Orecchiette Carbonara with Frisee and Lemon

large white serving bowl with orecchiette carbonara pasta

Orecchiette Carbonara is a fresh, light pasta dinner with a creamy sauce made from eggs, Parmesan cheese & lemon! Making this pasta carbonara is simple & results in velvety smooth pasta with crispy bacon!

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Total Time25

Course: dinner, lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Keyword: Orecchiette Carbonara

Servings:

Calories: 432kcal

Author: Jessica & Nellie

Ingredients

3 Eggs
1 ½ cups Parmesan cheese
3-6 slices of bacon cooked to a crisp
16 oz Orecchiette pasta Bowties, macaroni or even spaghetti, any small shell will work great.
2 TBSP Lemon juice
1 cup greens baby spinach, microgreens- use what you like!
salt and pepper to your taste preference

Instructions

Prep: Start with getting the bacon cooking, you can cook in a skillet over medium heat until crispy. Or you can pop it in the oven at 375 degree F for 15-20 minutes. I usually check it at 10 minutes and rotate the baking sheet to ensure the slices cook evenly.
Get water boiling in a large pot after starting the bacon, generously salt the water as well. Wash and dry the frisee lettuce, then chop into bite size pieces. Set aside.
Carbonara Pasta: Once the water is boiling, add in the pasta shells and cook until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining pasta to use for sauce.
In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and parmesan cheese and let it sit while the pasta cooks. You want the egg mixture to be room temperature for maximum results. Drain the cooked pasta (remember, reserve 1 cup of water) and put the pasta back into the pot.
Then, add in the lemon juice to cooked/drained pasta, followed by the egg/cheese mixture, and the reserved pasta water to make a smooth sauce that coats the noodles. Stir well to combine all ingredients, let sit for 2-3 minutes for the sauce to thicken slightly.
After that, add the crispy bacon (break into small pieces), greens, and more salt and pepper if desired. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Notes

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Nutrition