Bacon & Kale Carbonara takes a traditional Carbonara recipe and elevates it to something special. A light and creamy fare with added Kale, Onions and Sun-dried Tomatoes delivering an explosion of flavors in every bite. Served over your favorite pasta for a simple but delicious meal. Let’s explore a little more on this favorite recipe of mine.

What is Carbonara?

Carbonara, a pasta dish prepared with cured pork, eggs, cheese and Salt & Pepper. It is just as simple as that. Variations in cured pork from Pancetta to Bacon used in modern day recipes and tradition has Carbonara recipes prepared initially in areas of Italy. The addition of Parmigiana Reggiano or Pecorino Romano Cheese, Eggs and Black Pepper, this dish is absolutely decadent in its natural form. Pasta is a favorite of mine and while I don’t have it as often as I would love too, a good Italian recipe right out of Italy will always be one on my menu.

I love the traditional version of Carbonara. Anyone that knows me knows I also love to recreate a version of my own. Kale, Onions and Sun-dried Tomatoes provides extra sustanance with a hint of sweetness that marries well with the traditional flavors. Bacon & Kale Carbonara is a simple twist on a reciepe that can be enjoyed on any day of the week. Dress it up for a fancy dining night or kept as simple as can be. If you are not a fan of Pork, substituting for Beef or Turkey Bacon will work in its place. If you are looking for a vegetarian version, Mushrooms work perfectly as well providing a meaty and umami flavor profile. I hope you give this a try and enjoy this recipe as much as I do and that it becomes one of your favorite prepared dishes on rotation!

Bacon & Kale Carbonara

Creamy Carbonara Sauce with a twist, infused with Kale, Onions, Sun-dried Tomatoes & Bacon served over Spaghetti.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine American

Equipment

  • Pot
  • Deep Skillet
  • Cutting Board
  • Knife

Ingredients
  

Protein

  • 6 Thick Slices of Bacon Sliced into thin pieces.

Produce

  • 2 cups Kale Cleaned and chopped up.
  • 1 Yellow Onion Sliced thinly.
  • 1 tbsp Garlic Minced.

Pantry

  • 1 cup Sun-dried Tomatoes Sliced thinly.
  • 12 oz Spaghetti May substitute for your preference in Pasta.

Dairy

  • 2 Egg Yolks You can also use the whole egg as well. Egg Yolk was just my preference.
  • 2 cups Heavy Cream
  • 1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese More or less depending on how much you want to taste it.

Seasonings

  • 1 tbsp Garlic Herb Seasoning No Salt.
  • 1 tsp Onion Powder
  • Salt
  • Black Pepper

Other

Instructions
 

Pasta

  • Prepare your Pasta according to directions on package. Reserve 1 cup of Pasta water prior to draining.

Sauce Preparation (while Pasta is cooking)

  • Heat Skillet on medium/high. Add sliced Bacon and pan sear for 7 minutes or until fat is rendered and Bacon is browned and crispy. Remove from pan and set aside. Remove 1/2 of the bacon fat and set aside.
  • Lower cooking temperature to Medium. Add Minced Garlic, Kale, Onion & Sun-dried Tomatoes to skillet and begin sautéing for 3-5 minutes or until Garlic becomes fragrant and vegetables are tender.
  • In a small bowl, whisk Eggs & Parmesan Cheese together.
  • At this point, Pasta should be done. Add Pasta directly into skillet with cooked Vegetables, Heavy Cream, cooked Bacon, Garlic Herb Seasoning, Onion Powder, a Pinch of Salt & Pepper, Egg mixture and immediately give it a toss to incorporate. The heat from Pasta will cook the Egg mixture.
    Notation: You do not want the egg to cook separately from sauce but to cook with it. For a saucier option, add the Pasta water. Taste to see if additional seasoning is needed.
  • Garnish with Herbs and serve while hot. Enjoy.
Keyword Bacon, Carbonara, creamy pasta, Kale