Simple Spaghetti Carbonara
When people hear of this dish, they think it is loaded with heavy cream and therefore not the healthiest for you. Some might be! But the best and simplest way to make this dish is to use the fat from the bacon or pancetta to coat your pasta, then mix in the eggs and parmesan off of the heat. No cream here! The creaminess comes from the parmesan and fat of the bacon/pancetta, then the flavor of the eggs helps seal it in for this delicious spaghetti carbonara.
I get everything from Trader Joes, I even get the brown rice/quinoa pasta that helps give it some extra protein and makes it a little healthier. Trader Joes has cubed pancetta pre-packaged and ready to dump in a pan, which makes things super easy. We always have eggs (I’m slightly obsessed), I can have eggs with anything.
Since this is a richer dish, I like to lighten it up by having a simple salad on the side, or some roasted broccoli (my family’s favorite!). You could also get creative and chop some spinach to mix in the dish or any of your favorite vegetables. I would just say to add a little extra olive oil so it is not too dry. Don’t forget the pasta water, which is a secret ingredient in these spaghetti dishes, it keeps the flavor in the sauce but loosens it up a bit.
Simple Spaghetti Carbonara
Ingredients
- 1 pack spaghetti brown rice or whole wheat or quinoa works too
- 3 eggs
- 2-3 cloves garlic
- 1 cup parmesean cheese fresh is always best
- 8-10 pieces bacon or pancetta chefs preference
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tbs olive oil if needed
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package. Don't forget to salt the water for extra flavor. Drain but save some pasta water.
- In a bowl, whisk together eggs and parmesan cheese, set aside.
- Cook bacon or pancetta in a skillet over medium heat. Once cooked, take out the meat but leave the fat in the skillet.
- Add garlic to skillet and bacon fat, cook for about 1 minute then add cooked pasta to the skillet, thoroughly coat pasta.
- Remove skillet from heat and add in egg and cheese mixture, stirring quickly to coat the pasta. If the mixture is too thick, add in a few tablespoons of pasta water.
- Add in bacon/pancetta to the pasta and olive oil if it is too sticky. Salt and Pepper to taste and dinner is served!
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