The Weary Chef

Delicious recipes made easy for busy cooks!

  • Recipes
    • Healthy Meals
    • Recipe Roundups
    • Dinner
    • Desserts
    • Mexican Food
    • Appetizers and Snacks
    • Red Meat
    • Pasta and Noodles
    • Sandwiches and Pizza
  • Weekly Dinner Menus
  • About
    • Meet the Team
    • About Rosie
    • Disclosures
  • Contact
You are here: Home / Recipes / Lighter Bacon Alfredo with Gouda and Parmesan

All Time Favorite Recipes Dinner Pasta and Noodles

Lighter Bacon Alfredo with Gouda and Parmesan

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

With only a little butter and milk instead of cream, this Bacon Alfredo with Gouda is less guilt inducing than it may seem! (Includes gluten-free version!)

With only a little butter and milk instead of cream, this Bacon Alfredo with Gouda and Parmesan is lighter than it looks! - wearychef.com

I found the original recipe for this dish at Cassie Craves. It sounded scrumptious, but my conscience required that I lighten it up if I wanted to make it myself. The result is still rich and delicious, and you wouldn’t know it was a healthier version!

With only a little butter and milk instead of cream, this Bacon Alfredo with Gouda and Parmesan is lighter than it looks! - wearychef.com

When I say this recipe is healthier, the “-er” is really important. It’s still made with cheese and bacon, but not that much bacon. Replacing the heavy cream with milk helps reduce guilt as well. Since my digestive system has turned on me, I needed to use gluten-free flour for the sauce. (You can use regular all-purpose flour like a normal person if you prefer.) This was my first time making a cream sauce with GF flour, and let me tell you something: IT WORKED BETTER! I’m not just saying that to console myself. The flour didn’t seem to make lumps as easily as wheat flour, so the sauce was a lot more foolproof.

With only a little butter and milk instead of cream, this Bacon Alfredo with Gouda and Parmesan is lighter than it looks! - wearychef.com

I don’t recommend you go out and spend $6 on a tiny bag of gluten-free flour to make this recipe if you don’t need to, but rest assured that if you and wheat don’t get along, you can still make a mean bacon alfredo sauce. Now go get some bacon and get cooking!

Adapted from Farfalle with Bacon, Onions, and Gouda at Cassie Craves.

Print

clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon



Print Recipe



Pin Recipe

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can’t wait to see what you’ve made!

Click to learn how to make a smooth cream sauce here with my video tutorial!

More creamy pasta recipes you’ll love:

Creamy Dijon Shrimp Pasta

Cajun Salmon Alfredo - wearychef.comCajun Salmon Alfredo

Believe it or not, this delicious Shrimp Scampi Alfredo is ready in about 15 minutes and is lightened up too!Light Shrimp Scampi Alfredo

Print Recipe
Lighter Bacon Alfredo with Gouda and Parmesan
With only a little butter and milk instead of cream, this Bacon Alfredo with Gouda is less guilt inducing than it may seem! (Includes gluten-free version!)
With only a little butter and milk instead of cream, this Bacon Alfredo with Gouda and Parmesan is lighter than it looks! - wearychef.com
Votes: 24
Rating: 3.04
You:
Rate this recipe!
Course Main
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings
Ingredients
  • 14-16 ounces package of pasta (I use gluten-free pasta.)
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 3 slices center-cut bacon
  • 1/2 sweet onion diced
  • 1 tablespoon flour all-purpose gluten-free flour works great!
  • 2 cups milk plus up to 1/4 cup more
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan
  • 3/4 cup grated smoked gouda
  • salt and pepper to taste
Course Main
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings
Ingredients
  • 14-16 ounces package of pasta (I use gluten-free pasta.)
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 3 slices center-cut bacon
  • 1/2 sweet onion diced
  • 1 tablespoon flour all-purpose gluten-free flour works great!
  • 2 cups milk plus up to 1/4 cup more
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan
  • 3/4 cup grated smoked gouda
  • salt and pepper to taste
With only a little butter and milk instead of cream, this Bacon Alfredo with Gouda and Parmesan is lighter than it looks! - wearychef.com
Votes: 24
Rating: 3.04
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions, and drain.
  2. While pasta cooks, melt butter in 12" skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and bacon, and sauté until onion and bacon start to brown.
  3. Sprinkle flour over bacon and onion, and stir together. Reduce heat to medium. Slowly add milk about ¼ c. at at time, stirring constantly until mixture is smooth before adding more milk. Continue until all milk is added. Simmer until thickened and bubbly, 4-5 minutes.
  4. Reduce heat to low. Add parmesan and gouda, and gently stir until cheeses are melted. Remove pan from heat, and add salt and pepper to taste. Add drained pasta, and stir to coat. If pasta seems too dry, add up to ¼ c. milk or reserved pasta cooking water to loosen up sauce. Enjoy!


12 Comments

Comments

  1. Carol says

    September 29, 2014 at 12:35 pm

    I can’t print the recipes I want. Is there a reason ?

    Reply
    • Andi says

      September 30, 2014 at 12:22 pm

      Hi, Carol. I have had the print function break on recipes occasionally, but it looks OK for me on this alfredo pasta. Is it not working for you when you click “Print” or is there another recipe you were having trouble with? Let me know, and I’ll be happy to look into it and get back to you. Thanks!

      Reply
  2. Courtney S says

    August 1, 2014 at 12:14 pm

    this looks sooooooo good – and I think I would like to try it gluten-free. Are you able to find these products in regular grocery stores? Or do I need to go somewhere different?

    Reply
    • Andi says

      August 2, 2014 at 8:15 am

      Hi, Courtney! Thank you! It might depend on where you live, but I can find at least one kind of gluten-free flour even at small grocery stores around here. The bigger stores have a few choices, and Whole Foods has a ton of options if you have one of those nearby. (You can get rice flour in the bulk section of Whole Foods. It’s not very expensive, and you can buy just as much as you need.) Bob’s Red Mill is one brand to look for at regular stores, and their packages are usually near the flour and baking mixes. They have a GF all-purpose flour that would be good for a recipe like this. I hope this helps!

      Reply
  3. Erin {Delightful E Made} says

    July 22, 2014 at 8:25 am

    Andi, this pasta looks amazing!! And on the lighter side, also?!? Fantastic! Have pinned and will be sharing on FB (with proper link back to your site, of course) later today. ~Erin @ DelightfulEMade.com

    Reply
    • Andi says

      July 24, 2014 at 9:17 am

      Thank you so much for sharing my recipe, Erin. I’m glad you like it!

      Reply
  4. Carrie Pacini says

    July 21, 2014 at 7:42 am

    This Bacon Gouda Pasta looks Amazing!

    Reply
    • Andi says

      July 24, 2014 at 11:24 pm

      Thanks so much, Carrie!

      Reply
  5. Pamela @ Brooklyn Farm Girl says

    July 20, 2014 at 8:44 pm

    This looks so cheesy and delicious! Totally going to make this for dinner soon!

    Reply
    • Andi says

      July 24, 2014 at 11:22 pm

      Thanks, Pamela! It’s nice to hear from you :) I want to make one of your recipes soon too and put it in my menu. I’ll try to do that in the next week or two!

      Reply
  6. Angie S says

    July 18, 2014 at 10:58 am

    Um, this pretty much looks like heaven on a plate! Pinned and will be making very soon!

    Reply
    • Andi says

      July 18, 2014 at 11:23 am

      Thanks, Angie! You should have seen the old iPhone photo that was here until last night. It looked like something on a plate, but it sure wasn’t heaven ;) I hope you love the recipe, and thank you for the pin!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

Latest posts

  • Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts Recipe Sweet and Buttery
  • Air Fryer Green Beans Recipe in 10 Minutes
  • 10 Ground Pork Recipes for Cheap and Easy Meals
  • Cheesy Creamy Rotini Pasta Recipe
  • Best 18 Cajun Christmas Recipes for Dinner

Copyright © 2023 · Divine theme by Restored 316

Copyright © 2023 · Weary Chef
Recipes | Kitchen Guide
Write for Us | Disclosure & Privacy Policy | Contact