Spaghetti Carbonara with Peas

By garciamoss

This spaghetti carbonara recipe is lower in calories and fat than a traditional spaghetti carbonara recipe, plus it boasts 9 more grams of fiber per serving from whole-wheat pasta. For the best flavor, use Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. The eggs in the sauce are not fully cooked; if you’re concerned about consuming undercooked eggs, use pasteurized-in-the-shell eggs in this spaghetti carbonara recipe.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti
• 2 cups frozen peas, thawed
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 strips thick-cut bacon
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature (see Tip)
• 3/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Details

Adapted from eatingwell.com

Preparation

Step 1

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes or according to package directions. About 3 minutes before it is done, stir in peas and garlic.
Meanwhile, cook bacon in a nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Scrape the bacon drippings into a large bowl; add eggs, 1/2 cup Parmesan, salt and pepper and whisk until combined.
Chop the bacon and add to the egg mixture. When the pasta and peas are done, drain, reserving 3/4 cup of the water. Immediately stir the pasta, peas and the 3/4 cup water into the egg mixture, stirring quickly so the eggs don’t scramble. Let stand 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, to thicken the sauce. Serve each portion topped with 1 tablespoon of the remaining cheese.

Tips & Notes
Tip: To bring eggs to room temperature, either set them out on the counter for 15 minutes or submerge them (in the shell) in a bowl of lukewarm (not hot) water for 5 minutes.