Take pasta to the next level with this fabulous Bacon Gouda Pasta! Creamy Gouda cheese meets delicious thick-cut bacon to top tender pasta. This dish is indulgent and decadent - and best of all, delicious!

Step 1: Gather Your Ingredients

For this recipe, you will need the following ingredients:

12 ounces dried Rotini pasta

16 ounces butcher's cut (thick cut) bacon

16 ounces (2 cups) 2 % milk

7 ounces Gouda cheese

1 medium yellow onion, diced

3 tablespoons minced garlic

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons flour

Step 2: Prepare the Ingredients

Prepare the ingredients. Dice the onion into small pieces. Remove the wax cover from the Gouda cheese by slicing it with an knife. Discard the red wax. Grate the Gouda cheese using the larger holes of the cheese grater.

Step 3: Prepare the Bacon

Chop the bacon into 1 inch thick pieces.

Step 4: Cook the Bacon

To a large pan, add oil and butter. Cook over medium heat until butter is melted. Add the bacon pieces, diced onion, and minced garlic. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until bacon is dark and slightly crispy.

Step 5: Cook the Pasta Noodles

While the bacon, onions, and garlic are cooking, cook pasta according to package directions in a large pot of boiling water (generally 10 to 12 minutes over medium heat). Drain in a colander and set aside.

Step 6: Transfer the Bacon

Transfer 2 tablespoons of liquid from the pan with the bacon to another frying pan. Set the heat to medium. Using a slotted spoon, transfer pieces of bacon to this frying pan and continue to cook until crispy.

Step 7: Begin the Cheese Sauce

Add the flour to the original pan with the remaining liquid from the bacon. Stir vigorously until all lumps are gone, continuing to cook the mixture over medium heat.

Step 8: Add the Dairy

Add the milk and grated cheese to the saucepan. Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until cheese has melted. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for an additional 6 minutes. Remove from heat; sauce will thicken.

Step 9: Compose the Dish

Compose the dish by first adding the cooked bacon. Scoop bacon with a slotted spoon to avoid adding any excess grease. Discard bacon grease in an environmentally safe container. Spoon bacon over pasta noodles. Poor cheese sauce over the pasta.