This quick and easy pasta comes together in the time it takes the pasta to cook. Be sure not to throw out the cooking water. The starchy water turns the cheese and butter into a creamy sauce.
Prep Time10mins
Cook Time10mins
Total Time20mins
Course: dinner, side dish
Cuisine: pasta
Servings: 8servings
Calories: 353kcal
Ingredients
1poundcorkscrew shaped pasta
4slicesbacon, chopped
2tablespoonsbutter
1medium onion, minced
1poundfresh swiss chard or spinach
2cupsfresh peas, or 1-10 oz. bag frozen peas
½cupfinely shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the pasta per the package directions. Drain the pasta but reserve 1 cup of the cooking water for the sauce.
While the pasta is cooking, heat a very large skillet or heavy wide pot over medium to medium high heat and add the bacon to the pan. Cook the bacon until it is crisp and remove it to some paper towels to drain.
Add the butter to the bacon grease in the pan and then add in the onion. While the onion is cooking, remove the stems from the Swiss chard, and then chop the leaves and the stems separately. Add the stems to the pan with the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the onion and the Swiss chard stems begin to soften. Add in the green leaves and the peas and continue to cook, over medium heat until the greens have wilted and the peas are tender, another 3-5 minutes.
Add the bacon, Parmesan and pasta to the pan and stir to combine everything loosely together. Add in about ½ of the pasta water to the pan and continue to stir until a creamy sauce forms. If the pasta still seems a little dry, add the remaining pasta water. Sprinkle with more cheese and serve immediately.
Notes
Tip: Swiss Chard is my favorite of the leafy greens and comes with a crisp stem that is similar in texture to celery. Unlike other greens, this stem is delicious to eat!