There’s something irresistibly comforting about a bowl of pasta that marries rich, savoury flavours with a bit of brightness, and this pasta recipe with blue cheese and bacon penne hits that sweet spot every time. The pasta simmers in a silky sauce spiked with crumbled blue cheese, crisp bacon lardons, and a hint of wholegrain mustard, so each bite is creamy, tangy, and satisfyingly smoky.
On the side, a crisp salad of juicy pear, shredded Cos lettuce, and fresh chives gets dressed in a honey-mustard vinaigrette, offering just the right touch of sweetness and crunch. Together, this pasta recipe is an easy weeknight dinner that feels like a special occasion, no fancy techniques required, just simple ingredients coming together in perfect harmony.
Love a good pasta recipe? Don’t miss this Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta – proper comfort food!
Blue Cheese & Bacon Penne with Pear Salad
Ingredients
- 200 g Penne Pasta
- 30 g Blue Cheese
- 1 Pear
- 1 sachet Chicken Stock Powder
- 1 Shallot
- 1 sachet Grated Italian Style Hard Cheese
- 60 g Bacon Lardons
- 1 clove Garlic Clove
- 1 sachet Cider Vinegar
- 100 g Crème Fraîche
- 1 sachet Honey
- 0.5 bunch Chives
- 200 ml Water for the Sauce
- 1 tsp Wholegrain Mustard
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Cosberg Lettuce
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne and cook for about 12 minutes, until just tender. Drain using a colander like this for easy, mess-free straining., drizzle with a little olive oil, and set aside to keep from sticking.
- In a big bowl, toss together shredded Cos lettuce, thinly sliced pear, crumbled blue cheese, and chopped chives. In a small bowl, whisk cider vinegar, honey, wholegrain mustard, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Pour over the salad and toss gently. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat a splash of olive oil in a large skillet like this over medium-high. Add the bacon lardons and cook until golden, about 3–4 minutes. Stir in the sliced shallot and cook 2–3 minutes more until soft. Add the garlic and stir for 1 minute. You can finely chop the garlic or use a garlic press like this to save time.
- Pour in the water, sprinkle in the chicken-stock powder, and stir in half the mustard. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat slightly, then stir in the crème fraîche and half of the grated Italian cheese. Simmer 1–2 minutes until smooth.
- Stir the cooked penne into the sauce, tossing to coat. Cook for another minute until piping hot. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Divide the pasta between bowls, sprinkle over the remaining cheese, and serve with the pear salad on the side. Enjoy!
Top Tips for this Blue Cheese & Bacon Pasta Recipe
Pasta timing: Cook your pasta just shy of al dente—it’ll finish cooking in the sauce and soak up all that flavour.
Crisp bacon: For extra crispy bacon, spread the lardons out well in the pan and don’t overcrowd, they’ll brown better that way.
Make it veggie: Swap the bacon lardons for sautéed mushrooms or toasted walnuts for a veggie-friendly version.