Bacon Bone Pasta – Budget Dinners

Bacon Bone Pasta
A rich, slow-cooked pasta sauce made from the most humble of ingredients, this is proper budget cooking that doesn’t compromise on flavour. With bacon bones and a jar of passata, you’ll create a deeply savoury sauce that tastes like it’s been bubbling away in an Italian kitchen all day.

Serves: 4–5
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 1 hr 10 mins (pressure cooker) or 2 hrs (stovetop)
Total time: Up to 2 hrs 10 mins
Special equipment: Pressure cooker or large pot with lid

Let’s learn how to make it.
If you’ve never cooked with bacon bones before, you’re in for a treat. They're cheap, full of flavour, and make the kind of sauce that feels like a big warm hug. Cooked low and slow (or hands-free in the pressure cooker), this is the kind of Monday night dinner you’ll want on repeat, plus, it leaves you with leftovers for lunches.

Ingredients

• 400g bacon bones (you’ll usually get 700–800g in a pack)

• 1 x 680g jar passata

• 1 packet pasta (penne, rigatoni or spaghetti all work)

• Cheese, to finish

Method

Pressure Cooker Method (recommended):

1. Place the bacon bones into the pressure cooker and pour in the jar of passata.

2. Fill the empty jar halfway with water, shake it to get the remaining sauce, and add to the pot.

3. Lock the lid and cook for 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes on high pressure.

4. Once finished, release the pressure, remove the bones, and shred off any meaty bits. Discard the bones and return the meat to the sauce.

Stovetop Method:

1. Place bacon bones and passata in a large pot. Fill the passata jar halfway with water and add that in.

2. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook over low heat for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Top up with water if it starts to get too thick. But make sure you keep an eye on it, it can catch easily!

3. Remove the bones, shred the meat, and return it to the pot.

To finish:
4. Cook your pasta according to packet instructions (don’t overcook it like I did!). Drain and stir through the sauce.
5. Serve hot, topped with a handful of cheese.

Chef’s Tip: This gets even better the next day, so box up leftovers for easy lunches. Add a splash of water when reheating to loosen the sauce again.

Enjoy

Del x

If you want the other 2 recipes to go with these bacon bones you can find them here.  Pea and Ham Soup and Chicken Parmy! Also here is the shopping list if you did want to make all 3 dinners.