Punch Up the Flavor with These Pancetta Recipes

By

Food & Wine Editors

Updated on July 31, 2023

Pancetta-Wrapped Roast Leg of Lamb — Photo: © Quentin Bacon

Pancetta — the Italian bacon made of pork belly meat — adds depth of flavor to all kinds of dishes. Thin strips make excellent wrappers for roasts and hors d'oeuvres like Jean-Georges Vongerichten's garlic-stuffed porcini mushrooms. Diced and pan-fried, pancetta gives extra interest to salads and veggie sides. Of course, it's superb with pasta, too, as in cheesy baked rigatoni or meaty Bolognese. No matter which way you slice it, pancetta has the power to take your dish to the next level, and these are the pancetta recipes to show you how.

01 of 20

Hearty Chicken Stew with Pancetta Gremolata

Chicken Pot Roast Stew Recipe — Caitlin Bensel

Just thick enough and full of tender chicken and barely sweet parsnips, this stew is remarkably hearty yet light at the same time. The real hero here is the pancetta gremolata; sprinkled over just before serving, it provides a bright, crispy finishing touch.

02 of 20

Pappardelle with White Bolognese

Pasta with White Bolognese Sauce — Antonis Achilleos

This tomato-free Bolognese features pancetta, ground beef, ground veal, cremini mushrooms, and fresh herbs. Frying the sage leaves in the rendered pancetta fat gives them a great earthy flavor and lovely crisp texture that sets this homey pasta apart from the usual.

03 of 20

Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta

Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta — © Petrina Tinslay

The only thing better than a full plate of caramelized brussels sprouts is a plate of brussels sprouts with pancetta.

04 of 20

Butternut Squash Soup with Crisp Pancetta

Butternut Squash Soup with Pancetta — © John Kernick

In this recipe from chef Tom Valenti, butternut squash is first buttered, seasoned, and roasted with pancetta slices draped over the top to infuse flavor. The finished soup is pureed until creamy smooth and served with the crispy crumbled pancetta for textural contrast.

05 of 20

Gorgonzola, Fig, and Pancetta Pizza

Gorgonzola, Fig and Pancetta Pizza. Photo © Anson Smart — © Anson Smart

This grilled pizza has a lot going on — from creamy cheese and sweet figs to salted, thinly sliced pancetta that browns on the grill.

06 of 20

Mussels with Pancetta and Crème Fraîche

Mussels with Pancetta and CrÃ¨me FraÃ®che — © John Kernick

The luscious broth for these plump mussels from chef Jimmy Bannos, Jr., is creamy, tangy, and lightly scented with fresh marjoram.

07 of 20

Yellow Squash all'Amatriciana with Pancetta and Spicy Tomato Sauce

Yellow Squash all'Amatriciana with Pancetta and Spicy Tomato Sauce — © Emily Farris

All'Amatriciana, a spicy Italian pasta sauce, is traditionally made with guanciale, salt-cured pork jowl. Pancetta is much easier to find and is a fantastic substitute, while thinly sliced yellow squash is a wonderful gluten-free alternative to semolina noodles.

08 of 20

Pancetta-Wrapped Mushrooms

Pancetta-Wrapped Mushrooms — © Lucy Schaeffer

This easy hors d'oeuvre recipe from chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten has just four ingredients and is party-ready in only 40 minutes.

09 of 20

Pancetta-Wrapped Roast Leg of Lamb

Pancetta-Wrapped Roast Leg of Lamb — © Quentin Bacon

The potent garlic-herb paste here helps the pancetta hug the lamb — and flavors both as they roast.

10 of 20

Mashed Parsnips with Crispy Pancetta

Mashed Parsnips with Crispy Pancetta — Charissa Fay

Completely tender parsnips are the key to a good mash; trim away any fibrous cores from the parsnip roots. A wintry combination of sweet maple, brown butter, and salty pancetta makes these creamy parsnips ultra comforting.

11 of 20

Pancetta-Wrapped Roasted Turkey

Pancetta-Wrapped Roasted Turkey — © Tina Rupp

After rubbing the turkey with a bold and delicious mix of chile powder, cumin, sugar, and herbs, Texas chef Tim Love blankets it with slices of salty, fatty pancetta, resulting in a super-moist and savory roasted turkey.

12 of 20

Warm Potato Salad with Pancetta and Brown Butter Dressing

Warm Potato Salad with Pancetta and Brown Butter Dressing — © Tina Rupp

Former F&W test kitchen editor Grace Parisi whisks brown butter into a tangy, mustardy dressing for creamy fingerling potatoes.

13 of 20

Pancetta-Wrapped Peaches with Basil and Aged Balsamic

Pancetta-Wrapped Peaches with Basil and Ages Balsamic — © Keller & Keller

Chef Stuart Brioza sears sweet summer peaches in pancetta with fresh basil leaves for a crispy, juicy hors d'oeuvre. They would also be an unexpected addition to a frisée or baby escarole salad.

14 of 20

Gouda, Pancetta, and Onion Fondue with Pretzels

Gouda, Pancetta and Onion Fondue with Pretzels. Â© Quentin Bacon — © Quentin Bacon

Leyden, a Dutch cheese flecked with cumin seeds, inspired cheese aficionado Laura Werlin to create this cumin-spiced Gouda fondue. Stir in chopped thick slices of pancetta and onion, and serve it with soft, warm pretzels or pickled vegetables for dipping.

15 of 20

Ricotta and Roasted Tomato Bruschetta with Pancetta

Ricotta and Roasted Tomato Bruschetta with Pancetta — © Johnny Miller

Top this simple bruschetta from cookbook author Susan Spungen with roasted tomatoes and crisped pancetta crumbles.

16 of 20

Baked Rigatoni with Broccoli, Green Olives, and Pancetta

Baked Rigatoni with Broccoli, Green Olives and Pancetta — © Christina Holmes

Chef Hugh Acheson makes his version of baked ziti with browned, finely diced pancetta, sweet roasted tomatoes, olives, and onions.

17 of 20

Warm Grilled Corn with Pancetta and Red Pepper

Warm Grilled Corn with Pancetta and Red Pepper — © Michael Turek

This side dish has a great pork flavor from the pancetta, which gets simmered in water before frying to make it extra crisp.

18 of 20

Pancetta-Beef Burgers with Horseradish Ketchup

Pancetta-Beef Burgers with Horseradish Ketchup — © TIna Rupp

These decadent beef burgers from chef Koren Grieveson stay incredibly moist even when they're well done. The secret? Ground pancetta mixed into the ground beef bastes the burgers from the inside.

19 of 20

Fresh Snow Pea Salad with Pancetta and Pecorino

Fresh Snow Pea Salad with Pancetta and Pecorino — © Chris Court

Chef Daniel Humm's terrific summer salad is crisp and lemony, with bits of meaty pancetta and lots of fresh mint. Since the snow peas aren't cooked, it's best to buy them super fresh, preferably from a farmers market.

20 of 20

Herbed Chickpea Bruschetta

Herbed Chickpea Bruschetta — © John Kernick

The key to these delicious bruschetta from chef Nancy Silverton is lots of olive oil. After she bakes the chickpeas with a variety of flavorings — including onions, pancetta, and carrots — she purees them with a good amount of oil, spreads the puree on toasts, and drizzles with a little more oil.

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