Pasta with Crispy Brussels Sprouts and Bacon

Shredded sprouts seared in bacon fat until browned and sweet, tossed with pasta, garlic, parmesan, and a squeeze of lemon in the classic carbonara-adjacent style.

40 min Easy

Ingredients

serves 4

From the garden

1 lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed and thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

From the pantry

6 slices bacon, chopped
12 oz spaghetti or other long pasta
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
2 tbsp butter
¾ cup grated parmesan — plus more for serving
1 lemon — juice only
salt — for the pasta water and to taste
black pepper

Steps

tap a step to dim it as you go

Cook the bacon in a wide skillet over medium heat until crisp, 6–8 minutes. Lift it out with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat behind, and get a big pot of salted water boiling for the pasta.
Raise the heat to medium-high and add the sliced sprouts to the bacon fat in an even layer. Let them sear undisturbed 2–3 minutes, then toss and repeat until browned at the edges and tender, 6–8 minutes total.
Meanwhile, boil the pasta until just shy of al dente and scoop out 1 cup of the cooking water before draining.
Push the sprouts aside, add the butter, garlic, and red pepper flakes, and cook 1 minute until the garlic is fragrant and pale gold.
Add the pasta, half the reserved water, and the parmesan, and toss vigorously over low heat until a glossy sauce clings to the noodles, loosening with more water as needed. Finish with the bacon, lemon juice, and plenty of black pepper.