So, I know it’s “healthy January” and all, but I think every week deserves a good bowl of pasta. And let’s be honest, all the broccoli keeps the bowl colorful and on the healthy side, you know what I mean? The truth is, I’ve found this year’s healthy January to be a little trickier than in year’s pasta. I don’t know if it’s the cold, grey winter days we’ve had this past week or the fact that we’re at home right now with very few plans. Either way, I’m craving heartier recipes this January. Thankfully, I’ve been able to healthify a lot of my favorites, like the “Taco Bell” Crunchwraps, my go-to winter Pesto Pasta, doughnuts, and even chocolate chip cookies too. And today, it’s all about pasta carbonara. But updated carbonara, with lots of roasted broccoli for added color and the creamiest, creamless sauce.
Let’s talk about the ingredients.
At first glance, you might not think you can pull this off with only a handful of ingredients. But the truth is, this pasta is so simple. It’s made using a lot of ingredients you might even have on hand right now. Let me break the ingredients down for you… You need broccoli, prosciutto, eggs, parmesan cheese, garlic, herbs (these can be fresh or dried), pasta, and ricotta cheese. Personally, I always have these ingredients on hand. If I don’t have fresh broccoli, I usually always have another vegetable I can roast up instead. And if I don’t have the herbs called for, then I most definitely have dried. So, this is the pasta I call my pantry staple pasta. Whatever I don’t have on hand, I swap with what I do. But the very most important ingredients…broccoli (or a veggie), eggs, and cheese. You’ve got to have those.
Onto the details.
With a short cook time, you can imagine this recipe is easy. First things first, you should pull out all of your ingredients. The key to a good carbonara is to serve it right after tossing. So having everything prepped and ready to go before cooking is key. Start with the broccoli and prosciutto. The broccoli gets roasted with a little bit of garlic. I like to bake the prosciutto right alongside the broccoli to keep things simple. It also ensures the prosciutto gets evenly cooked and crispy all around. Just as the broccoli finishes cooking, I like to toss it with lemon zest. The heat from the broccoli infuses everything with a touch of brightness and freshness. Now, onto that creamy whipped ricotta. I want to start off by saying that this is an extra step that you don’t have to take. But I will say that it elevates the pasta, making it just a touch more special than all the rest. So I think it’s worth the extra five minutes. Simply add the ricotta to a food processor and process until smooth and creamy. Just before the broccoli finishes roasting, I like to boil up the pasta and whisk the eggs with parmesan. If you’ve never made a carbonara pasta, it’s a classic Italian pasta dish. It’s unique in that it uses raw eggs. Tossing the raw eggs with hot pasta and plenty of parmesan cheese creates a delicious creamy sauce without actually having to use any cream at all. The heat from the pasta cooks the eggs and produces the silkiest, smoothest, and creamiest pasta sauce. It’s melt in your mouth good. If you’ve tried my butternut squash pasta carbonara, you’re already familiar with just how creamy and delicious this sauce is. As soon as the pasta finishes cooking, immediately toss it with the eggs. This step is really important, but don’t worry it’s also really easy. Just be sure to toss, toss, toss for a good minute until the sauce thickens. You’ll then have perfect Roasted Broccoli Pasta Carbonara.
Finish it up!
By now, the broccoli and prosciutto should be just finishing up in the oven. This is how I put it all together… Spread that whipped ricotta into the bottom of each pasta bowl before adding the hot pasta carbonara. Top each bowl with broccoli and crispy prosciutto, then enjoy immediately. Once the pasta hits the ricotta it slowly starts to sink in, warming the cheese, and making every twirl of pasta so delicious. It’s not the most traditional, but it is so, so good. The perfect pasta that’s easy enough for a Wednesday night, but feels special enough for the weekend too!
Looking for more winter pasta? Here are a few favorites: Crispy Roasted Cauliflower with Creamy Pesto Pasta Butternut Squash Pasta Carbonara with Rosemary Bacon One Pot Creamy Cauliflower Mac and Cheese Lastly, if you make this Roasted Broccoli Pasta Carbonara with Crispy Prosciutto and Whipped Ricotta, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
