Bacon and lemon is a combination that just shouldn’t work, but like bacon and so many things, it somehow just does. The salty sour hit you get from this delicious dish is balanced by the sweetness of the peas and the creamy taste and texture of the Parmesan cheese. My Pancetta & Lemon Spaghetti Parmesan is positively addictive.
It was Gwyneth Paltrow’s Spaghetti Limone Parmeggiano from ‘My Father’s Daughter‘ that inspired me to make my Pancetta & Lemon Spaghetti Parmesan. One night my husband and I returned from a trip feeling tired and hungry so we needed comfort food fast. I had some pancetta in the fridge that I needed to use up, so I decided to add it. As I had no fresh vegetables, it was frozen peas to the rescue!
It’s pretty rare for me to take a perfectly good vegetarian recipe and add meat to it, but on this occasion, I’m very glad I did. I used Fusilli Lunghi, a lovely curly spaghetti-like pasta, to make this dish look a little bit special, but ordinary spaghetti or linguini works perfectly well.
Pancetta and Lemon Spaghetti Parmesan – A Quick and Easy Recipe
The recipe is the work of moments to make. In less than half an hour I had all this on the table and we were sitting in the garden enjoying a our dinner with a glass of wine on a warm summer evening.
Can Pancetta and Lemon Spaghetti Parmesan Be Made Gluten Free?
If you use gluten free pasta, this recipe can be made gluten free.
Is There A Vegetarian Version Of This Recipe?
You can leave out the pancetta to make this recipe vegetarian, or try Spaghetti Primavera al Limone instead.
Pancetta and Lemon Spaghetti Parmesan – Printable Recipe
Bacon & Lemon Spaghetti Parmesan
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons mild olive oil, divided
- 2 leeks, cleaned and finely sliced
- ½ cup chopped pancetta or 6 slices bacon, chopped
- 6 ounces spaghetti
- juice and grated rind of 1 lemon
- ½ cup grated Parmeggiano Reggiano or Parmesan cheese
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 2 to 3 tablespoons pasta water
- ½ cup frozen peas
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh or dried chives
Instructions
- Heat one tablespoon of oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
- Fry the sliced leeks until they just begin to soften.
- Add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pancetta is cooked and a bit on the crispy side. Set aside to keep warm.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to the package directions.
- Mix the lemon juice, lemon rind, Parmesan cheese, pepper and olive oil together in a small bowl.
- Add a couple of tablespoons of the pasta water to the lemon mixture and mix thoroughly.
- When the pasta is three minutes away from being cooked, toss in the peas. Cook with the pasta until it is done.
- Set aside another tablespoon or so of the pasta water and then drain the pasta and peas thoroughly. Return to the saucepan you cooked them in.
- Stir the pancetta into the pasta and peas along with the lemony cheese sauce mixture. Toss to coat all the pasta with the sauce. If it seems a little dry add another tablespoon or so of the pasta water.
- Serve the pasta garnished with the chives.
did you make this recipe?
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Comments & Reviews
Michelle says
I can’t say that I’ve ever had lemon and bacon together. But I want to!
April Harris says
It really is delicious!
Michelle says
I’m sure it is! I love lemon in savory dishes.
Thank you for linking, April.
Little Susie Home Maker says
Yummy! I love the pictures of this dish and can imagine it as a light summer dish my family would enjoy!! Thanks so much for this recipe, I will try it out!
Blessings,
Susie
April Harris says
Thank you, Susie!
Blessings,
April
Adelina Priddis says
My husband might hate me if I added lemon to his bacon, but I think this sounds perfectly refreshing and hearty. Thanks for sharing on Foodie Friday
April Harris says
It’s not like you can really ‘hide’ the lemon in this recipe either…not that I’ve ever hidden an ingredient from my husband 😉
Diane Balch says
I love many things about Gwyneth Paltrow’s she’s a classy lady and a pretty darn good cook in my healthy eating vain… I love that this is a recipe that can be heated up and served… my husband hasn’t been traveling as much lately, but he sure appreciates a home cooked meal no matter what time it is that he arrives back.
Couscous & Consciousness says
Yum. Bacon, peas, parmesan and lemon – great combination of ingredients. I know I would love this dish. I love using that curly spaghetti – it’s one of my favourites – makes such a fun twist on a classic – I use it quite often when I make spaghetti carbonara.
tigerfish says
Bacon and lemon – to me, it is sounding like it does work even before you said it worked! :p
Cathy Sokolowski says
This looks so delicious! I can’t wait to try it!
April Harris says
Thank you so much, Cathy 🙂 I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!