Lighter Fettuccine Alfredo with Bacon

Super creamy, quick fettuccine alfredo made skinnier is on the menu! No butter or heavy cream, but lots of delicious flavor… and bacon.

Lighter Fettuccine Alfredo with Bacon – Super creamy, quick fettuccine alfredo made skinny! No butter or heavy cream, but lots of delicious flavor. | thecomfortofcooking.com

What it is about twirling your fork around a creamy, cheesy heap of carbs that just makes everything alright again?

Life has been a little stressful around here lately, as we rush to finish home projects and tackle to-do’s before welcoming baby. Some nights see us scarfing a frozen pizza over the counter before rushing out to our next errand! And, I doubt much will change once Little Miss Kickypants is in the picture. But, I’m learning to stay calm, and coming to peace with a bit more chaos and a bit less time to make dinner.

Enter quick and easy meals like this Lighter Fettuccine Alfredo! With bacon. Because bacon makes it better.

Using fat-free milk and Parmesan instead of traditional heavy cream keeps the calories lower, but doesn’t skimp on flavor! Just sizzle up your bacon ‘til crisp, chop it up, and dump some minced garlic into the drippings. Get your garlic toasty hot, then whisk in your flour and milk to create a simple cream sauce. Let it thicken up then add a few handfuls of fluffy grated Parmesan.

Voila! Creamy, smooth alfredo sauce to coat every tendril of carby fettuccine goodness.

Sprinkle on your crispy bacon for some naughtiness, and chopped parsley for a bit of fancy freshness. Then simply enjoy with a glass of wine, guilt-free! Sort of.

Lighter Fettuccine Alfredo with Bacon

Lighter Fettuccine Alfredo with Bacon

Yield: 4 (1 cup) servings

Ingredients

  • 1 9-ounce package refrigerated fresh fettuccine
  • 4 slices bacon
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup fat-free milk, or any milk
  • 2/3 cup grated Parmesan
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Set a medium pot of water to boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid.
  2. Set a large nonstick skillet to medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook ‘til crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove bacon to a paper towel lined plate, reserving drippings. Add garlic to drippings and sauté 1 minute. Whisk in flour; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Gradually whisk in milk, stirring constantly until bubbly and thickened, 3-4 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add grated Parmesan, stirring until melted. Whisk in salt and reserved 1/4 cup cooking liquid.
  3. Add hot pasta to skillet and toss to combine. Serve and sprinkle with bacon, parsley and black pepper.
  4. Enjoy!

Did you make this recipe?

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Join the Conversation

  1. Love it…”Little Miss Kickypants”! :) Perfect pasta dish with bacon to hit the proverbial spot. I am convinced that bacon makes everything better. Gorgeous photography as always, my friend. Thank you for sharing. Pinned!

  2. Want, want, want! Love everything about this gorgeous pasta!

  3. Your food photos always make me happy, and this looks wonderful! :D I hope you get to de-hectify as soon as, give yourself a little mid-week break :) x

  4. LOL I loved this line:

    “to coat every tendril of carby fettuccine goodness”

    You had me right then and there.

  5. Could you use unsweetened, regular almond milk instead?

  6. Yes, as the recipe states, any milk will work fine.

  7. Bacon makes everything taste BETTER!

  8. I hear you! I crave a creamy pasta now and then (okay, very often!) and I’ve also done something similar with low-fat milk and cornstarch. I find adding just a tiny splash of real cream, if you have it around, makes it feel all the more luxurious too. I love fettucine alfredo…will have to make this soon.

  9. Ooh, this looks like the perfect dinner!

  10. haha you are definitely right – I love swirling up a big forkful of pasta! It does make any day better : ) And this looks delicious – with the bacon … the husband would go nuts for this!

  11. Love this lighter alredo recipe…and add bacon, yes, everything will be better! I’ve actually been wanting to make alredo sauce, so this recipe gives me the little push i’ve needed, thanks :)

  12. Love how you lightened up this comfort food Georgia – I hear you on scrambling to get everything done – it’s good practice for when “Little Miss Kickypants” arrives ;).

  13. I’m ALWAYS up for some noodles I can twirl on my fork, especially when it’s alfredo — my ultimate weakness. Love love love that this takes my favorite pasta and lightens it up!

  14. This looks fabulous Georgia; sometimes the old fashioned versions are simply too heavy for me; this would be right up my alley!

  15. Thank goodness for simple, soul-satisfying dinners like this! Love that it’s a little decadent but not overly so. Hang in there with the life craziness! And in the meantime you have the right idea: carbs. ;-)

  16. Oh my… I have a serious pasta craving now!

  17. It’s so hard trying to get everything ready before, but it really does prepare you for the chaos after the baby is born, just like you said! This fettuccine looks like such a delicious, creamy, cheesy dinner that would be awesome for hectic week nights. I love how you lightened it up so you could add bacon, because it does make everything better!

  18. This is making my tummy grumble! Cheesy pasta is my number 1 comfort food. Love that this is lightened up. Much more bikini friendly. Enjoy the last little bit of your pregnancy!

  19. Oh, yeah, I could eat a lot of your fettuccine! So I’m very grateful you lightened it up. I may have missed announcement that you’re having a girl!!! How exciting! I can’t wait till your blog is full of baby pictures :)

  20. I seriously wish I was twirling my fork in that right now! Great recipe!

  21. I’m pretty sure that’s the prettiest bowl of pasta I’ve ever seen!

  22. Great dinner idea! So pretty too!

  23. How can I turn down carby tendrils of fettuccine?! Oh that’s right, I can’t!

  24. This looks amazing Georgia!

  25. A lighter version of this delicious pasta would be most welcome in our household. Sorry to hear about the rushed lifestyle. It definitely has gotten busier here too!

  26. Perfect quick and delicious dinner!

  27. A simple and delicious meal as well
    Chantal

  28. This looks too beautiful to eat!

  29. Oh my LORDY! Lighter means that I can eat two plates, right?

  30. What a perfect lightened up pasta! Great comfort food!

  31. My teenagers tell me that bacon is its own food group so this dish would be a huge hit with them and a little bit lighter that is a very good thing. Beautiful photos, just pinned! Take Care, BAM

  32. This looks like the perfect weeknight meal. Love that you keep all the amazing flavor without any of the guilt! YUM!

  33. When I’m stressed, I crave carbs! Good luck on the baby!

  34. You had me at alfredo!! This is the perfect weeknight dinner.

  35. I loooovvveee alfredo but rarely get to eat it. This lighter version looks heavenly. And with bacon too?? Yum.

  36. This looks delicious!! So yummy and great that you made it lighter!! YUM!!

  37. 5 stars
    Delicious! I can only imagine how crazy your life is right now with a baby on the way. This fettuccine looks amazing and I love that it’s lighter. Bacon Bacon Bacon, it really does make everything better!

  38. I love the simplicity and beauty of this dish. I’m getting hungry!

  39. Yes, do it all now… but rest too. Once the baby comes…. getting stuff done and sleep goes out the window. :) Love that you are still eating such a healthy way with this lighter fettuccine alfredo… I was eating everything. :)

  40. This is absolutely the right way to do it! I’m a huge fan of lightened up comfort food. Looks wonderful!

  41. Aww, man! I wish I would have added bacon to mine. There’s always next time, though. :)

    And I have a confession. I have a weird thing for frozen pizzas. If I have the choice between frozen and homemade (even if someone else makes it!), I’ll pick frozen.

    Now if Pizza Hut is in the picture, that’s another matter. ;)

  42. This looks delish! My hubby would love the bacon! ;)

  43. 5 stars
    We had this for dinner last night and it was AMAZING!! Love how I didn’t have to add tonnes of calories with cream! :)

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