Creamy Bacon and Mushroom Penne
Crisp bacon and earthy mushrooms tossed with penne in a silky sauce made from Greek yogurt, parmesan, and starchy pasta water. Perfectly comforting and rich without heavy cream or eggs.
Prep
10 min
Cook
20 min
Total
30 min
Makes
6 servings
Created together. Shared with you.
Made by Claire + Lila
Claire created this recipe with Lila and shared it with the perimenopause community.
The feel-good payoff
Why this meal can feel especially good in perimenopause
Think practical wins: steadier energy, comfortable fullness and one less food decision. Your response is personal, so use the prompts below to notice what works for you.
Perimenopause symptoms and relief · Office on Women’s HealthSteadier energy
Feel fueled, not flattened
A complete meal with protein, carbohydrates and fats is designed to offer more staying power than a quick carb-only fix.
Notice: energy 1–3 hours later
More staying power
Make the next few hours easier
This meal is built to be more sustaining than a snack-sized stopgap, with enough substance to carry you into the next part of the day.
Notice: energy + fullness later
Setup
Get set up
Choose your servings, gather what you need, then cook along below.
Prep
10 min
Cook
20 min
Total
30 min
How many are you cooking for?
The ingredient amounts update automatically.
Equipment
Large skillet · Large pot · Whisk · Knife and cutting board
Time saver
Prep the vegetables and measure pantry ingredients earlier in the day to shorten cook time.
Do these three things first
- 1Set out all ingredients before cooking
- 2Measure the pantry ingredients before heating the pan
- 3Read through the steps once before you begin
Ingredients
Gather as you go
Ingredients
Cook along
Instructions
0 of 12 steps complete
Next: Bring a large pot of water to…
- 01
Bring a large pot of water to…
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat and season generously with salt.
Tap card to mark done - 02
Cut 180g of bacon into 1cm slices…
Cut 180g of bacon into 1cm slices and slice 360g of cremini mushrooms. Mince 6 garlic cloves.
Tap card to mark done - 03
Add 450g of penne pasta to the…
Add 450g of penne pasta to the boiling water and cook for 10 minutes until al dente, stirring occasionally.
Look for: al dente, stirring occasionally
Tap card to mark done - 04
Heat 30g of olive oil in a…
Heat 30g of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until golden and crisp, stirring frequently.
Look for: golden and crisp, stirring frequently
Tap card to mark done - 05
Transfer the cooked bacon to a plate…
Transfer the cooked bacon to a plate using a slotted spoon, leaving the rendered fat in the skillet.
Ready when: everything is assembled and ready to enjoy
Tap card to mark done - 06
Add the mushrooms to the skillet over…
Add the mushrooms to the skillet over medium heat and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until browned and tender.
Look for: browned and tender
Tap card to mark done - 07
Stir in the minced garlic and cook…
Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Look for: fragrant
Tap card to mark done - 08
Before draining the pasta
Before draining the pasta, carefully scoop out 240ml of hot starchy pasta water and set aside. Drain the pasta.
Tap card to mark done - 09
Lower skillet heat to low
Lower skillet heat to low. In a medium bowl, whisk together 240g of Greek yogurt and 90g of finely grated parmesan cheese until combined.
Look for: combined
Tap card to mark done - 10
Whisk 120ml of the reserved hot pasta…
Whisk 120ml of the reserved hot pasta water into the yogurt mixture until smooth and fluid.
Look for: smooth and fluid
Tap card to mark done - 11
Pour the yogurt mixture
Pour the yogurt mixture, cooked pasta, and crisp bacon into the skillet with the mushrooms, tossing continuously over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes until a silky sauce coats the pasta. Add additional pasta water if needed to loosen.
Look for: a silky sauce coats the pasta
Tap card to mark done - 12
Divide evenly into 6 serving bowls and…
Divide evenly into 6 serving bowls and serve immediately. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Ready when: everything is assembled and ready to enjoy
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