Easy Pea & Spinach Carbonara

Fresh pasta cooks up faster than dried, making it a must-have for fast weeknight dinners like this luscious yet healthy meal. Eggs are the base of the creamy sauce. They don’t get fully cooked, so use pasteurized-in-the-shell eggs if you prefer.

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • ½ cup panko breadcrumbs, preferably whole-wheat
  • 1 small clove garlic, minced
  • 8 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, divided
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ teaspoon ground pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 (9 ounce) package fresh tagliatelle or linguine
  • 8 cups baby spinach
  • 1 cup peas (fresh or frozen)

Directions

  • Step 1 Put 10 cups of water in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat.
  • Step 2 Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add breadcrumbs and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until toasted, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in 2 tablespoons Parmesan and parsley. Set aside.
  • Step 3 Whisk the remaining 6 tablespoons Parmesan, egg yolks, egg, pepper and salt in a medium bowl.
  • Step 4 Cook pasta in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute. Add spinach and peas and cook until the pasta is tender, about 1 minute more. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking water. Drain and place in a large bowl.
  • Step 5 Slowly whisk the reserved cooking water into the egg mixture. Gradually add the mixture to the pasta, tossing with tongs to combine. Serve topped with the reserved breadcrumb mixture.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 CupPer Serving:429.7 calories; protein 20.2g 41% DV; carbohydrates 54.1g 17% DV; exchange other carbs 3.5; dietary fiber 8.2g 33% DV; sugars 2.5g; fat 14.5g 22% DV; saturated fat 3.9g 20% DV; cholesterol 223.4mg 75% DV; vitamin a iu 8198IU 164% DV; vitamin c 50.5mg 84% DV; folate 53mcg 13% DV; calcium 246.1mg 25% DV; iron 6.1mg 34% DV; magnesium 99.6mg 36% DV; potassium 160mg 5% DV; sodium 586.4mg 24% DV.Exchanges: 

3 Starch, 1 Fat, 1 Vegetable, 1/2 High-Fat Protein, 1/2 Medium-Fat Protein