The lack of exercise along with late night blogging and snacking at weird hours this past year added some pounds on me. Therefore my only new year resolution for 2012 is to live and eat healthy by sleeping earlier, doing exercise regularly, and controlling the portion of food I eat. I think we eat pretty healthy since I cook almost every meals and the majority of meals are low fat Japanese dishes. However, I do have some weakness. I love rice, pasta, bread…all kinds of carbs. It’s so hard to stop eating them once I have one bite.
With this new year resolution, I purposely avoided pasta dishes for a while. Then a few weeks ago I saw this post from my fellow blogger friend Katerhine’s blog, Katherine Martinelli, and I decided to take a break from my new year resolution and cook this. This recipe calls for ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen. Nothing fancy, just a couple of ingredients you normally use. Toss everything in the pan and add cooked pasta, and it’s done! It’s the day after busy weekend and you don’t know what to cook for dinner? Here it is, cook this simple and delicious pasta. Your dinner is ready in 30 minutes!
Ingredients:
- 2 servings spaghetti
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 4 slices applewood smoked bacon, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 large onion, chopped
- 1/2 tsp red chili pepper flakes (or to taste)
- 1 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes in juice
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- Freshly grated Parmesan
Instructions:
- Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling water until al dente.
- When it’s done, reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water and drain. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat oil on medium heat in a skillet and add the bacon. Cook until just browned, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and onion and cook until the onion is translucent.
- Add the red chili pepper flakes, tomatoes, and 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water and stir to combine.
- Allow to simmer, and then cook uncovered for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Make sure the sauce has good strong flavor, so when you add pasta it balance out the flavor.
- Add the spaghetti and parsley and toss to coat.
- Top with freshly grated Parmesan and serve immediately.
Source: Barely adapted from Katherine Martinelli
Enjoy!
Hi, I'm Nami. Thanks for stopping by Just One Cookbook. You can read little bit more about me 
{ 96 comments… read them below or add one }
Looks so colorful! I love such simple yet flavorful recipes
Fresh, simple and delicious – that’s what those photos say to me. I’m cutting back on portion sizes this year too. I will still enjoy the foods I love but only occasionally and small portions. That way I can stay healthy AND happy.
The perfect work night dinner. Love the simplicity and the freshness of the ingredients
Hmm. I just about live on pasta – lovely photos, Nami. Cheers to your earlier nights and healthy lifestyle, my friend! xo
As only you could, you have made pasta look amazing! I am trying to keep similar resolutions and it is so hard!
I have the same weakness…I only wish that pasta, rice and bread were low fat/low carb because I eat more than my fair share. I love cooking a fancy, involved meal but honestly my favorite thing to eat is a simple bowl of pasta. This looks soooo good. I have the same problem though…I can’t eat just one small bowl of pasta…I’d end up eatting that whole pan!
Wow… we are on the same wavelength. A pasta like this was on my mind recently too. I have all the ingredients… I am definitely going to be playing with some pasta soon.
Really beautiful photos. Have a great week~ Ramona
Nami, I totally understand you. My problem is not only pasta and bread, but even rice… I love carbs! I cross my fingers for your New Year’s resolutions and will try to make mine similar
This pasta looks delicious. Everything with bacon and parmesan must taste excellent.
Wow Nami this looks good and I love how quickly this comes together. I try to avoid pasta because of all the baking I do, and I know how those pounds can sneak up on you. This look so good though that I think I’d trade a slice of cake for this. Yummy pictures too!
Dear Nami,
I can never get sick of this style of pasta. So simple and yet delicious. I have been cooking so much pasta with bacon recently and your beautiful pasta is still enticing me to cook more
Aah yes those dreaded carbs that keep us under their spell – I have the same problem Nami.
Mandy
Loevly recipe – bacon and tomato always pair so nicely together.
I understand your addiction, Nami – I have a weakness for rices and pastas in all sorts of different shapes and flavors. >.< And boy does this look delicious!
Tomatoes and bacon are so delicious together. I can see why you cannot stop with just one spoonful of this delicious dish!!
Nami, this looks positively delicious. So much so, I’m having to talk myself out of making it for breakfast!
perfect!
I love pasta too and this looks healthy and easy. I have bread rising right now. Love those carbs.
It looks like a play on Amatriciana. It sounds delicious!
I cannot resist to pasta either, so I cook just enough for the people at the table so that I don’t overeat. BF is annoyed when I cook a really good pasta and he cannot have seconds, on the other hand since I started this policy we both look better!
Such a simple delicious post and so quick to prepare too.
Oh my goodness Nami I have 3 boys at my house that would kill for this dish. To say bacon is their favorite meat, would be an understatement.
Keep up the pasta dishes…I love them!!!
nami I dont think so bacon is going to help to loose pounds. lol
but this looks very tempting too, I cant blame u! lol
thanks for sharing dear. hope all is alright in your world. =)
Looks great Nami…love the colors together!
Nami you have made my day!! I am so glad you made and enjoyed this
Yours looks absolutely fabulous. Gorgeous photos as always!!!
Thank you Katherine! It was easy and delicious, perfect for week night meal!
Thanks for linking up to my pasta blog hop! Pinned
I can never deny myself of pasta for too long either. I try to avoid it but the cravings get too loud if I do. This dish is perfect, Nami.
BTW, I love your Le Creuset pan. I have exactly the same, even the color. It makes me happy each time I use it.
Have a great week!
I think this tomato bacon pasta is exactly what I need right now. Been having too much Chinese food lately due to the Chinese New Year celebration. Great pictures!
This is such a comforting recipe. I always love tomatoes and bacon, so this is exactly the kind of dish I crave (with gluten-free pasta of course!). So happy to hear about your decision to take better care of yourself. I’m trying too! It seems that blogging on top of an already “full” life can mean lots of lost sleep and skipped exercise.
Oh well I’m trying to avoid bad carbs my self Nami but it’s not always easy, especially when you have this kind of dishes in front of you. So simple and yet so delish..!
Have a nice week my friend!
Happy Lunar New Year Nami! It is good to give in to your vise once a while, better than deprive of your craving and end up completely off the wagon! I am a carb lover also, but the older I get, the less carb I get to eat without gaining weight. Now a days for dinner I actually measure out the rice serving, Trinity and I both get 1/3 cup cooked rice each, this seems to stabilize my blood sugar a bit better also… Oh Woe of old age!
The pasta dish looks so yummy, I should give it a try in the very near future! Have a good week!
Nami, You and Katherine always make the simplest food look so delicious! I love this pasta! It’s been a staple on our table for years ever since I made it in an Italian cooking class. So I was thrilled when I saw Katherine post it and now you! It’s such a great recipe to share. Good luck with your resolution!
Mmmm, I love how simple but delicious this looks! And I really love how fast and easy it is! Ah, I love pasta too!
Oh yum
and because it has tomato which is a vegetable this dish is classified as healthy to me even though it has bacon 
I know what you mean though, even though I’ve only been blogging for a short period of time lol I’ve been trying out so many new places and that’s definitely put on the pounds and being Chinese New Year here lol my whole family has just been eating all day long ~
Happy Chinese New Year to you and your family
Oh this looks so good! Must try this recipe. My sons love bacon and pasta. Thanks for the recipe. Greetings for the Year of the Dragon, Nami!
I love pasta, too. When you live in Dalmatia, you always have something like this. Pasta. I love this combination specially. Gorgeous photos, Nami
Wow! What a gorgeous pasta dish, all of my favorite flavors. I’m completely in love with your food styling, splashing colors from your dish around the photo, it’s stunning! Thanks so much for sharing, as always your recipes are mouthwatering and photos are flawless =]
That’s a great way to indulge a little Nami! Parmesan has such intense flavor you can get away with a lot less, and by chopping the bacon up, you still get the flavor without going over the top. Sounds perfect to me!
Looks like a great pasta dish. Not all that bad for you either. I have a few pounds I need to lose as well. Hopefully I can keep up with my will power!
Oh friend- you had me at the title and then again at those amazing pictures. I am sitting here (wishing i was asleep!l lol) wondering what i should do for dinner and i know i have tomatoes, bacon and pasta so this is what i am making- thank you
One of my wife’s favourite dinners – so simple, but so fresh tasting, satisfying and colourful. Beautiful, Nami
What a beautifully presented pasta dish! I love pasta a lot too, and in fact, I’m eating a plate of homemade pasta for lunch right now while visiting my blogger friends during my lunch break! I completely agree that pasta dishes are so easy to make and they taste so good too. Bon Appetite! I better finish my lunch now and get back to work. Talk to you again soon! =)
I did some pasta this weekend too–I also cannot resist carbs. This looks simple and flavorful. Delicious!
You know my love for Pasta and bacon! Not a big fan of tomato sauce with pasta but i am getting ideas for my next pasta dish from this recipe
hahaha, new year is the time for resolutions. And since some cultures have new year twice, they get to make resolutions twice:)
Pasta is 10% or more protein, not so bad?
This pasta looks delish! I know how you feel though, I love carbs! Why must everything good be so bad for us?!
This looks awesome!! So simple but so many layers of flavor in here. Yum!
This pasta sounds wonderful, Nami! It has so many of my favorite flavors. We could all use healthier eating habits sometimes. These flavors help a lot!
Wow, the pictures are making me hungry even though I just had supper. I love everything that is made with flour too.
Talk about lack of exercise….sigh….I am having the same problem, esp with my injury. Recently I started light exercises again.
I thought pasta is a better bet than rice…due to the relatively lower G-index of pasta. I cook with pasta (substitute for regular noodles) quite regularly ; and as you already know, quinoa is my substitute for rice most of the times.
Anyway, I see you cook really delicious and healthy food. SO diet is not a problem. Perhaps we should all blog (sit down) less; and move around more
I love carbs too — and since it’s the lunar new year, I think I’ve definitely put on some weight from all of the starchy goodness. =P The colors of the pasta are really beautiful; I definitely want to give this recipe a try! Thanks for sharing this one!
Who can resist a good pasta dish? Right!!!!
This looks fabulous, my hubby is more on veg diet these days, I’ll omit bacon I think, Just perfect!!!!
Yumm….
Wait a minute! This doesn’t look Japanese
But it does look fabulous! Excellent post, my friend…thanks for sharing~
Hi Nami, I know exactly how you feel – they are my resolutions too! Because I cook so much every day I tend to taste test and snack on “scraps” and then eat a full meal anyway. Going with dessert plate servings this year. It works! Lovely pasta dish!
Oh Nami this is simply stunning. I mean absolutely gorgeous. And from the lovely Katherine no less, she has such amazing recipes. You really did a great job making it your own. I hear you on the healthier lifestyle thing. You are doing better than me. I lost my mind a little this weekend.
lovely pasta and I have the same goals
You know how much I love pasta…but sometimes, it can be too heavy for a weeknight dinner. This one is perfect…simply light and delicious!
I have a serious weakness for bread and pasta. I love to eat it and could have it daily! I saw this dish on her site to yours looks just as fantastic! Pictures are pretty as always.
Now I want some pasta….
Nami that looks absolutely delicious! Thank you SO much for sharing! I understand how blogging can mess up with your system…I fight the same battle!
I love this recipe Nami. It is so simple and quick it would make the perfect dish for a week night. I love how you set up the shot,the color are in perfect harmony
I love simple pasta dish like this. Stunning!
Mouthwatering! That pasta dish must be really succulent. You can’t go wrong with such a great combo.
Cheers,
Rosa
NOM NOM NOM
Simple, yet super delicious
So glad you decided to kick that pasta-less run. This dish look fabulous!
What a pretty looking dinner. Love the colours. That’s a great pasta dish and something everyone in my family would eat.
I miss eating pasta, and your pictures are making me miss it even more!!!! Gorgeous, Nami!
PS…I wish we were neighbors…I’d teach you to bake, and you’d teach me your marvelous Japanese recipes and photography tricks! Win-Win!!!
Love this pasta dish. Simple and full of flavor.
This pasta looks amazing, Nami! Love the flavors especially the bacon. Yum!
I love pasta and bread, too. A bit too much actually
But nothing beats this simple pasta! So much flavours.
I adore recipes that call for things that I already have in the kitchen. And this simple pasta is a favorite of mine! I’ll have to add bacon for the special flavor.
I too love carbs a lot. Maybe too much
the colors are beautiful, two beautiful ingredients really made this pasta perfect
Your pasta looks amazing.
It definitely doesn’t look like a quick dinner, it looks like something you might serve to lucky guests!
Dear Nami!
Interestingly enough I usually put bacon (first fried to a crisp) to avoid assing salt!
The more for adding parmesan cheese!
Basically the same way of thinking!
Great work!
Robert-Gilles
A simple yet another good recipe Nami! any dish that bacon is present I am sure it would taste nice, amazing ingredient that brings a lot of flavour.
Sometimes the best pasta dishes are the simplest. And everything in moderation is OK
Very nice dish and so pretty.
Hi Nami-Your pasta dish looks so good and satisfying. Love how it turned out. Such a great source of protein and good carbs. I had a huge dish of pasta, myself last evening, and went to the gym to work it off on the cardio… treadmill, bike, and weights, for 1 hour.
I bookmarked the source the source…such great recipes!
Happy Lunar Year!
xo
Wow, Nami, you and I could be twins! My weakness is also carbs! Especially rice and pasta. I love pasta dishes as well. Your pictures are so amazing! One question – do you use one light or two? I only have one but I think I need one more…. Anyway, I wish I could have a bowl of your warm tomato bacon pasta – I love the simplicity.
Love the simplicity of this pasta Nami…great flavors…isn’t amazing how bacon can give so much flavor?
Hope you are having a wonderful week
This looks delicious! I agree that its quite hard to stay away from pasta and bread. I’ve learned that I don’t have self control so its better just not to buy it!
I’ve got the same weakness! Only mine is both carbs AND salty food so this dish is right up my ally (yay for bacon). I love how simple and easy this dish is though – it looks delicious.
I am just a bacon lover and I can see how this would go perfectly with this dish. It just makes the dish more edgy and so delicious. Gotta love bacon
colourful pasta and presentation
Carbs are my downfall. Not junk food. Not desserts. Carbs. I am an Italian cook so there is pasta – and I measure. I love how packed with flavor this is – isn’t it amazing what 1 slice of bacon per person can add to a dish? And it won’t break the calorie bank. Grand meal!
LOL I always find it suspicious if someone DOES NOT gain weight over the holidays. Seriously, how can you not? Especially when you enjoy food, good cheer and festivities that only happen once a year? I say, “indulge, indulge, indulge.”
Okay, if the dish is being prepared by you and it looks like this? Let’s see, hmmm. Two choices I have. One is my New Years resolution to lose weight or one bowl of your tomato bacon pasta. My choice is … two bowls of your tomato bacon pasta! LOL!
こんばんわ！
トマトのスパゲティーは私は大好きなのだけど
ちびちゃんが食べてくれないんです。 何か工夫して食べさそうと思うのだけど
なかなか食べてくれるまで工夫出来ません。 難しい〜〜〜
simple but comforting.. i hear ya… i hear ya… hihihi it’s good to sometimes give in to your cravings and get some carbo loading haha. this dish certainly is one of those dishes that is so worth to break a diet.
make sure to get back to “dieting” again hehe,
malou
p.s.
i like how your captcha makes you think.. LOL! 3+2 = ? haha
Nami what a simple, beautiful meal. I do like how you think, early to bed, get more exercise, and portion control. No eliminating carbs or cheese or sweets…just portion control! I’m with you on that, a lot easier than not eating carbs, and as long as you use fresh and local good ingredients you really can’t go wrong! I love visiting your blog!
Pasta, pizza, pane (=bread)… carb… you almost sounded like a real Italian (and I’m not a very “real” one, though)
Hi Nami, I’m so far behind with reading your blog that i don’t know where to start! I like your new year goal; seems like we’re on the same boat. I’m trying to loose 10 kilo (about 20 pounds) this year and my way to do it is to run for at least 30 minutes every other day and stay away from the carbs.
So no pasta for me =(
Darn your picture are soooo tempting…This pasta looks just too good to skip on!
This looks sooo summery and delicious!!! I’ve gained some weight as well and blame it all on my husband. Seriously.
Easy and simple yet so delicious looking and colorful! Must try!
What a beautiful pasta dish! My boys adore all things bacon and would love this
Easy pasta dish, but the bacon adds charm to this recipe and makes it more festive. Wanna try this for lunch!
So easy but delicious. Everything is better with bacon!
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