The Blonde Chef

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Pasta Carbonara

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Happy MLK Day! To celebrate, Stephen and I are spending the day in DC playing tourists! We both decided to pick one museum ( I picked the Hirshhorn) and then grab lunch at Brown Bag and man, am I so excited!
Pasta Carbonara

Sometimes it’s nice to plan a little adventure. Speaking of which, remember those mussels from last weeks hot and sour soup?  Well since I only used about half for that recipe, I decided to go full-on Italian and make pasta carbonara for you guys! It’s pretty dang delicious AND it’s crazy simple to make.
Pasta Carbonara

Between the creamy pasta and the steamed mussels, this meal feels pretty romantic to me. In fact, this would be an awesome Valentine’s Day meal! So simple, but your significant other will be forever impressed by your cooking skills (as they should be!).
Pasta Carbonara

(How gorgeous are those mussels?) Now, I won’t pretend that this meal is necessarily “ideal” for your new year’s diet, at least in terms of carbohydrate content.  However, I do believe that the key to health is learning to eat many different things (including carbs) in moderation. And so, I am going to say go ahead grab a bowlful and, when you’re finished, rest easy knowing that you’ve just provided your body with some awesome energy!
Pasta Carbonara

Here’s what you get from one serving of this delicious pasta:

  • Whole Wheat Pasta: Good source of carbohydrates, whole grains, and fiber
  • Garlic: Anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and anti-fungal.  Great for warding off colds!
  • Eggs: A good source of protein, vitamin A and choline which helps build healthy cell membranes, and contains the good kind of cholesterol.
  • Olive Oil: Can help prevent stroke, promote a healthy liver, and help maintain a healthy cholesterol level.
  • Basil:Can reduce inflammation and swelling, rich in antioxidants, and is a good source of vitamins A and K.
  • Mussels: A good source of omega-3’sPasta Carbonara

 

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Pasta Carbonara
 
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Serves: 4 servings
What You'll Need
  • ½ box pasta (cooked according to instructions, reserving ½ cup of the cooking water)
  • ½ cup reserved pasta cooking liquid
  • 2 tbs. olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves (minced)
  • ¼ cup. parmesan
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 basil leaves
  • 10 mussels (cleaned)
Instructions
  1. Boil a pot of water and season with 2 tsp. salt. Add the uncooked pasta and cook according to box instructions.
  2. Once cooked, reserve ½ cup of the cooking liquid, then drain.
  3. Set aside.
  4. In a large pan, add the olive oil and half of the garlic and warm over a medium heat.
  5. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and parmesan.
  6. Add the cooked spaghetti to the pan along with the egg mixture and toss together (be sure to keep the temp around medium-low to ensure that you don't end up with scrambled eggs).
  7. Once the pasta is ready, add 2 more cloves of minced garlic to the pan and warm then add the mussels along with about 1 cup of water. Heat over a medium temp for about 5 minutes until all of the mussels have opened.
  8. Serve the pasta with the mussels and a sprig of fresh basil!
  9. *This keeps extremely well in the fridge

 

 

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  1. So I’m a virgin to mussels. I’m a chicken and have never tasted them. In fact, I’ve never had the courage to do anything with any type of seafood fancier than shrimp. You’re inspiring me Aubrie! Now I’m wanting to become more aquainted with our saltwater friends in the kitchen. This pasta looks amazing and who cares about carbs! Pinning!

    • Ok, that’s the sweetest thing you could have said! My husband is totally the same way so I’ve been slowing introducing him to other kinds of shellfish to build up his tolerance haha. Let me know if you give them a go! I’m dying to hear how you like them!

  2. Girl that first photo is to die for! Like, STUNNING. Like I can’t get over it. As an east coast chick and mussels lover, these are right up my alley. Have fun being tourists today!

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