Garlic Sweet Potato Noodles with Pancetta and Baby Spinach
Try this Garlic Sweet Potato Noodles with Pancetta and Baby Spinach recipe, or contribute your own.
Try this Garlic Sweet Potato Noodles with Pancetta and Baby Spinach recipe, or contribute your own.
- Carbohydrate 0.73088204104812 g
- Cholesterol 115 mg
- Fat 24.8569791080679 g
- Fiber 0.147636175314494 g
- Protein 28.69111453846 g
- Saturated Fat 6.85542328170244 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (158g)
- Sodium 107.772527642573 mg
- Sugar 0.583245865733626 g
- Trans Fat 2.02248863514166 g
- Calories 348 calories
Step-by-step
- Place a large skillet over medium heat and add in the olive oil. Once the oil heats, add in the garlic, red pepper flakes and onions and cook for about 2 minutes or until onions are translucent.
- Add in the sweet potato noodles and pancetta and season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine and let cook for a few minutes (about 2) and then add in the chicken broth and basil. Let fully reduce and then cook for 2-3 minutes or until sweet potato noodles are cooked through (taste to test.) Towards the end, add in the baby spinach and let cook for about 2 minutes or until spinach is wilted.
- When done, divide evenly into bowls.
Managing Moisture and Texture
Cooks frequently crowd the pan and steam root vegetable strands instead of browning them. Excess water pooling in the skillet creates a mushy interior rather than a tender-crisp bite. Cut the sweet potato strands uniformly using a spiralizer fitted with a 3mm blade to ensure even heat penetration. Pat the raw strands dry with paper towels before cooking to remove surface starch that causes clumping.
Rendering the Pancetta
Start the diced pancetta in a cold skillet over medium-low heat. This slow rendering process melts the intramuscular fat without burning the exterior proteins. Render until the cubes develop a deep amber crispness, which takes roughly 6 to 8 minutes. Retain this rendered fat in the pan to coat the sweet potato strands and carry the garlic flavor.
Balancing Salt and Greens
Pancetta contributes significant sodium, so hold off on heavy seasoning until the meat and vegetables combine. Add the chicken broth only after the sweet potato noodles have seared briefly in the fat. Fold in the baby spinach during the final 120 seconds of cooking. Remove the skillet from the heat immediately when the greens wilt to prevent water release from diluting the sauce.
