Grandma’s (Fake) Carbonara

Creamy cheesy pasta with bacon and caramelized onions mimics carbonara pasta flavors and is a recipe passed down my grandmother.

My grandmother was the one who inspired my love for cooking and especially baking. My mother was never a big cooker but my grandmother showed us how fun it was. She always loved to go to the grocery store and see what ingredients looked good to make for dinner that night.

My grandma used to visit us every couple months when we were younger and in the summer my sisters and I would head up to Ohio and spend the summer there. She loved to make us breakfast in bed and watch I love Lucy with us while chowing down on cream of wheat and cinnamon toast. She always had reading material–so many cooking magazines! But one of the things I remember most was whenever she visited or we visited her she always made this delicious pasta with us and my sisters and I always gobbled it up. The flavors are similar to a carbonara pasta but it’s easier to make on a weeknight AND you don’t have to worry about the whole scrambling your eggs thing when making traditional carbonara.

First, cut 1/2 lb bacon into small pieces and fry them in a pan over medium heat until crisp. Set aside. Reserve tablespoons bacon grease and drain off the rest.

Next, slice 1 small vidalia onion and cook in the same pan as the bacon in 2 tablespoons bacon grease. Cook until caramelized–about 8-10 minutes.

Once onion slices are caramelized, add in 1/2 cup white wine (something good you would drink!).Cook for a couple more minutes until the wine is absorbed into the yummy onions.

They are ready when they are sweet and golden brown. Your kitchen will smell divine!

Cook 1/2 spaghetti pasta according to box directions. When ready to plate, in a bowl or skillet, layer the spaghetti with bacon pieces, onions, and some good ol’ parmesan and romano cheese from the green container in your grocery store! It’s better to layer the different components than putting everything right on top because then you have to mix it quite a bit to get it all dispersed. Top it off with a little cracked pepper. The cheese and bacon mimic a carbonara pasta and to be honest-it tastes just as good as carbonara and is quicker to make!

This recipe is so simple but I’m telling you it is AMAZING and one of my favorite dishes my grandmother used to make.

Try it out this week! You won’t be disappointed. Grandmothers always know the best recipes 😉

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Grandma’s (Fake) Carbonara

Total Time: 20 minutes

Cheesy pasta that mimics carbonara flavors but is easy enough for a weeknight!

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb bacon
• 1 small onion (vidalia or sweet onion)
• 1/2 lb spaghetti pasta
• 1/2 cup parmesan and romano cheese
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/4 cup reserved pasta water
• salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to box directions. Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water when draining pasta.
2. Slice 1/2 lb bacon into small pieces and fry over medium heat in a skillet until crisp.
3. When crisp, set aside bacon and grease but reserve 2 tablespoons bacon grease.
4. Slice up 1 small onion and cook in the reserved bacon grease.
5. Cook for about 8-10 minutes until caramelized and then add in 1/2 cup white wine.
6. Cook for a few more minutes until wine is absorbed by the onions and take off the heat.
7. In a large bowl, layer the spaghetti pasta, cheese, bacon and onions a couple times and top it off with a little salt and pepper to taste. Add in reserved pasta water as needed to coat noodles and help create a cheesy sauce.

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