Creamy Carbonara Pasta with Greens

Name: Creamy Carbonara Pasta with Greens
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 6 ounce spaghetti; 3 ounce bacon (chopped into small pieces); 2 egg yolks (large); 1 egg (large); 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese (grated); 0.25 teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground); 2 cup fresh spinach; 2 tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped)

Classic Italian spaghetti carbonara, made with a creamy egg and cheese sauce, crispy bacon, and a touch of fresh spinach for balance.

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 15 min
Total: 25 min
Servings: 2
Cuisine: Italian
Difficulty: Easy
Cost: $2.27/serving

Dietary

Nut-Free
High-Protein
Low-Sugar

Ingredients

6 ounce spaghetti
3 ounce bacon (chopped into small pieces)
2 egg yolks (large)
1 egg (large)
0.5 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
0.25 teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground)
2 cup fresh spinach
2 tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped)

Instructions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions until al dente.
While the pasta cooks, cook the bacon pieces in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon, leaving the rendered fat in the skillet. Set crispy bacon aside on a paper towel-lined plate.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, whole egg, grated Parmesan cheese, and black pepper until well combined. This is your carbonara sauce.
Before draining, reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the spaghetti and immediately add it to the skillet with the rendered bacon fat. Toss quickly.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Quickly pour the egg and cheese mixture over the pasta, tossing vigorously and continuously with tongs to coat the spaghetti, adding a tablespoon or two of the reserved pasta water as needed to create a creamy sauce. The heat from the pasta will cook the eggs without scrambling them.
Stir in the fresh spinach until it wilts into the pasta. Mix in most of the crispy bacon.
Serve immediately, garnished with remaining crispy bacon, extra grated Parmesan cheese, and fresh parsley if desired.

Notes

Ensure the skillet is off the heat when adding the egg mixture to prevent the eggs from scrambling. The residual heat of the pasta is enough to cook the sauce.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 659
Protein: 42.8 g
Carbohydrates: 64.7 g
Fat: 28.8 g
Fiber: 5.6 g
Sodium: 1580 mg
Saturated Fat: 13 g
Cholesterol: 163 mg