A gentle breeze blows as I am mowing the lawn. It's a pleasant and sunny day with a bright blue sky. Leaves are dotted around the yard. Each pass with the mower cleans up what has fallen although only for a few moments. More leaves float down and dance in the wind. Specks of yellow in the landscape are becoming more visible. Soon trees will show their brilliant autumn colors. Fall has arrived and I've been waiting to make this bacon spinach pasta to kick off the season.
Tree shaped pasta in fall colors. How lucky I was to find it many weeks ago. It's called "Abetini di Socchieve" and made by Zanier in Italy. There was one bag mixed in an assortment on a shelf in a store where I shop occasionally. The recipe works with other pasta like farfalle (bow ties) so you don't need this particular one.
My food cravings change with the seasons. One thing I make each fall is a spinach salad with warm bacon dressing. It was the inspiration for this pasta. I started with the base of the bacon dressing and changed up a few things. I added garlic, used currants instead of cranberries, and wilted the spinach in it before tossing with the pasta, pine nuts, and bacon crumbles. The finished dish is a combo of flavors and textures of sweet, salty, crunchy, soft, earthy, nutty, and satisfying.
What do you crave when autumn begins? Do you have a certain dish you make or search for new ones to try? If you are on a search then it is your lucky day because Sunday Supper bloggers are sharing oodles of recipes for fall foods. Scroll down to see the list below. Enjoy the season!
Bacon Spinach Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces pasta dry weight
- 4 slices bacon regular thickness
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 2 teaspoons honey
- ⅓ cup red wine vinegar
- Few grinds of fresh ground pepper
- ¼ cup dried currants
- 5 to 6 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves
- ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
- Parmeasan cheese for garnish optional
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water to use if needed.
- While pasta is cooking, prepare the remaining:
- In a large sauté pan, cook the bacon over medium heat until brown and crispy. Transfer bacon to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Reserve fat in pan.
- Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool a few minutes. This will keep the shallots from frying and browning in the next step.
- Return the pan to medium-low heat and add olive oil, thyme, and shallot. Cook until shallots are soft and translucent, about 3 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add honey, vinegar, and pepper. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer for 3 minutes.
- Add currants and remove pan from heat. Allow currants to soak in the pan and soften, about 5 minutes.
- Return the pan to medium heat and add spinach. Cook spinach, tossing continuously, until spinach has wilted. Remove pan from heat.
- Crumble or cut bacon into pieces. Add bacon pieces, pine nuts, and cooked pasta to the pan. Toss to coat pasta and combine ingredients. Add some reserved pasta water if needed.
- Divide pasta among serving plates. Garnish with parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
Looking for fall food recipes? Check out these by Sunday Supper bloggers:
Amazing Breakfasts, Brunches, and Breads
- Apple Spice Muffins from Pixie Dust Kitchen
- Skinny Pumpkin Cinnamon Chip Donuts with Maple Cream Cheese Glaze from The Messy Baker
- Apple Spice Waffles from Treats and Trinkets
- Pumpkin Spice Latte Donuts from Daily Dish Recipes
- Mini Pumpkin Pancake Kebobs from The Urban Mrs.
- Mini Apple Cinnamon Rolls from Peanut Butter and Peppers
- Cinnamon Apple Crepes from Juanita's Cocina
- Maple Apple Bread from The Foodie Army Wife
- Pumpkin Ale Pretzel Buns from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
Outstanding Soups, Starters and Sides:
- Bacon, Corn and Shrimp Chowder from The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
- Pumpkin Tomato Sauce with Andouille Sausage from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
- Parmesan Polenta from That Skinny Chick can Bake
- Farro Date Salad with Mango and Arugula from Shockingly Delicious
- Butternut Squash Tian with Herb Topping from Food Lust People Love
- Chipotle Sweet Potato Soup from Alida's Kitchen
Comforting Main Dishes:
- Autumn Risotto with Chicken & Cranberries from Momma's Meals
- Mushroom and Sorrel Lasagne from Jane's Adventures in Dinner
- Roasted Fig & Pancetta Pasta Carbonara from Nik Snacks
- Chili from Casa De Crews
- Vegan Mushroom Pie from Killer Bunnies Inc
- White Pizza with Kale and Meatballs from The Hand That Rocks the Ladle
- Spicy Korean Monkfish Stew (Agu Jjim) from kimchi MOM
- Creole Shrimp & Cheddar Basil Grits Cake from The Roxx Box
- Penne with Spicy Pumpkin and Sausage Sauce from Webicurean
- Bacon Spinach Pasta from Magnolia Days
- Chicken, Spinach, and Gnocchi Soup from Cookin' Mimi
- Stuffed Meatballs in Tomato Alfredo Sauce from Family Foodie
- Butternut Squash and Lentil Pot Pie from Curious Cuisiniere
- Mini Meatball and Goat Cheese Risotto from MarocMama
- Onion Tart {Zwiebelkuchen} from The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
- Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili from Neighborfood
Decadent Desserts:
- Pumpkin Marshmallows from Home Cooking Memories
- Salted Caramel Apple Crisp Bars from Table for Seven
- Apple Cider Five Spice Caramels from girlichef
- Italian Apple Torta from La Bella Vita Cucina
- Apple Fig and Pomegranate Crisp from Take a Bite Out of Boca
- Caramel Apple Sugar Cookie Pizza from Chocolate Moosey
- Pumpkin Bourbon Pie with Walnut Crumble from Gotta Get Baked
- Camotes Enmielados (Mexican Candied Yams/Sweet Potatoes) from La Cocina de Leslie
- Maple Syrup Pumpkin Bars from What Smells So Good?
- Pear Almond Graham Cracker Tart from Vintage Kitchen Notes
- Walnut-Stuffed Baked Apples from Foxes Loves Lemons
- Buttery Bourbon Ice Cream from NinjaBaking
- Caramel Apples from Pies and Plots
- Funnel Cakes from The Texan New Yorker
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies from In The Kitchen With KP
- {Gluten-Free} Pumpkin Swirl Pecan Crumb Cake from Cupcakes & Kale Chips
- Chocolate Pumpkin Swiss Roll Cake from Big Bear's Wife
- Hot Apple Pizza from Cindy's Recipes and Writings
- Savory & Sweet Coconut Cream Salted Caramel Apples from Sue's Nutrition Buzz
Tasty Drinks:
- Pumpkin Juice - Harry Potter Style from The Dinner-Mom
- The Best Wines for Fall Foods from ENOFYLZ Wine Blog
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What beautiful pasta, Renee! Just perfect for our Fall recipe theme. I love spinach salad with warm bacon dressing so I know I would love this dish!
Thanks Stacy!
Oh, I need to find beautiful these pasta shapes, it is gorgeous. The dish sounds fantastic, delicious, perfect for this time of yea; I cannot wait to try it 🙂
Thanks Bea. Good luck on finding the pasta. Good thing is you can use other one too. A nice tri-colored farfalle would be great.
Your pasta is a beautiful homage to autumn, Renee. So clever of you, too, to transform your standby spinach salad and warm dressing into this fabulous dish!
Thanks Kim! Now I'm torn between which one is my favorite. I supposed I'll choose which one to make depending on what I'm in the mood to eat - pasta or salad.
Beautiful dish. I love bacon and spinach together and I imagine it would be spectacular with pasta.
Thanks Micha
Hot Spinach Salad! LOVE!
Thanks Dorothy
Bacon, Spinach and Pasta all in one bite? Oh yes please!
Where did you find that shape pasta. I love it!
I found the pasta at HomeGoods.
Such a beautiful fall pasta dish. The tri-color pasta and fun shapes really make it stand out!
Thanks Marjory
What a gorgeous pasta!!!
Thanks Jen
I love the pasta! And I love that you turned a salad into a heartier dish.
Thank you Brianne. Sometimes I want more than a salad and this did the trick.
Mmm love bacon and spinach together! Can't wait to make this one of my after-work dinners.
Thanks Carla. You should have plenty for a few days (unless you share with someone).
Not only is the sauce incredible (I mean, pine nuts, wine, raisins?!) but that tree shaped pasta blows my mind Renee! The ultimate fall pasta dish!
I thought you might like this since you love pasta so much. Oh, and it is wonderful as leftovers too.
So simple, but so delicious as well and comforting - just like fall!
Thanks Susan
What a beautiful way to describe the first day of autumn, Renee! With an equally beautiful and delicious pasta recipe to celebrate the season!
Thanks Roz!
Ah yes...two of my favorite things in the world together (which isn't often) bacon and spinach! Fabulous recipe Renee!
Thank you Martin and I can't wait to make this again and serve it with your wine recommendation.
Oh my, this recipe looks great and those pasta noodles are adorable!
Thanks Conni
Renee, those little shapes. I just love them, but beyond that, this pasta sounds perfect for a chilly fall night and will be on my to make list very soon! Love spinach.. pair it with bacon and I'm sold.
I love the combo of bacon and spinach too. Plus the healthy part of the spinach balances out the bacon part.
Ohmigoodness, that pasta is adorable! I love pasta, I love spinach, and I love bacon. This sounds like the perfect dish!
Thanks Kim
What's better than bacon + pasta? Nothing I can think of!
So true Elisabeth, so very true.
I have a weakness for warm bacon dressing. This looks amazing, and to be honest, you had me at BACON!
Go team bacon!
Renee, what a stunning pasta dish...I have a feeling there will be a rush on that unique pasta shape 🙂 This recipe would go over well at my house....thanks!!
I wish I could tell everyone where to get that particular pasta but unfortunately I found it at HomeGoods and what they have varies from store to store and day to day.
I love spinach salad w/ warm bacon dressing, Renee - what a fabulous idea to put the flavors into a pasta dish. So comforting...just the perfect way to welcome Fall!
Thanks Heather
Renee,
I crave hearty soups in the Fall. Here in South Florida, we may not see signs of the season yet, but that will not stop me from making this pasta. It looks delicious and I love your story as well.
I start craving soups too. It doesn't really get cool here in Georgia until mid to late October though.
That pasta is ADORABLE, and I know my mom would go for the whole thing in a heartbeat too
Then you should make it for your mom soon (and you get to enjoy it too).
I am welcoming the cooler weather and the comforting food. Love the pasta shape and the dish.
Happy Fall.
Velva
Happy Fall to you too Velva.
The pasta leaves are adorable and your whole dish sounds and looks amazing!! Sure hit for everyone!!
Thanks Jennifer
This pasta is just beautiful and so perfect for Fall. I bet the currants and bacon are a delicious combination, along with the spinach and everything else!
Yes, the currants and bacon are a wonderful combo. I thought of using cranberries first but I'm glad I decided on currants.
Hi Renee! Oh these are the cutest pasta shapes!! It's making me excited about autumn! 🙂
Thanks Jaime and it made me excited about autumn too.
That is the prettiest pasta I've ever seen! And the colors are so apropos!
I'm such a sucker for pretty pasta too. I look for it everywhere. It makes pasta dishes even better.
I've had that spinach salad before and it's the bomb! I love that you made it into a pasta. And how ADORABLE is that pasta?!
The pasta is seriously adorable. You can see why I had to get it.
Bacon Spinach Pasta! I adore this recipe! Oh and that tree shaped pasta?! How perfect!
Thanks Angie!
I love the color combo too, perfect for fall, Renee!
Thanks Cindy
such pretty and tasty looking pasta!
Thanks so much Kayle
That is the cutest pasta ever. This dish sounds delish.
Thanks Jennie!
Mmmm... warm bacon dressing!
Oh yea! Go team bacon!
I love that pasta! This dish sounds amazing (as does your spinach salad). Definatly one for us to try this fall!
Thanks Sarah
I'm craving your delicious pasta dish now, Renee! It's full of every tasty ingredient I love to eat: bacon, pasta, spinach and garlic. Wow! The pasta is pretty darn adorable too.
I ate the pasta for days. It was so good and fun since it is shaped like trees.
So colorful and pretty. Love the flavors in this dish.
Thanks Sue
This sounds so good and Wow! I love that pasta!!
Thanks Kelli
I love the shape of the pasta! What a great idea--wilted spinach salad is so yummy, of course it would be delicious combined with pasta!
Thanks Anne. And I could eat spinach just about any way and on any day.
I love pasta. Cute pasta even more so.
Yep, those different and cute pasta shapes sure can make a dish.