimes a certain night just calls for pasta, right? Either you’re craving a bowl of comfort food, or you’re trying to impress someone, or you just want something everyone will love.

This smoky tomato pasta fits into all those categories. It’s so flavorful with a delightful tomato sauce but it’s still a classic bowl of pasta.

Pair it with a green salad, topped with from-scratch ranch, a glass of red wine, and a loaf of crusty bread and you’ve got yourself a beautiful dinner.

PS: Looking for a one pot pasta recipe? Try pasta Amatriciana (with a similar smoky pancetta and tomato sauce), creamy chicken spaghetti, pizza pasta, or Mediterranean chicken with couscous.

About This Pasta Recipe

Speedy and straightforward. The recipe doesn’t have many ingredients and you can cook it all up in about the time it takes to boil a pot of pasta.

Allows the pasta to shine. Choose a good quality pasta because it makes a difference in this simple dish. It’s a nice opportunity to try a more unique pasta; think beyond plain spaghetti.

Simple but versatile. Sometimes the most simple things are a standby, aren’t they? This pasta is straightforward but so rich and there are a lot of fun things you can do with it.

How it comes together

Prep the veggies. Wash and cut the onions, carrots, and bell pepper finely. We’re not talking about bite-sized or one inch chunks; you’ll want about a quarter inch dice.

Brown the pancetta. Crisp up a package of diced pancetta in a skillet. That will take about ten minutes. Transfer it to a plate lined with paper towels but reserve most of the rendered fat.

Cook the pasta. Now put a big pot of water on the stove over high heat. When it comes to a boil, stir in your pasta and set the timer.

Make the tomato sauce. While the pasta is cooking, you’ll create a simple sauce with canned tomatoes, and the diced vegetables you prepped. The sauce is seasoned with smoked paprika which gives it a warm cozy feel and so much flavor. Take five to seven minutes to sauté the veggies and another 10 minutes to simmer the sauce once you add the tomatoes.

Combine. When the pasta is done cooking, drain it but reserve a cup or so of pasta water. You’ll stir some of that starchy water into your sauce as needed to create just the right consistency.. Fold the cooked pasta into the sauce, adding pasta water as needed. Finish up with the crisp pancetta and fresh green parsley.

Dinner is ready! This pasta dish can be served on its own or as a side dish.

What to serve with this pasta

• Crusty bread (try this no-knead Dutch oven bread) with Italian dipping oil
• Chive bread
• Green salad with from-scratch lighter ranch dressing or from-scratch Italian dressing. Make the salad with crisp green romaine lettuce, thinly sliced red onion, kalamata olives, and from-scratch croutons. A classic salad like this arugula salad is a good choice too. It has an memorable lemon basil vinaigrette.
• Don’t forget dessert! Try a no-bake chocolate tart.

Ways to change it

There are a few ways to tweak this recipe to make it your own.

• Add cheese. Sprinkle with Parmesan or mozzarella cheese before serving.
• Add more vegetables. We like the combo of red bell peppers, carrots, and onion, but this sauce is also great with mushrooms, spinach, or kale.
• Increase or decrease the smokiness. You can add as much or as little smoked paprika as you’d like. Just remember you can always add more but you can’t take it out!
• Add spiciness. Increase the spice level with a pinch of red pepper flakes. Minced garlic is great, too.
• Have fresh tomatoes? If you have garden-fresh tomatoes you’d like to use, try our fresh tomato pasta. It’s a reliable summer time recipe because the sauce isn’t cooked.

Keeping leftovers

Refrigerate: Store leftover pasta, covered, in the refrigerator for up to four days.

Freeze: This pasta freezes well, too. Store it in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag. It will keep for 3 months.

Reheat: For individual portions, microwave until warmed through. Larger portions can be reheated in a skillet. Add a bit of water if the pasta seems dry. Pasta continues to absorb liquid like a sponge.

Free Meal Plan

Interested in a weekly meal plan that includes this recipe? Take a look at Meal Plan #76. You’ll find a wholesome recipe for each weekday plus a categorized grocery list. We add a new meal plan weekly.

Browse Meal Plans

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This post was originally a guest post for our dear friend Brandy of Nutmeg Nanny. Click here to see it!

Note: This post, recipe & photos were updated October, 2019.

• Yield: 8 servings
• Prep: 10 minutes
• Cook: 30 minutes
• Total: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 8 ounces pancetta, cut into small cubes
• 1 small yellow onion, diced small (about 1 cup)
• 1 carrot, peeled and diced small (about ½ cup)
• 1 red bell pepper, diced small (about 1 cup)
• 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, more to taste
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 pound pasta (we like to use cellentani)
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, extra for garnishing

Method

1. Put a large pot of water over high heat to boil for the pasta.
2. In a large deep skillet, cook pancetta over medium high for 10 minutes or until crispy. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Drain some of the fat from the pan, leaving about 1 tablespoon.
3. Add onion, carrot, and red bell pepper to skillet, and cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes and smoked paprika, and bring to a boil. Simmer rapidly for about 10 minutes or until sauce has thickened.
4. Meanwhile, generously salt your pasta water and cook pasta according to the package. Reserve ¾ to 1 cup of the pasta water when the pasta has finished cooking and before you drain it.
5. Drain pasta (don’t forget to reserve some of the water). Add the pasta to the sauce in the skillet, stirring to combine. If necessary, add reserved pasta water, a tablespoon at a time, to bring the sauce to desired consistency.
6. Add pancetta and chopped parsley and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve garnished with additional fresh parsley.

Notes

Add cheese: If desired, top pasta with grated or shredded Parmesan cheese or shredded mozzarella cheese.

Recipe variations: Instead of, or in addition to, carrots or peppers, try finely chopped mushrooms. To add more spice, add finely minced garlic, to taste, and/or a pinch of red pepper flakes to the pan a minute before you add the tomatoes and cook until fragrant.

Storage: Store leftover pasta in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.