During my trip to Italy a few years ago, I ordered this random dish that turned out to be Carbonara pasta. I couldn’t believe this was the first time I was experiencing these amazing flavors.
If you have never heard of this pasta (like me), Carbonara pasta is an Italian dish that contains pasta coated with an egg, cheese, cured pork, and pepper mixture.
With Summer around the corner, the recipe I would like to share with you is a little lighter as it contains the basics (pasta, egg, and cheese) but instead of bacon I have included spinach and lemon juice. Nothing against the meat, just need a bit more of a healthier and lighter option every now and then.
This recipe takes about 30 minutes to whip together and makes about 4 to 6 servings. And according to my husband, the more cheese the better.
I hope you enjoy this dish as much as I do!
Spinach Carbonara Pasta
INGREDIENTS
- 16 oz. Spaghetti or Fettuccine
- 2 Lemons (4 Tbsp Lemon Juice)
- 5 Eggs
- 1 1/4 Cups of shredded Parmesan Cheese
- 6 Cups of spinach
- 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1/2 Tsp of Red Pepper Flakes
INSTRUCTIONS
- Prepare the pasta according to the package. Once fully cooked, drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of past water.
- While the pasta is cooking, crack the eggs into a bowl and combine with 1 cup of the shredded Parmesan cheese.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the pepper flakes and spinach, sauteing until soft. (2-3 minutes)
- Add in the pasta and 4 tbsp of lemon juice, along with some of the pasta water enough to moisten the mixture.
- Once combined, remove from the heat and add in the egg mixture. Stirring until the egg has thickened and completely coated the pasta.
- Top with the remaining Parmesan cheese.
