Creamy Asparagus & Bacon Pasta Bake

🥘 Ingredients

• asparagus
  8 oz
• bacon
  4 strips
• chicken stock concentrate
  1 unit
• cooking oil
  2 tbsp
• cream sauce base
  1 unit
• garlic
  2 cloves
• lemon
  1 unit
• onion
  1 unit
• parmesan cheese
  ⅓ cup
• penne pasta
  6 oz
• sour cream
  2 tbsp

1. 

   1

   bacon penne pasta asparagus onion garlic lemon chicken stock concentrate sour cream cream sauce base parmesan cheese cooking oil

   bacon: 4 strips, penne pasta: 6 oz, asparagus: 8 oz, onion: 1 unit, garlic: 2 cloves, lemon: 1 unit, chicken stock concentrate: 1 unit, sour cream: 2 tbsp, cream sauce base: 1 unit, parmesan cheese: ⅓ cup, cooking oil: 2 tbsp
2. 

   2

   Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Coat an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Place bacon on a baking sheet and roast on top rack until crispy ⏱️ 12 minutes . Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate and roughly chop once cool enough to handle.
3. 

   3

   Once water is boiling, add penne pasta to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente ⏱️ 10 minutes . Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain.
4. 

   4

   While pasta cooks, trim and discard woody bottom ends from asparagus; cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces. Halve, peel, and finely dice onion. Peel and mince garlic. Zest and quarter lemon.
5. 

   5

   Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add asparagus and onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until lightly browned and tender ⏱️ 5 minutes . Add garlic; cook, stirring, until fragrant ⏱️ 45 seconds more.
6. 

   6

   Return drained penne pasta to empty pot; add cooked veggies and half the chopped bacon. Add chicken stock concentrate, sour cream, cream sauce base, juice from half the lemon, and a pinch of lemon zest. Stir to combine, adding splashes of reserved pasta cooking water as needed until everything is coated in a creamy sauce.
7. 

   7

   Transfer pasta mixture to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with parmesan cheese. Bake on top rack until cheese melts ⏱️ 4 minutes . Sprinkle with remaining chopped bacon.
8. 8

   Let pasta bake rest ⏱️ 5 minutes before serving. Serve family style directly from baking dish with remaining lemon wedges on the side.