We love pasta, and this recipe has been revamped through the years and made just perfect! It is my daughter's most requested dinner. It's lighter than other Carbonara dishes because it doesn't have a cream/egg sauce, but it's just as delicious. Super simple (trust me!) and on the table in 30 minutes or less. Serve this with a salad and fruit, and you've got yourself a dinner everyone will come running for!
Carbonara
Serves 6
1 box Gluten Free Penne Pasta (We like Barilla)
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 cups cubed fully cooked ham
8 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 (2.25-oz.) can sliced olives, drained
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt together butter and olive oil. Add garlic and cook over medium-low heat until fragrant. Add cubed ham, crumbled bacon, and salt. Simmer for a few minutes until heated through. Gently stir in olives and Parmesan cheese. Add drained pasta and toss to combine. Sprinkle with extra Parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve immediately.
Step-by-step tutorial:
Gather your ingredients. You'll need GF Penne pasta, butter, olive oil, garlic, cubed ham, bacon, salt, sliced olives, and Parmesan cheese.
In a large skillet on medium-low heat, add the 4 tablespoons butter and 4 tablespoons olive oil. Add 2 teaspoons minced garlic and cook until fragrant and butter is melted.
Chop your ham and bacon, and shred your cheese.
Add 2 cups cubed ham, 8 slices cooked bacon, and 3/4 teaspoon salt to skillet. Allow to cook until fully heated and bacon is sizzling.
Gently stir in a can of sliced olives.....
and 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese.
Drain cooked pasta. Add pasta to skillet and toss to combine. Top with additional Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately!
This is fancy enough to be served for a birthday celebration, but easy enough to have any night of the week. I haven't met a kid who didn't like it (thought a few will pick out the olives)!
Recipe Source: Shanna's recipe box