Recipes

Green Bean Carbonara

The classic carbonara gets a makeover with the addition of green beans and poached eggs. This quick dinner developed by Emily Richards, PHEc in partnership with Osteoporosis Canada will become a recipe staple you will serve on repeat.

Serves:
2
Prep Time:
10 min
Cook Time:
15 min

Ingredients

  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup ( 125 mL ) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tbsp ( 30 mL ) chopped fresh parsley, divided
  • ¼ tsp ( 1.25 mL ) salt, divided
  • Pepper
  • 1 tbsp ( 15 mL ) canola oil
  • 1 1/2 cups ( 375 mL ) frozen green beans
  • 6 oz ( 175 g ) spaghetti with added fibre
  • 1 tbsp ( 15 mL ) vinegar
  • 2 eggs (for poaching)
  • Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Instructions

  1. In a bowl, whisk together two eggs, Parmesan cheese, 1 tbsp (15 mL) parsley, ⅛ tsp (0.5 mL) salt, and a pinch of pepper; set aside.

  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for cooking the pasta.

  3. Meanwhile, in a nonstick frying pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the green beans and remaining parsley and salt, and cook until the beans are tender and slightly blistered, about 3 minutes. Set aside and keep warm.

  4. When the water boils, add the pasta; cook until al dente, about 8 minutes.

  5. While the pasta is cooking, in another pot, bring some water and the vinegar to boil for poaching the eggs. Just before the pasta completes cooking, reduce the heat under the poaching water in the second pot so it drops to a simmer. Crack an egg into a small bowl. Holding the dish just above the simmering water, gently slip the egg into the water. Repeat for the other egg. Cook until the whites are set and the yolks are cooked as desired, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the water with a slotted spoon and drain well on a paper towel.

  6. Meanwhile, drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Stir in the egg and Parmesan mixture and toss until the pasta is coated and creamy. Stir in the green beans until well combined.

  7. Divide the pasta between two shallow bowls and top each with a poached egg. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese and pepper, if desired.

Notes

For a change, top the carbonara with a sunny side up fried egg instead of a poached egg. While the pasta is cooking, fry a couple eggs in the same frying pan used to cook the green beans.