Shrimp Carbonara

We love a good carbonara around here. It's been a while since I made a new variation, so when I was reading a book that mentioned pasta carbonara I knew it was a sign. And thus, Shrimp Carbonara was born.



I'm not sure why it never occurred to me to make this before but now that I have, it will definitely become a regular thing. All I did was add shrimp to my standard carbonara recipe. I mean, what's not to love about shrimp cooked in bacon fat? Positively delicious.

Shrimp Carbonara
Based on Nigella Lawson's carbonara recipe

1 pound spaghetti
6 slices bacon, chopped into bite-size pieces
1 pound shrimp, any size you like, peeled and deveined
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup dry vermouth (or white wine)
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 cup half and half cream
Freshly ground black pepper
Freshly ground nutmeg

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

In a large skillet that will fit the pasta later, cook the bacon until crispy but not crunchy. Remove with a slotted spoon, leaving the bacon grease in the pan.

While the bacon is cooking, pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. After you've removed the bacon from the pan, add the shrimp in an even layer. Cook the shrimp until they're pink on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Remove to the plate with the bacon.

Add the sliced onions to the pan and cook until softened and starting to caramelize, about 15 minutes. Add the vermouth and let it bubble so that, after a few minutes, you have a small amount of thick syrup left.

While the vermouth is reducing, beat together the eggs, Parmesan, cream, pepper and nutmeg in a bowl.

Once you have a nice syrup, add the pasta to the pan, tossing well to coat with the sauce. Take the pan off the heat (remove from the stove completely, don't just turn off the burner) and add the egg and cheese mixture, swiftly tossing everything with tongs to mix well. Add the bacon and shrimp and toss again. Taste and season with some more pepper and grated cheese, if desired.

Goat Cheese and Roasted Asparagus Carbonara

You all know how much I love carbonara. It's one of my all-time favorite pasta dishes. I love experimenting with different add-ins, so this Goat Cheese and Roasted Asparagus Carbonara was perfect.

As always, I used my favorite carbonara recipe as a base and then followed the original recipe for the addition of the roasted asparagus and goat cheese. Not surprisingly, we all loved it. Baby Girl is still not the world's biggest asparagus fan, but she'll eat them. I, on the other hand, can never get enough and am loving that they're back in season. Those gorgeous stalks were perfect with the creamy, rich carbonara and the goat cheese added a nice tang.

Goat Cheese and Roasted Asparagus Carbonara
From Confections of a Foodie Bride and Nigella Lawson

2 bunches asparagus
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
1lb linguine or spaghetti
8 slices thick-cut bacon, diced
1 large onion, sliced
1/4 cup dry white wine or vermouth
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups shredded Parmesan
1/4 cup heavy cream
Freshly ground black pepper
Freshly ground nutmeg
4 oz goat cheese, crumbled

Preheat oven to 425. Place asparagus and garlic on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake for 12 minutes and then cut the stalks in half or thirds.

Cook pasta according to package directions. Set aside 1 cup of pasta water and then drain the pasta.

Cook the bacon until almost completely crisped. Add the onions and cook until softened and starting to caramelize, about 15 minutes. Add the white wine or vermouth and let it bubble so that, after a few minutes, you have a small amount of thick syrup left.

In a bowl, beat together the eggs, Parmesan, cream, pepper and nutmeg. Add the crumbled goat cheese, stirring to mix well.

Add the pasta to the pan, tossing well to coat with the syrupy sauce. Take the pan off the heat (remove from the stove completely, don't just turn off the burner) and add the eggs and cheese mixture, swiftly tossing everything with tongs to mix. Grind over some more pepper and grated cheese, if desired. Add the asparagus, toss to coat (adding some of the pasta water, if necessary).

Serve immediately.

Garlic Bread Carbonara

Another carbonara recipe to add to my collection. Ashley mentioned this Garlic Bread Carbonara awhile back and I was immediately intrigued. When she finally posted the recipe I couldn't wait to make it.

We all enjoyed this - hey, it's carbonara, what's not to like - but I realized that carbonara without fresh vegetables mixed in can be rather heavy. Just another reminder that my tastes have changed as we've modified the way we eat. I was glad I paired this with a light salad to cut some of that richness.

Garlic Bread Carbonara
From Cheesecurd in Paradise and Nigella Lawson

1 pound spaghetti
8 slices bacon, chopped
1 large onion, sliced
1/4 cup dry white wine or vermouth
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 cup heavy cream
Freshly ground black pepper
Freshly ground nutmeg

Breadcrumbs:
1/2 stick butter, melted
1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs (about 2 slices of bread)
1 tablespoon garlic powder

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions.

In another large pan that will fit the pasta later, cook the bacon until crispy but not crunchy. Add the onions and cook until softened and starting to caramelize, about 15 minutes. Pour over the white wine or vermouth and let it bubble away so that, after a few minutes, you have a small amount of salty winey syrup left. Take the pan off the heat.

In a bowl, beat together the eggs, Parmesan, cream, and pepper.

When the pasta is done, remove approximately 1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining. Put the pan with the bacon back on the heat and add the drained pasta, tossing well to coat with the syrupy sauce. Take the pan off the heat again and add the eggs and cheese mixture, swiftly tossing everything to mix. Thin with pasta water, if needed. Grind over some more pepper and grate over the nutmeg to serve.

Toss breadcrumbs with melted butter and garlic powder. Spread evenly on a lined baking sheet. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until crispy.

Plate pasta and top with crispy garlic bred crumbs.

BLT Spaghetti Carbonara

You all know how much I love carbonara. I've made quite a few versions over the years but this BLT Spaghetti Carbonara might just be my new favorite.

In this recipe, traditional carbonara is paired with tomatoes and spinach for an awesome twist. The tomatoes and spinach cut the richness of the carbonara (and we can pretend this is semi-healthy because of the veggies, right? Right). Baby Girl was a big fan, which is saying something because so far she hasn't been into spinach. Mixed with ingredients she loves - bacon, tomatoes and, of course, pasta - made it more palatable.

Even SP, not the biggest fan of carbonara, loved this one. He kept asking me what I did differently with the bacon and said it was perfectly seasoned, creamy and delicious. I have to agree. If you love carbonara, you've got to try this version.

BLT Spaghetti Carbonara
Modified from Nigella Lawson and Tide and Thyme

1 pound spaghetti
6 slices bacon, chopped into bite-size pieces
2 large onions, sliced
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes, drained
1 6 oz bag baby spinach leaves
1/4 cup dry white wine or vermouth
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 cup heavy cream
Freshly ground black pepper
Freshly ground nutmeg

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

In a large skillet that will fit the pasta later, cook the bacon until crispy but not crunchy. Add the onions and cook until softened and starting to caramelize, about 15 minutes. Add the tomatoes and spinach and cook for a few minutes to wilt the spinach, then add the white wine or vermouth and let it bubble so that, after a few minutes, you have a small amount of thick syrup left.

In a bowl, beat together the eggs, Parmesan, cream, pepper and nutmeg.

Add the pasta to the pan with the bacon, tossing well to coat with the syrupy sauce. Take the pan off the heat (remove from the stove completely, don't just turn off the burner) and add the eggs and cheese mixture, swiftly tossing everything with tongs to mix. Grind over some more pepper and grated cheese, if desired. Serve.

Spaghetti Carbonara with Tomatoes

I'm always looking for new ways to modify my favorite pasta dish, Spaghetti Carbonara. I've made multiple versions with different add-ins like asparagus and corn, but I hadn't considered tomatoes until Katie posted a recipe for Spaghetti Carbonara with Tomatoes. Brilliant!

While Baby Girl and I love spaghetti carbonara it has two strikes against it as far as SP is concerned - the spaghetti (he doesn't like it for some bizarre reason) and no real sauce. Imagine my surprise when he told me how much he loved this version. I was shocked to say the least. He did ask me to make this version with a tubular pasta next time, though. Poor Baby Girl will be so disappointed - she positively loves her pesketi.

Spaghetti Carbonara with Tomatoes
Modified from Nigella Lawson and So Tasty, So Yummy

1 pound spaghetti
6 slices bacon (or as much as you like), chopped
2 large onions, sliced
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes, drained
1/4 cup dry white wine or vermouth
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 cup heavy cream
Freshly ground black pepper
Freshly ground nutmeg

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water.

In a large skillet that will fit the pasta later, cook the bacon until crispy but not crunchy. Add the onions and cook until softened and starting to caramelize, about 15 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook for a minute, then add the white wine or vermouth and let it bubble so that, after a few minutes, you have a small amount of thick syrup left.

In a bowl, beat together the eggs, Parmesan, cream, pepper and nutmeg.

Add the pasta to the pan with the bacon, tossing well to coat with the syrupy sauce. Take the pan off the heat (remove from the stove completely, don't just turn off the burner) and add the eggs and cheese mixture, swiftly tossing everything to mix. Thin with pasta water, if needed. Grind over some more pepper and grated cheese, if desired. Serve.

Pasta Carbonara with Corn

One of my good friends, and senior year of college roommate, L, came to visit last week. She's a California girl and was back home visiting her family. I'm so glad we were able to get together while she was in town and even more excited that I got to cook for her. We met our junior year when we both studied abroad in England, so it seemed fitting that I had Pasta Carbonara with Corn on the menu the night she ate with us. As I mentioned waaaaay back in August 2006 when I first started this blog, I discovered carbonara in England (of all places) my junior year abroad with my very dear friend, S. We ate it everywhere we could find it. Making carbonara with L, even this variation with the corn, brought back memories of our time together in England. Man, we had a blast. Hard to believe it's been 11 years already.


Anyway, this luscious carbonara was inspired by this Rachael Ray recipe for Pasta Carbonara with Corn and Chiles. I had great success adding asparagus to my carbonara, so corn seemed like a great idea. I ended up combining my usual method for making carbonara with the flavor profile from Rachael's recipe, omitting the chiles because I didn't want it to be spicy.


This was a real winner that would be even more amazing with fresh Jersey corn straight off the cob. You all know my carbonara obsession is legendary but the addition of the corn was wonderful. I love crunching those kernels under my teeth. This is a great summer version of carbonara, made lighter by the corn and the fresh herbs. Everyone cleaned their plates, including Baby Girl.

Pasta Carbonara with Corn
Inspired by Nigella Lawson and Everyday with Rachael Ray

1 pound spaghetti
1/2 lb bacon, chopped
1 large onion, sliced
2 cups corn
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1/4 cup vermouth
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 cup heavy cream
Freshly ground black pepper
Freshly ground nutmeg

Put a large pan of water on to boil for the pasta. Cook the pasta according to package directions.

In another large pan that will fit the pasta later, cook the bacon until crispy but not crunchy. Add the onions and cook until softened and starting to caramelize, about 15 minutes. Add the corn and garlic and cook for 5 minutes. Add the thyme and parsley, then pour in the vermouth and let it bubble so that, after a few minutes, you have a small amount of salty winey syrup left. Take the pan off the heat.

In a bowl, beat together the eggs, Parmesan, cream, pepper and nutmeg. When the pasta is done, remove approximately 1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining. Add the drained pasta to the bacon and corn mixture, tossing well to coat with the syrupy sauce. Add the eggs and cheese mixture, swiftly tossing everything to mix. Thin with pasta water, if needed. Grind over some more pepper to serve.

Spaghetti Carbonara with Blue Cheese, Asparagus and Artichokes

I love carbonara. This isn't a big secret if you've read this blog for any length of time. It's my absolute favorite pasta dish, so when I saw Jessy over at Gourmet Day to Day had a recipe for Linguine Carbonara with Blue Cheese and Artichokes I knew I had to try it. Just one problem - SP isn't a big fan of artichokes. Luckily my stepdad invited SP out for dinner recently, so I invited my mom over to share the pasta.


We both loved this. Loved it. We kept oohing and ahhing over the rich, creamy pasta, the crispy bacon, the freshness of the asparagus and the artichokes. Oh, the artichokes. So nice to see them on my plate again. I made a few slight modifications to the recipe, adding sliced onions and cutting down the blue cheese so it didn't overwhelm the other flavors, although you can add up to 1 cup if you want more blue cheese flavor. Thanks, Jessy, for a delicious spin-off to my beloved carbonara.

Kitchen Tip - Use kitchen scissors to easily cut bacon directly over the pan.

Spaghetti Carbonara with Blue Cheese, Asparagus and Artichokes
Slightly Modified from Gourmet Day to Day

1 pound spaghetti
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into thirds
8 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 large onion, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 8-oz cans artichokes hearts (in brine), rinsed and quartered or 2 8-oz packages frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and quartered
1/2 - 1 cup crumbled blue cheese
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1/2 cup half and half
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

In a large pan or dutch oven, cook cut bacon until starting to get crispy over medium-high heat. Add sliced onions and cook about 15 minutes, until tender and starting to caramelize. Add artichokes and garlic and saute for 5 minutes.

While artichokes are cooking, add pasta to boiling salted water. Add blue cheese, cream, black pepper and salt to the artichoke mixture and simmer until sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.

Add the asparagus to the pasta water 3 minutes before the pasta is done. Drain and add to the sauce and toss to coat. Remove from heat.

Beat the eggs and half and half together, along with the cheese and basil. Add to pasta and toss well with tongs. Serve immediately.

Kicked-Up Carbonara

If you've read this blog for any length of time you know how much I love carbonara. I discovered it with a good friend when we were studying abroad and have been in love with it ever since. When I saw Kicked-Up Carbonara on Cassie's blog I knew it would be a winner in my book.


I made a few changes in order to incorporate some of the flavors I love from my traditional carbonara recipe (sliced onion and vermouth) and swapped fresh tomato for the red pepper since neither of us are big pepper fans. The result was utterly delicious - rich and creamy, with a bright burst from the tomatoes. I also loved the addition of the spinach. Carbonara is my guilty pleasure, so if I can add some veggies in it makes me feel better about eating it. Thanks again, Cassie!


Kicked-Up Carbonara
Adapted from Cassie Craves

1 pound linguine or spaghetti
8 pieces thick-sliced bacon, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, sliced
1/4 cup vermouth
2 cups fresh baby spinach
4 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup half-and-half
Dash of nutmeg
1/2 cup shredded Pecorino or Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
Salt and pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and return pasta to pan.

Meanwhile, in large skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Add garlic and onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened and caramelized, about 10-15 minutes. Add vermouth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; boil gently, uncovered, 3 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add spinach and cook 1 minute, or until wilted. Add pasta to skillet and toss to coat the pasta with the syrupy liquid.

In medium bowl whisk together eggs, half-and-half, nutmeg and Pecorino cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Off heat (this is very important or the eggs will scramble) add egg mixture to skillet and toss to coat. Add the tomatoes. Taste and season with more salt, pepper or cheese, if necessary and serve immediately.

Asparagus Carbonara

I've been having a love affair with asparagus lately, so when I saw this recipe for Pasta with Asparagus, Bacon, and Egg I couldn't wait to try it.


The more I thought about it, the more I realized how much the recipe reminded me of carbonara, which if you've read this blog for any length of time you'll know is my all-time favorite pasta dish. I decided to combine the two recipes, subbing the asparagus for the onion in the original recipe. The result was a delicious and beautiful spring dish that feels healthier because of the beautiful, crisp, green asparagus.



Asparagus Carbonara
Recipes from The Local Cook and Nigella Lawson

4 ounces bacon, chopped
1 1/2 lb asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces
Splash of vermouth
8 ounces short-cut pasta
2 eggs
Splash of heavy cream
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
salt and pepper to taste
Freshly ground nutmeg

Bring a large pot of water to boil and salt it. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and set aside.

In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until brown. Add the asparagus and cook to desired doneness (5-10 minutes). Once asparagus is cooked, add the vermouth and let it bubble so that, after a few minutes, you have a small amount of salty winey syrup left. Add the drained pasta to the pan and toss to coat the pasta with the winey syrup. Take the pan off the heat.

In a bowl beat together the eggs, Parmesan, cream, and pepper. Add the mixture to the pan, swiftly tossing everything to mix. Top with more grated cheese, if desired.

Spaghetti Carbonara

I know this rendition of spaghetti carbonara was the best I'd ever made when SP said it was good. That's usually not his highest compliment but in this case it meant a lot. See, SP really isn't a fan of the dish. It's a shame because carbonara is one of my all-time favorites, but despite the bacon factor he just isn't that enamored of the dish.


My friend Melissa recently wrote an excellent post about spaghetti carbonara which gave me a craving for it. I almost always have the necessary ingredients on hand so I decided to make it for dinner on Wednesday. I didn't do anything different this time since I can make this recipe in my sleep, but something about it really hit the spot for SP, which made me happy since I feel guilty making something I know he has mixed feelings about.

Spaghetti Carbonara
Modified from Nigella Lawson

1 pound spaghetti
1lb bacon (or as much as you like), chopped
2 large onions, chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine or vermouth
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 cup heavy cream
Freshly ground black pepper
Freshly ground nutmeg

Put a large pan of water on to boil for the pasta.

In another large pan that will fit the pasta later, cook the bacon until crispy but not crunchy. Add the onions and cook until softened and starting to caramelize, about 15 minutes. Pour over the white wine or vermouth and let it bubble away so that, after a few minutes, you have a small amount of salty winey syrup left. Take the pan off the heat.

In a bowl, beat together the eggs, Parmesan, cream, and pepper. Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions, but since you want it kept al dente start checking it 2 minutes before end of the recommended cooking time.

When the pasta is done, remove approximately 1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining. Put the pan with the bacon back on the heat and add the drained pasta, tossing well to coat with the syrupy sauce. Take the pan off the heat again and add the eggs and cheese mixture, swiftly tossing everything to mix. Thin with pasta water, if needed. Grind over some more pepper and grate over the nutmeg to serve.

Spaghetti Carbonara

SP was out with his brothers and nephews last night, so after working a long day getting ready for my work conference I decided I needed comfort food. In my world, that means spaghetti carbonara:


My coworker mentioned putting basil in her carbonara, so since I have a beautiful basil plant right in my backyard I decided to give it a try. I love the richness of the bacon and the onions and the basil added a nice sweetness that made this unlike any carbonara I've had before. It was good, but I don't think it's something I'll add all the time.

Spaghetti Carbonara

An old favorite made a reappearance on Monday:


Spaghetti carbonara is always a winner in our house.

In loading all the photos for the next few posts I realized I was in serious comfort food mode this week. It wasn't intentional, but now that the weather is changing (YAY for spring!) I guess subconsciously I was trying to make all my winter favorites before it's time for grilling, tons of fresh veggies and lighter meals.

Spaghetti Carbonara

I've redeemed myself!!

Last night I made Nigella's Spaghetti Carbonara, a recipe I absolutely loved the first time I made it and royally screwed up the second time. I was extra careful, again babysitting the onions and bacon to make sure they were perfectly cooked and even going so far as to lay out a towel next to the egg/heavy cream/cheese/nutmeg/salt and pepper mixture that would become the sauce so I wouldn't forget to take it off the heat. The result was picture perfect:


Luscious, creamy sauce coated every strand of pasta, mingling with the bacon and onions made syrupy by the reduced white wine. Everything worked in perfect harmony. I had redeemed myself and it tasted glorious.

Spaghetti Carbonara

I really hate when a meal I've been looking forward to all day, spent upwards of 30 minutes preparing, watching over it to make sure everything came together just right, gets ruined in the last few seconds before it hits the plate.

Such was the case on Monday when I made Nigella's Spaghetti Carbonara. About a month ago I tried this version for the first time and it was fantastic. Please, click on the link and look at the picture. Absolutely gorgeous. The words silky and creamy come to mind. Then there's this:


Can you see all the little flecks? That's cooked egg. I was rushing and forgot to remove the pan from the stove when I mixed in the cream and eggs and the eggs scrambled. I cannot even begin to tell you how upset I was. I'd been looking forward to this meal all day, babysat the bacon and onions as they cooked so they'd be perfect, cooked the pasta al dente so it didn't get mushy and then, when the moment of truth arrived, I got careless and messed the whole thing up.

SP, bless his heart, said it tasted just fine, but with every bite I grew more and more annoyed. But like they say, I'll never make that mistake again.

Spaghetti Carbonara

I feel like I've cheated on Lidia. She has always been my go-to gal for all things Italian, but SP has never been a fan of her Spaghetti Carbonara (linguine with bacon and onions), one of my staple comfort foods. He asked if I could make the dish creamier at about the same time I started seeing other blogs mention Nigella Lawson's Spaghetti Carbonara recipe. The two recipes are quite different but I had a feeling Nigella's would provide that creaminess SP was after.


Right off the bat I liked Nigella's recipe better. For starters it was easier to make. I substituted regular bacon for pancetta and added onions because we like the flavor, but otherwise I kept the recipe the same. The prep couldn't have been easier and the assembly went much more smoothly since I didn't have to juggle a hot pan and egg yolks. The sauce ingredients are mixed together beforehand and added slowly to the pasta, off the heat, so there's no worrying about whether it'll all come together.

And the taste...oh the taste. Creamy, bacony, oniony, with just a hint of white wine and nutmeg (the two "secret" ingredients). It actually tastes almost exactly like Lidia's recipe, only it was easier to put together and you could actually see the sauce clinging to the strands of pasta. SP said I could make this dish for him anytime, his highest compliment. I'm sorry Lidia, but Nigella wins this round.