Every June, right around the time the tomatoes start looking good again, my grandpa calls and asks if I’ll make this oven baked 5-ingredient BLT pasta. It’s exactly the kind of comfort food he grew up on—creamy, a little smoky from the bacon, and simple enough to toss together on a busy weeknight. Everything bakes up in one glass dish, and the whole thing feels like a cozy mash-up of a BLT sandwich and a cheesy pasta bake, with almost no fuss or fancy steps.
This BLT pasta is plenty hearty on its own, but I like to round it out with a simple green salad or some steamed green beans to get a little extra veg on the table. Garlic bread or warm dinner rolls are always a hit for soaking up the creamy sauce left in the baking dish. For something refreshing, serve with iced tea or lemonade. If you’re feeding a crowd, you can set the hot glass dish right in the middle of the table with a big serving spatula and let everyone scoop out their own portion family-style.
Oven Baked 5-Ingredient BLT PastaServings: 6
Ingredients
8 ounces uncooked short pasta (penne, rotini, or shells)
8 ounces thick-cut bacon, chopped
2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved (or 1 can diced tomatoes, drained)
2 cups loosely packed chopped romaine or iceberg lettuce
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (or mild cheddar)
2 cups whole milk (for boiling pasta and loosening if needed, pantry basic, optional)
1 teaspoon salt, divided (pantry basic, to taste)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper (pantry basic, to taste)
Nonstick cooking spray or a little oil for greasing the baking dish (pantry basic, optional)
Directions
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch glass baking dish with nonstick spray or a little oil so the pasta doesn’t stick.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 2–3 minutes less than the package directions for al dente, since it will finish softening in the oven. Drain well and set aside.
While the pasta cooks, place the chopped bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is browned and crispy, about 8–10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel–lined plate to drain. Carefully spoon off excess bacon grease from the skillet, leaving just a thin coating if you’d like to cook the tomatoes in it for extra flavor.
Add the halved cherry tomatoes (or drained canned tomatoes) to the warm skillet with the remaining bacon drippings. Cook over medium heat for 2–3 minutes, just until the tomatoes start to soften and release a bit of juice. Season lightly with a pinch of salt and pepper. This step helps the tomatoes stay juicy and blend into the creamy pasta.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained pasta, cooked bacon, warm tomatoes (with their juices), and 1 1/2 cups of the shredded mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle in about 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Toss gently until everything is evenly distributed. If the mixture seems a little dry, you can splash in 1–2 tablespoons of milk to help it come together.
Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared glass baking dish, spreading it out in an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese over the top for a nice cheesy crust.
Cover the baking dish loosely with foil (tent it so it doesn’t stick to the cheese) and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10–15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, the edges are bubbling, and the pasta is heated through.
While the pasta bakes, chop the romaine or iceberg lettuce into bite-size pieces. Pat it dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels so it doesn’t water down the pasta when you add it.
When the pasta is done, remove the baking dish from the oven and let it sit on the counter for 5 minutes to settle. Just before serving, gently fold the chopped lettuce over the top of the hot pasta, or sprinkle it in a generous layer and lightly toss with a spatula so some of the lettuce wilts while the rest stays crisp.
Serve the BLT pasta straight from the glass baking dish with a sturdy serving spatula, scooping down to get a little bit of creamy noodles, crispy bacon, juicy tomatoes, and crunchy lettuce in each portion. Taste and add more salt and pepper at the table if needed.
Variations & Tips
For picky eaters, you can keep the lettuce on the side and let everyone sprinkle it on their own serving, or skip it for kids who prefer their pasta plain and green-free. If you’re short on time, use pre-cooked bacon pieces instead of frying your own; just warm them briefly in a dry skillet to crisp up before adding to the pasta. For extra creaminess, stir 1/2 cup of sour cream, cream cheese, or ranch dressing into the pasta mixture before baking (this technically adds an ingredient, but can be treated as an optional pantry boost). You can swap mozzarella for mild cheddar, Monterey Jack, or a blend of whatever cheese you have on hand. If you don’t have cherry tomatoes, canned diced tomatoes (drained) work well and make this easy to throw together any time of year. To lighten things up a bit, use turkey bacon and whole wheat pasta, and add a handful of frozen peas or corn when you mix the pasta. Food safety tips: Always cook bacon until it is browned and crispy, with no raw or rubbery spots, and wash your hands and any surfaces that touched the raw bacon. Keep the cooked pasta bake hot (above 140°F/60°C) if it will sit out on a buffet, and refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in a shallow container. Reheat leftovers until steaming hot all the way through (165°F/74°C) before serving. Because this is baked in a glass dish, avoid placing the hot dish directly onto a cold or wet surface to prevent the glass from cracking; set it on a dry towel or trivet when it comes out of the oven.
