Spanish chorizo and bacon pasta in a delicious but simple tomato sauce livened up with a splash of sherry vinegar and chilli flakes.
This wonderfully meaty pasta recipe is very easy to make and comes together in under 30 minutes, and that includes the preparation.
Bacon and Chorizo Rigatoni
Chorizo has become a regular ingredient for me to pair with pasta in recent years.
The smoky, paprika-rich, bitter-sweet tones just seem to work so well, and the oils that leech from the sausage coat pasta so well.
I've created dishes that range from prawn and chorizo pasta to chicken and leek pasta, and a wonderful crispy chicken and chorizo pasta bake.
My latest offering is a rather foxy chorizo and bacon pasta in a simple yet delicious tomato sauce.
Chorizo is blessed with so much flavour, just like the bacon, the sauce needs very little added to it, other than a little bit of salt, sugar, chilli and a little acidity.
I chose the wonderful complexity of sherry vinegar to add the "tart" tones to this recipe. It's magical stuff, and a little goes a long way in this recipe. It also "doffs" a cap to the Spanish home of chorizo sausage.
The best bit is that all of this loveliness can be yours in under 30 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use different types of pasta?
Yes, this dish works with most pasta shapes; everything from tagliatelle to fettuccine and orechiette to farfalle would all be wonderful.
It also works well with gnocchi!
Can I use chopped tinned tomatoes?
Yes, they will work fine, but I prefer tinned plum tomatoes and roughly chop them myself. They just hold together a bit better, and I find that the sauce is less watery.
Can I omit the chilli?
Yes, of course, if spice isn't your thing, feel free to give the chilli flakes a miss.
Do I have to use sherry vinegar?
A little acidity in this recipe is important, as it is with so many dishes. But you could use red or white wine vinegar and even cider vinegar at a push.
If you are using cider vinegar, start with half of a tablespoon, have a taste and add more if required.
Can I make this in advance?
Yes, although I very much prefer this dish straight from the pan. Having said that, it makes a pretty good pasta salad, and it will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days in an airtight container.
Serving Suggestions
Simple pasta dishes often work wonderfully with simple sides, and this chorizo and bacon pasta is no different.
A few slices of garlic baguette or cheesy garlic bread work exceptionally well with this recipe.
If you are looking for something "same but different", and even better, give this wonderful soft potato focaccia a whirl.
It's from my friend Rosemary, and I made it the first time a year or so ago, and it has become a bit of an obsession. It freezes wonderfully, and so often I have some set aside in the freezer!
Equipment Used
I only name-check brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/stovetop.
- 25cm or 10" frying pan.
- 20cm or 8" saucepan.
- Chopping board.
- Kicthen knife.
- Colander.
- Stirring and serving spoons.
- Weighing scales and measuring spoons.
Tomato, Chorizo and Bacon Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 100 g Smoked Bacon Lardons 3½oz
- 125 g Cooking Chorizo 4oz
- 1 Small-Medium Echalion or Banana Shallot 35g
- 3 Garlic Cloves
- 200 g Tin of Plum Tomatoes 7oz
- 1 tablespoon Sherry Vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon Salt (Plus extra for boiling the pasta)
- ¼ teaspoon Sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Dried Chilli Flakes
- 200 g Dried Pasta 7oz (I use rigatoni)
Instructions
- Remove the skins from the chorizo, then roughly chop or break it up.
- Heat a 25cm or 10" frying pan over a medium-low heat, add the bacon lardons and chorizo and cook for 5-7 minutes, to get the fat starting to render. Stir occasionally.
- Cut the shallot in half, peel it and dice it as finely as you can.
- Peel the garlic cloves and finely dice them.
- Turn the heat under the bacon and chorizo up to medium, add the shallots and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring regularly.
- Roughly chop the tinned plum tomatoes and add them to the pan with the sherry vinegar, salt, sugar and dried chilli flakes, then simmer until the pasta is cooked.
- As soon as you have the sauce simmering, add the pasta to a pan (20cm or 8") of boiling well-salted water (I use 1½ teaspoons in a pan this size), and cook until al dente. Around 10 minutes.
- Drain the pasta, reserving around 75ml (⅓ cup) of the cooking water, then combine the pasta with the sauce, adding as much of the cooking water required to get a nice emulsion.
