My Dad recently turned 95 years old and my sisters and I decided to make him Spaghetti Carbonara, an old favourite of his. He loved it. It brought back memories as food often does.
I’ve always found Spaghetti Carbonara to be a bit “beige” looking. Since I love vibrant colours, I decided to add some some baby spinach and fresh tomatoes (local tomatoes that actually taste like tomatoes should – fresh picked from the garden or field – I wait for these all year). I’ve convinced myself that this update adds a touch of healthiness to the dish as well.
For a vegetarian version or kosher version, you can simply leave out the bacon, use turkey or vegetarian “bacon” or try adding a bit of smoked paprika. As always, feel free to experiment with adding different vegetables – grilled, fresh or stir fried.
I like this dish because it’s super fast to make, it looks pretty and it’s a delicious meal in a bowl. By the way, if you don’t like to fry bacon (smelly!), you can use our recipe for Perfect Oven-Baked Bacon instead.
Spaghetti Carbonara Summer Version Recipe
Try this 20-minute Spaghetti Carbonara with spinach and fresh tomatoes for a healthy meal in a bowl. Or make a vegetarian version without the bacon.
- Prep Time:8m
- Cook Time:12m
- Total Time:20m
- Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 8 ounces spaghetti, spaghettinni or vermicelli (225 gm)
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 5 slices bacon, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced or grated (or 4 cubes frozen)
- kosher salt and pepper, to taste
- 6 cups baby spinach, loosely packed
- 1 large tomato, seeded and chopped
- chopped parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Whisk together eggs and 3/4 cup Parmesan in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Cook bacon on medium high heat in a skillet until crisp, about 5-6 minutes. Leaving 1-2 tablespoons of fat for flavour if desired. Stir in garlic and cook for one minute. Turn burner to low.
- While the bacon is cooking, boil spaghetti in salted water according to package directions. Just before it's ready, add the baby spinach and stir once or twice (no need to cook it). Drain spaghetti and spinach immediately. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta liquid.
- ASSEMBLE THE SPAGHETTI CARBONARA: Once the pan has cooled to a lower heat, add hot spaghetti, spinach and egg-cheese mixture to skillet. Toss quickly and blend well. Add tomatoes and parsley. Add pasta liquid a little at a time until you get a nice smooth consistency. You may not need all of it. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle remaining Parmesan on top or serve on the side. Serve immediately.