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This blue cheese pasta recipe has the perfect balance of bold flavors. Smoky bacon, sweet and mellow caramelized onions, and tangy, rich blue cheese combine with fresh spinach and tomatoes to create a simple dish that’s satisfying but not heavy.
This recipe isn’t just another creamy pasta dish with blue cheese thrown in, it’s a balanced, one-dish meal that makes the most of every flavor. We use a little bacon fat to caramelize the onions, so a hint of that smokiness carries through, the grape tomatoes cook just long enough to bring out their sweetness, and fresh spinach adds color, flavor, and a nutritional boost.
Ingredient Notes
Here’s what you need to know about the key ingredients in this recipe. The complete list, including quantities, is in the printable recipe card below.
BLUE CHEESE: The star of the dish brings a sharp, creamy, and tangy richness that melts slightly into the warm pasta. Choose a balanced variety like Gorgonzola or Danish blue that is strong enough to stand up to the smoky bacon but not overwhelming.
BACON: We recommend using thick-cut bacon. Thicker slices provide better texture and flavor and will render the fat for cooking the onions.
CARAMELIZED ONION: Slow cooking draws out the onion’s natural sugars, creating a mellow, savory-sweet base. We prefer Vidalia or another sweet variety for caramelization.
FRESH SPINACH: Fresh spinach (or baby spinach) brings a fresh, slightly earthy note and welcome color that keeps the dish from feeling too heavy.
CHERRY OR GRAPE TOMATOES: Just a quick sauté softens them enough to release flavor without losing shape. Their juicy brightness and acidity cut through the richness of the cheese and bacon.
Overview
How to Make Creamy Blue Cheese Pasta with Bacon and Caramelized Onions
Planning to try this recipe? Take a quick look at what’s involved, then get the full details in the printable recipe card below.
Begin by frying the bacon in a large skillet, then use a bit of the rendered fat plus some olive oil to sauté onions and garlic until soft and golden. While the onions caramelize, start the pasta cooking. Once the onions are sweet, add the bacon back in, then add the spinach a handful at a time until wilted. Add the grape tomatoes and cook just long enough to soften.
When the pasta’s ready, reserve a little of the cooking water and drain it. Toss the pasta with the bacon-onion mixture, a bit of pasta water, a drizzle of olive oil, and some blue cheese to tie it all together. Plate and finish with more blue cheese on the top.
More One-Dish Pasta Dinners to Try
If you’re a fan of flavorful, no-fuss pasta dishes, here are a few more to explore. For something light and fresh, Caprese Pasta brings together ripe tomatoes, fresh basil, and mozzarella in a simple yet satisfying way. One-Pot Spaghetti alla Carbonara offers classic comfort with minimal cleanup. Butternut Squash Pasta with Sage pairs sweet roasted squash with earthy sage for a heart vegetarian dish. Pasta with Shrimp and Zucchini combines tender shrimp and sautéed zucchini in a light, garlicky sauce that’s ideal for a quick dinner.
Blue Cheese Pasta with Bacon and Caramelized Onions
Ingredients
- 10 ounces linguine, or spaghetti
- 4 strips thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
- 2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium sweet onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 5 ounces fresh spinach leaves, roughly chopped
- 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese, about 3 ounces
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Put a large pot of salted water on to boil for the pasta.
- Fry the bacon until crisp in a large skillet, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and drain all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan.
- Add 1-1/2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan and heat over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté 1 minute longer.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and return the bacon to the pan. Stir in 2 tablespoons water and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the onions are nicely caramelized, 8 to 12 minutes longer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.Note: You can add a little more water during cooking if you feel the onions are drying out.
- While the onions caramelize, add the pasta to the boiling water and start cooking according to package directions.
- Begin adding the spinach, a handful at a time, to the caramelized onions, waiting until each addition has wilted before adding more.
- Once the spinach has wilted, add the tomatoes, combine gently and continue cooking just long enough for them to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed, and turn off the heat.
- Check the pasta for doneness and reserve 2 tablespoons of the cooking water. Drain the pasta and add it to the onion mixture. Toss gently to combine, then add the reserved cooking water, a drizzle of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the blue cheese.
- Toss again, then plate individual servings and top each with a portion of the remaining blue cheese.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Do you have an idea of how many calories per serving? Trying to watch it, you know!! Don’t mind having a smaller serving to manage the calories- I will just pair it with a salad or a green vegetable.
We don’t provide detailed nutritional analysis, but a rough calculation puts this dish at around 500 calories per serving.