The Italians perfected this decadent and creamy pasta dish, there’s no doubt about that. In this lighter version, I use the ever abundant fall staple (spaghetti squash) and tweak the sauce recipe just a bit so it’s easy while still incorporating the infamous flavors Italians have been enjoying for years. Eat your gluten-free heart out.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 large spaghetti squash
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk or half and half
- 1 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4-6 strips thick cut bacon
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Cooking Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Grab a sharp knife and cut through your squash lengthwise (the outer skin is tough so make sure your knife is sharp and have some patience) Place on a lightly oiled baking sheet and brush with additional olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place your squash oiled side up in the oven for approx. 20 min. Turn over onto its other side and cook for an additional 20 min, or until fork tender and shreds easily. You’ll assemble the sauce while the squash roasts.
While your squash is in the oven, start preparing your sauce by finely chopping your garlic cloves. Next, roughly chop your bacon into evenly sized pieces.
Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat, once ready add in your bacon pieces. Sauté gently and allow them to get golden brown. Once you see them turning a nice golden color, add in your garlic and sauté for an additional minute or so. Next, add the heavy cream and milk to your skillet, gently stirring to combine the garlic and bacon. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and let thicken up for about 5 minutes, stirring once in awhile so it doesn’t stick to the pan.
Once your cream sauce is thickened up and bubbling, add in your parmesan, peas, and season with salt/pepper, red pepper flakes, onion powder and oregano. (If you find that your sauce is too thick at this point, add in a little bit of water, chicken stock, or more milk to help thin it out a bit.) Let the mixture gently simmer for another minute (just enough for the peas to cook, which doesn’t take long at all)
At this point your squash should be done roasting, remove from the oven and take a fork to the tender inside and gently pull up on the flesh, creating noodle like strands. Once your squash is nicely shredded, ladle your carbonara sauce into the squash bowls and top with fresh parsley and extra parmesan. Enjoy!
Recipe Roulette 