Pasta with Spicy Brussels Sprouts and Pancetta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
- 3 ounces pancetta diced
- 4 sprigs rosemary chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 jalapeno minced
- black pepper ground
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
- 1 cup brussels sprouts thinly sliced (or shaved with a mandolin)
- 1 teaspoon butter
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice for serving
- 1/4 cup shaved parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package instructions until just al dente (do not overcook or it will get mushy).
- While the pasta is cooking, heat a large sauté pan over medium high heat and add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the pancetta and rosemary, and sauté for a few minutes until the pancetta starts to brown.
- Add the garlic, jalapeno, black pepper to taste, and cayenne and sauté until garlic and pancetta turn golden brown, about 3 minutes.
- Add the Brussels sprouts and sauté until they just start to soften, about 2 minutes. Spread sprouts mixture in pan and press down to flatten. Let it sear for a minute, then stir it up and repeat (this helps brown the sprouts).
- Add the pasta and butter, toss to combine and sauté for another minute.
- Serve in bowls topped with a drizzle of olive oil and lemon juice, and sprinkled with parmesan cheese.
~Amanda~
This Pasta with Spicy Brussels Sprouts and Pancetta has quickly become one of my favorite things to make and it seriously is so good that I would totally order it as an entrée at a fancy restaurant. No joke… it’s that amazing. I found this recipe a while ago in a New York Times article and am giving them all the credit here as I only made a few small changes to the recipe – there is no way I could have made this much better. The combination of the warm pasta, crisp and spicy Brussels sprouts, salty pancetta and parmesan, and tangy lemon juice is like nothing I’ve had before. And don’t let the Brussels sprouts scare you… in this recipe, they are sliced thinly and then sautéed in a skillet with oil, pancetta, and jalapenos which infuses them with so much flavor. AND when cooked at a higher heat, they will begin to caramelize and get slightly crispy – so they aren’t even comparable to those nasty steamed Brussels sprouts we all grew up eating (or secretly throwing in the trash, sorry mom), they taste divine.
Did I mention that this is also one of the quickest and easiest meals to prepare?! This is a go-to meal for me on weeknights because it’s so simple. I have recently found myself planning it for dinner mostly on Monday nights so I can get in and out of the kitchen quick and in time to watch The Bachelor… don’t judge, you know you watch it too ;). It just pairs so perfectly with a glass of wine and some bad tv! So the first step – cook the pasta. If you’ve seen any of my other pasta recipes, you know I’m hooked on Ancient Harvest Garden Pagodas Pasta – it’s gluten free and made with corn and quinoa flours, rather than rice flour, which gives it a texture just like real pasta and it’s good for you. So use this, or whatever pasta you love (penne or something similar) and cook according to the package instructions until just al dente. Don’t overcook it or it’ll get mushy!
While the pasta is cooking, start browning the pancetta by heating olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the pancetta and rosemary and sauté for a few minutes until it’s starting to brown. Then add the garlic, jalapeno, black pepper, and cayenne. You want to cook this just for a few minutes until the garlic is fragrant and begins to brown, but not burn. And now on to the Brussels sprouts – you want them sliced as thinly as possible and I do this by using a mandolin, but you can also use a sharp knife and delicate cuts. Toss them into the pan with the other ingredients and sauté until they are warmed through and starting to wilt a bit. To finish them off and get them a little crispy, push them on the bottom of the pan and slightly sear them, toss and do it again!
The final step is to add in your cooked pasta and a little bit of butter. Toss this together with everything in the pan until it’s warmed through and now you’re ready to serve this amazing meal. Spoon the mixture into bowls (this probably could serve 4 people, but it’s so good that we have extra-large servings and it’s just barely enough for Conor and I… #sorrynotsorry). Finish it off with a little drizzle of olive oil, some lemon juice, and shaved parmesan cheese on top. You’re going to be drooling at this point because your kitchen is going to smell amazing, so hurry on up and eat one of the best pasta dishes you will ever have! ENJOY!
