Low-Carb Bacon Mushroom Spinach Carbonara
A couple of weeks ago a friend asked me for a healthy carbonara recipe. I didn’t have one created yet but I love a challenge. Since my husband was home today and I needed to feed him, this amazing recipe was born.
This recipe has so much flavor between the sweetness of the onions, saltiness of the bacon and tang from the tomatoes. The spaghetti squash adds a slightly nutty flavor to the whole thing. It turned out amazing! But you can easily make this paleo by omitting the bacon. It will still have tons of flavor.
You can use spaghetti squash or a quinoa pasta. I wrote about spaghetti squash a while ago and how it’s flavor is so mild and versatile that you can top it with pretty much anything. it’s really easy to cook and shreds up just like angel hair pasta. Try it with some marinara and olives, a little olive oil and Parmesan cheese, etc.
P.S. The hubby LOVED it
{ I always choose organics whenever available }
- 1 large spaghetti squash
- ½ lb uncured bacon
- 1½ cups chopped mushrooms
- 1 cup chopped white or sweet onion
- 2 big handfuls fresh baby spinach
- 2 teaspoons ghee (could sub with olive oil or coconut oil)
- 1 tsp minced garlic (I use the kind from a jar)
- ½ can fire roasted tomatoes (reserve liquid)
- Dash of salt/pepper
- Optional: red pepper flakes
- Preheat oven to 400. Wash outside of spaghetti squash and carefully poke about 10 holes in it. Place on baking sheet (be careful it doesn't roll off). Bake for 60 minutes.
- While the squash is baking, prepare your sauce.
- Cut bacon into 1 inch pieces, don't worry about separating them because they will come apart while cooking.
- In a large skillet, add 1 teaspoon of ghee (or oil of choice) and cook bacon until crispy.
- With a slotted spoon, remove bacon, set aside and discard grease.
- Using the same pan, add ½ tsp of ghee and saute onions, garlic, dash of salt and pepper on medium heat until translucent. About 4 - 5 minutes.
- Add another ½ tsp of ghee and add mushrooms and spinach, saute on medium heat until spinach is thoroughly wilted.
- Add fire roasted tomatoes plus all of the liquid in the can to the pan. Continue to heat on medium until most of the liquid cooks off.
- When your squash is finished baking, place on counter for about 10 - 15 minutes so it's cools off enough to cut in half.
- Once cooled enough to handle, slice squash lengthwise and scoop out seeds.
- Rake fork along the flesh to separate the "spaghetti" from the outer shell.
- Serve spaghetti squash topped with your delicious carbonara sauce.
- Optional: Sprinkle with red pepper flakes.
