In 2018, I was working on a cookbook that I knew would be published in October 2020, one month before a contentious election. I thought, no matter what side of the political aisle you were on, you were going to be seriously stressed. (Little did I know that there would also be a global pandemic.) That’s when I decided to make the cookbook all about comfort food. I wanted to include recipes for classics like tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches but to make them fresher, more delicious and easier to prepare. That’s why I called my cookbook Modern Comfort Food. This Spring Green Spaghetti Carbonara is the essence of that idea. Classic pasta carbonara is made with lots of eggs, cheese and pancetta. It’s delicious but it’s also pretty rich. I lightened it up by adding fresh spring vegetables like snow peas, asparagus and English peas plus lots of scallions and chives. I also find that the classic dish doesn’t have that “edge” that I like — a vinegary or tart flavor that really makes all the other ingredients pop — so I added the zest and juice of a whole lemon. Don’t worry; I kept all the pancetta and lots of freshly grated Parmesan cheese! This is a delicious dinner: a classic Italian dish, updated, and so comforting on a cold night!
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 30 min |
| Active: | 30 min |
| Yield: | 6 servings |
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 30 min |
| Active: | 30 min |
| Yield: | 6 servings |
Ingredients
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 12 ounces spaghetti, such as De Cecco
- 1/2 pound snow peas, julienned lengthwise
- 1 cup shelled fresh peas (1 pound in the pod), or frozen peas
- 12 to 14 thin asparagus, bottom third discarded and tips sliced in 2-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons good olive oil
- 8 ounces small-diced pancetta
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 extra-large eggs
- 2 extra-large egg yolks
- 3/4 cup freshly grated Italian Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
- 5 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced diagonally
- 1/4 cup minced fresh chives, plus extra for serving
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water with 2 tablespoons salt to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reserve a cup of the pasta water, then add the snow peas, fresh peas and asparagus to the spaghetti and cook for 2 minutes longer. Drain the pasta and vegetables together.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a medium (10- to 11-inch) sauté pan over medium heat, add the pancetta and cook for 7 to 9 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned. Transfer the pancetta to a plate lined with paper towels and set aside.
- While the pancetta cooks, fill a large bowl with the hottest tap water and set aside to heat the bowl. Just before you drain the pasta, pour the water out of the bowl. Put the cream, eggs, egg yolks and 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water into the bowl and whisk to combine. Immediately, add the hot pasta and vegetables and toss with tongs for a full minute or two, until the pasta absorbs the sauce. Add enough reserved hot pasta water to keep the sauce creamy. Add the 3/4 cup Parmesan, the scallions, chives, lemon zest and juice, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper and toss well. Add the pancetta, sprinkle with salt and serve hot sprinkled with extra chives and Parmesan.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 6 servings |
| Calories | 634 |
| Total Fat | 35 g |
| Saturated Fat | 14 g |
| Carbohydrates | 53 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 6 g |
| Protein | 26 g |
| Cholesterol | 201 mg |
| Sodium | 625 mg |
| Serving Size | 1 of 6 servings |
| Calories | 634 |
| Total Fat | 35 g |
| Saturated Fat | 14 g |
| Carbohydrates | 53 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 6 g |
| Protein | 26 g |
| Cholesterol | 201 mg |
| Sodium | 625 mg |
Reviews
The recipe is refreshing but not sure why cream is used as there is no cream in carbonara.
Insanely delicious!! I didn’t have pancetta, I used prosciutto and fried it up and crumbled it. What a fabulous spring dish! Thanks Ina!! ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
The best recipe, we have made it soooo many times and ever for guests and it is always a hit!
Delicious! For 2 people we had a fair amount leftover and next day was just as good. Our modifications will be less lemon as we found it very noticeable. Don’t recommend gluten free pasta as it didn’t absorb the cream but tried recipe again with regular pasta and it was amazing!
Everybody loved it!
Followed the recipe, sauce was velvety and smooth, pancetta was crispy, pasta and vegetables were perfectly al dente. But I made the mistake of using about 75% of the amount of salt called for in the recipe and it completely ruined it. Inedibly salty! Wasted $40 of good quality ingredients and 2 hours of prep/cook/clean-up time for a dish that is WAY too salty to consume. And that was using less than was called for. If you make this, please be mindful of the salt you add!!
This is absolutely delicious and well balanced in flavors and texture. Well done!
Delicious!!
I forgot to go shopping for this exact recipe so I adapted the veggies with what I had on hand. The sauce was AMAZING and oh so good. My picky 4 year old even devoured his plate.
Very delicious! Added some thinly sliced Brussel sprouts and tossed them with the pancetta. Amazing how the pasta sucks up the carbonara! Husband and daughter loved it!!!
This recipe was such a bright spot in my recent cooking! What a wonderful way to showcase spring veggies. The lemon and chive in the sauce made the whole dish taste light and more upscale than your regular carbonara- and I managed to give the pasta a little twirl in the bowl and it looked totally restaurant-quality! My husband who normally complains when I make heavy/cheesy pastas ate this right up. Definitely recommend trying this spring!