Things to do with Diced Bacon

Pantry/Crisper Essentials

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Diced bacon is one of life’s delicious indulgences and is used extensively on this website to add flavour, protein and saltiness to a wide variety of dishes.

Bacon is made from pork, generally from cuts taken from the belly or back of the pig, which is cured for several days using a mixture of salt, sugar, nitrates and sometimes additional flavourings like spices, honey or maple syrup. It can also be smoked by exposing it to wood smoke.

Diced BaconBacon can be used in a wide range of dishes, at all times of the day, most famously served for breakfast with a fried egg. Diced bacon is excellent for adding flavour and protein to various recipes such as soups, stews, pastas and casseroles. It is can also be used as a topping for pizza or baked potatoes, in wraps and sandwiches, in omelettes and vegetable dishes, or sprinkled over salads.

As a processed meat, bacon should be eaten in moderation. Nevertheless, it’s a good source of protein, which is essential for building and repairing tissues in your body, as well as several B vitamins, plus the minerals zinc, magnesium and iron. Bacon also contains choline, a nutrient that supports brain health and helps with the production of neurotransmitters.

Diced bacon is a handy, useful and versatile ingredient, which is why I’ve included it as a Pantry Essential. As a cured meat, diced bacon can be kept for some time in the refrigerator, but it can also be frozen. I’ve found it most convenient to freeze diced bacon in small (30ml) containers and so always have it fresh and on hand.

The recipes in this collection, as well as being tasty and varied, are especially designed for those times when diced bacon may be the only meat you have on hand, or when you just feel like indulging. They are also great ways to use all that leftover Christmas ham.

Diced bacon is used in many more recipes on this website. Just enter ‘diced bacon’ or ‘bacon’ in ‘Search’ to find them all.

As mentioned, bacon is most famously associated with eggs, such as in the recipes in the entry 6 Ways with Bacon and Egg.

 

Recipes

Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato (BLT) Salad

Roast Mushrooms

Stuffed Capsicum

Mashed Potato Pie

Corn and Bacon Chowder

Quick Pea and Ham Soup

Creamy Bacon and Potato Soup

Pasta all’Amatriciana

Creamy Pasta with Peas and Bacon

Creamy Bacon and Spinach Pasta

Stir Fried Noodles

Fried Rice

Quick Rice Salad

Cheesy Corn and Bacon

 

Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato (BLT) Salad

  • 1½ cups cos or iceberg lettuce leaves, torn
  • 2 tbsp. diced bacon
  • 1 slice wholegrain bread, toasted
  • 4–6 cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 tbsp. mayonnaise
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 tsp. lemon juice
  • Chives, pepper and garlic granules

 

  1. Whisk the lemon juice into the mayonnaise, then drizzle in olive oil and whisk
  2. Stir in chives, pepper and garlic
  3. Cut the toast into small squares
  4. In a 1 litre bowl, toss together the torn lettuce with the diced bacon, toasted squares and cherry tomatoes
  5. Drizzle salad with dressing and toss lightly

 

Roast Mushrooms

  • 2 medium or 1 large flat or Portobello mushrooms
  • 2 tbsp. diced bacon
  • Garlic granules, pepper and parsley
  • ¼ cup breadcrumbs
  • 1 tbsp. shredded Parmesan cheese
  • Olive or canola oil

 

  1. Remove stalk from mushrooms and peel caps if necessary
  2. In each cap place diced bacon with spices
  3. Mix breadcrumbs with parsley and Parmesan cheese and dampen with a little oil
  4. Press mixture into mushroom caps
  5. Bake in a moderate (175°C) toaster oven for 20 minutes

Tip: to make breadcrumbs, break one half of a toasted slice of wholegrain bread into small pieces, then process in a bullet blender to break the pieces down into crumbs.

 

Stuffed Capsicum

  • 1 red or green capsicum
  • 1 single-serve microwave rice
  • 2 tbsp. diced bacon
  • 2 tbsp. (plus) shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tbsp. shredded mozzarella (optional)
  • 2 tsp. tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp. olive or canola oil
  • Dried onion, garlic, pepper, oregano and parsley

 

  1. Microwave rice for 40 seconds
  2. Cut capsicum in half through the stem and remove membranes and seeds
  3. Microwave capsicum for 2 minutes
  4. Stir bacon, Parmesan, tomato paste, olive oil, herbs and spices into rice
  5. Fill capsicum halves with rice mixture
  6. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella and/or more Parmesan
  7. Bake in a hot (200°C) toaster oven for 40 minutes

 

Mashed Potato Pie

  • 3 tbsp. instant mashed potatoes
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbsp. shredded mozzarella
  • ½ tbsp. (plus) shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tbsp. diced bacon
  • Dried onion, pepper and parsley
  • Oil spray

 

  1. Spray a small pie dish with oil
  2. Add instant mashed potatoes and stir in enough boiling water to reconstitute
  3. Allow to cool
  4. Stir in mozzarella, Parmesan, diced bacon and spices
  5. Whisk in the egg
  6. Smooth out and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese (optional)
  7. Bake in a pre-heated hot (200°C) toaster oven for 25 minutes

 

Corn and Bacon Chowder

  • 2 tbsp. diced bacon
  • 1 x 125gm can corn kernels
  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • ½ cup low-fat milk
  • 1 tbsp. instant mashed potatoes
  • 1 tsp. chicken stock powder
  • Garlic, pepper and parsley
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)
  • Butter or margarine

 

  1. Place corn with the canning water in the small cup of a bullet blender and process until semi-puréed
  2. In a small saucepan sauté onion and garlic in melted butter
  3. Add diced bacon and sauté
  4. Add puréed corn with an additional 2 tbsp. water, stock powder, pepper and parsley
  5. Add ½ cup boiling water and simmer for 10 minutes
  6. Add milk and return to a simmer
  7. Add instant mashed potatoes and stir until soup thickens
  8. Stir in a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese (optional)

Variation: substitute 1/3 cup frozen corn kernels with 1 tbsp. cold water for the canned corn at Step 1, microwave on high for 2 minutes then allow to cool before processing

 

Quick Pea and Ham Soup

  • ¾ cup frozen peas
  • ¼ cup carrot, grated (optional)
  • 2 tbsp. diced bacon
  • ½ tsp. chicken stock powder
  • Pepper, garlic granules and dried onion
  • Parsley
  • 1 tbsp. natural yoghurt (optional)

 

  1. Boil peas until tender and allow to cool in water
  2. Liquidise peas thoroughly with 2 tbsp. of the water
  3. Place in a small saucepan with an additional ½ cup water and stock powder
  4. Add spices and parsley
  5. Bring to the boil and add bacon and carrot (optional)
  6. Simmer gently for 15–20 minutes, adding more water if required
  7. Remove from heat and stir in yoghurt (optional)

Variation: substitute 220gm can peas for cooked frozen peas and begin at Step 2

 

Creamy Potato and Bacon Soup

  • ¾ cup canned potatoes, chopped
  • 2 tbsp. diced bacon
  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • ¾ cup low-fat milk
  • 1 tsp. chicken stock powder
  • 1 tbsp. instant mashed potatoes
  • Pepper, paprika, parsley and chives
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)
  • Butter or margarine

 

  1. Sauté onion in melted butter with pepper and paprika
  2. Add diced bacon and sauté
  3. Add chopped potatoes with parsley and chives and sauté to heat through
  4. Add milk with stock powder and slowly bring to the boil
  5. Simmer for 10 minutes stirring often
  6. Stir in instant mashed potatoes
  7. Continue to simmer and stir until soup thickens
  8. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese (optional)

 

Pasta all’Amatriciana

  • ½ cup pasta
  • ½ cup diced tomatoes
  • 2 tsp. tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp. chopped onion
  • 2 tbsp. diced bacon
  • Chilli and garlic paste
  • Basil and pepper
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)
  • Olive or canola oil

 

  1. Liquidise diced tomatoes in the small cup of a bullet blender with tomato paste
  2. In a small saucepan, sauté onions with generous amounts of garlic and chilli paste
  3. Add diced bacon and sauté
  4. Add tomatoes with an additional 2 tbsp. water, basil and pepper and heat through
  5. Add ¼ cup water, bring to the boil and stir in pasta
  6. Set to simmer, stirring often and adding more water if required for 12 – 15 minutes or until pasta is cooked
  7. Stir in a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese (optional)

 

Creamy Pasta with Peas and Bacon

  • ½ cup pasta
  • 1/3 cup frozen peas
  • 2 tbsp. diced bacon
  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • 1 tsp. chicken stock powder (optional)
  • Pepper and parsley
  • 2 tsp. lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp. natural yoghurt
  • 1 tbsp. shredded Parmesan cheese
  • Butter or margarine

 

  1. In a small saucepan, sauté onion in melted butter with pepper
  2. Add bacon and sauté
  3. Add ¾ cup boiling water with stock powder (optional) and parsley and bring to the boil
  4. Add pasta and simmer for 5 minutes
  5. Add peas with lemon juice, return to the boil and simmer for a further 8–10 minutes, adding a little water if required
  6. Stir through Parmesan cheese until melted
  7. Remove from the heat and stir in yoghurt

 

Creamy Bacon and Spinach Pasta

  • ½ cup pasta
  • 2 tbsp. diced bacon
  • 2 portions frozen spinach, thawed (or 1 cup spinach leaves, chopped)
  • 1 tsp. chicken stock powder
  • Garlic, dried onion, pepper and parsley
  • 1 tbsp. shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tbsp. natural yoghurt
  • Butter or margarine

 

  1. In a small saucepan, melt butter with garlic, onion and pepper
  2. Add bacon and sauté
  3. Add ¾ cup boiling water with stock powder and herbs
  4. Bring to the boil and add pasta
  5. Set to simmer, stirring often and adding more water if required for 10 minutes
  6. Stir in spinach
  7. Continue simmering until pasta is cooked (12–15 minutes in all)
  8. Stir in Parmesan cheese until melted
  9. Remove from heat and stir in yoghurt

 

Stir Fried Noodles

  • 1 portion instant noodles
  • 2 tbsp. diced bacon
  • 2 tbsp. chopped onion
  • ½ cup coleslaw mix (or see below)
  • ½ tsp. chicken stock powder
  • 1 tsp. soy sauce
  • 1 tsp. lemon juice (optional)
  • Mild curry powder and garlic
  • Chinese 5 spice (or pepper and cinnamon)
  • Canola oil

 

  1. Douse noodles in boiling water for 3 minutes, teasing them apart
  2. Drain and retain 2 tbsp. of the water
  3. Stir soy sauce, lemon juice (optional) and stock powder into the retained noodle water
  4. Stir fry onion with spices
  5. Add diced bacon and stir fry
  6. Add vegetables and stir fry until wilted
  7. Stir in sauce
  8. Stir through noodles until the sauce is reduced

Variations:

  • substitute sliced celery, mushrooms, red capsicum (or red onion) and/or carrot for some or all of the coleslaw mix
  • substitute (frozen) stir fry mix for the coleslaw mix

 

Fried Rice

  • 1 single-serve microwave rice
  • 2 tbsp. diced bacon
  • ½ cup red capsicum, carrot and mushrooms, chopped
  • ½ tsp. chicken stock powder
  • Dried onion and garlic granules
  • 1 tsp. soy sauce
  • Chinese 5 spice (or pepper and cinnamon)
  • Canola oil

 

  1. Place rice in a wide bowl and break up
  2. Heat a little oil in a wok and stir fry diced bacon
  3. Add vegetables and stir fry to heat through
  4. Add garlic, onion, spices, stock powder and soy sauce with 2 tbsp. water
  5. Stir fry until vegetables are cooked to your taste
  6. Stir in rice and continue to stir fry until heated through and most of the water is absorbed

Variation: substitute frozen mixed vegetables or stir fry mix for the fresh vegetables

 

Quick Rice Salad

  • 1 single-serve microwave rice
  • ¼ cup frozen mixed vegetables
  • 2 tbsp. diced bacon
  • 1 tbsp. mayonnaise
  • 1 tsp. lemon juice
  • Pepper and parsley

 

  1. Microwave mixed vegetables in a little water on high for 90 seconds
  2. Drain and rinse to cool
  3. Empty microwave rice into a 1 litre bowl and break up with a fork
  4. Add diced bacon and vegetables to rice
  5. Whisk lemon juice, pepper and parsley into mayonnaise
  6. Stir mayonnaise into rice

 

Cheesy Corn and Bacon

  • 1 x 125gm can corn kernels, drained
  • 2 tbsp. diced bacon
  • ¼ cup rice
  • Garlic granules, dried onion, pepper and parsley
  • 1 tbsp. shredded Parmesan cheese
  • Olive or canola oil

 

  1. In a small saucepan sauté bacon in oil
  2. Add drained corn with herbs and spices and sauté
  3. Add rice and stir until translucent
  4. Add 2/3 cup boiling water, cover and simmer for 15 minutes
  5. Stir in Parmesan cheese

Variations:

  • substitute ¼ cup small macaroni or elbows for the rice and reduce added water to ½ cup
  • substitute 1/3 cup frozen corn kernels for the canned corn
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