Are you looking for a comfort food kinda meal that is really healthy too? Awesome! Then my Pasta with Spinach, Pancetta and Pomegranate has your name written all over it.
Smoky Pancetta, sweet pomegranates and a good daily dose of leafy green spinach ~ all in one happy pasta dish.
Aren’t pomegranates so beautiful?! The ruby red arils tucked inside the creamy white pith, all cased in a magenta shell. Such a unique fruit.
The sweet / astringent flavor as the seeds burst in your mouth. A treat, a sensory delight!
I used gluten free pasta in this recipe. You can choose your favorite pasta.
Do you ever cook with Pancetta? It’s an Italian bacon that adds so much flavor to dishes like this.
Pancetta is a salt cured pork belly meat ~ a little goes a long way which is nice.
I topped it with some roasted slivered almonds. For me a handful of nuts goes on just about everything.
You can also use some slivered parmesan, blue cheese, gorgonzola ~ anything you like! Enjoy.
Pancetta Pasta Recipe Links
- Creamy Orecchiette with Peas, Pancetta and Mint Five And Spice
- Fusilli Pasta with Cremini Mushrooms Thyme
- Pasta with Black Kale Pesto and Pancetta Jul’s Kitchen
- Penne with Broccoli Rabe and Pancetta Cooking Books
- Spaghetti alla Carbonara Kitchen Trials
- Sweet Sausage, Pancetta and Fennel Pasta Kitchen Trials
Mmm.lovely Marla. Love all the flavors!
Hope you survived the move!
Leslie, the move went very smoothly! Thank goodness 😉
A beautiful pasta dish! That combination is just awesome. You’ve just made me hungry…
Cheers,
Rosa
Thanks Rosa ~ I could certainly see you enjoying these flavors 🙂
I wish I had the patience for pomegranates. I ate my fair share of them when I was in India last year… so much juice… such a huge mess. Loving the bright colors and bold flavors of this recipe. So great!
Ha! Leanne you make me snicker. Yes, poms can be messy ~ however well worth the mess! Have you tried taking out the seeds in a water bath? The mess is waaaayyyy less! I would love to eat poms in India by the way. Lucky you 🙂
I’ve totally watched a video on how to do the whole ‘water in a bowl thing’ with the pomegranates but I NEVER remember to do it in the heat of the moment. I bought one tonight when we went shopping and planning to have it tomorrow morning. I put a sticky note on it to remind myself. We’ll see how it goes.
And yes, India pom eating was an activity I’ll never forget!
Nice….a sticky note on your pom 🙂
So hearty and flavorful! I could eat this every week. 🙂
The colors of this salad are so pretty!! I love the bright pops of color. Sounds and looks so lovely!
Julie, I love how much color & flavor poms add to recipes too!
Gah! So sorry! I meant PASTA! I had salad in my head cause that’s what I was thinking of for lunch today!!
It could be a salad Julie ~ tastes great chilled and would pack up perfect for a picnic!
This is like, ALL of my dreams coming true at once.
Ha! Love it Bev!
Pancetta is so flavorful, looks way tasty!!
Stunning Marla!! You are so talented. And it looks SO delicious!!
I posted a POM recipe today too! Love them! Great dish!
Your salad looks great today Maria!
did you forget to add the pomegranate arils?
Added! Thanks for noticing 🙂
It is colorful and healthy. Perfect for lunch.
This dish is so gorgeous! Late last year I got to bake with pomegranate for the first time and I love it! It’s wonderful to see an array of savory dishes I could use it in too, like this pasta. And I know my kiddos will love it! PS: I am totally swooning over your adorable bowl!!
Anna, I also love poms in sweets and savories.
Why are there no pomegranate seeds in the actual recipe? Do they go on at the end with the toppings?
Thanks for playing editor Amy! I’ll add them now. Just toss them in at the end and top the dish with some too 🙂
Looks delicious Marla! And a totally unique flavor combo!
I used pancetta in a pasta dish last week {which wasn’t quite as healthy as yours 😉 } and it totally blew everyone’s socks off. I don’t think I’ve used it in many dishes but that is certainly going to change! I love how you’ve added pomegranate to the pasta, such a beautiful looking plate!!
Antonia ~ isn’t pancetta the best??
Such a pretty pasta dish, I love these flavors!
I just love the bright re pom arils against the white noodles with the green…it just looks so healthy and you are the pom aril queen, always working them into your gorgeous posts! 🙂
I love everything about this post! The pasta…the pancetta…the pomegranate! Total Beaty overload.
Sounds delicious (even without the onion & garlic, to which I am very allergic)! Will have to try this soon.
This is seriously an amazing combo! I absolutely love pancetta, and pomagranates really are so beautiful and add that perfect pop of color and flavor. Then the almonds on top? Holy cow, so yummmm!!!
Oh wow, loving this recipe, however I don’t know if I would have the patience with the pomegranate. I would probably eat it as I go 🙂 I am sure they add some crunch and nice fresh juicy taste to the pasta. Congrants on your move. I am jealous, what a beautiful place. I am sure you will be inspired, more than ever, to come up with beautiful food 🙂
Loving the burst of flavor from the pomegranate!
I just adore pomegranates, especially in a savory dish like this. So perfect!
LOVE any pasta with pancetta – but add Poms? Omg yes please!!
This has got to be the most colorful and beeeeoooootiful pasta dish I have ever seen. Yum.
How quick and simple yet elegant this recipe sounds.
Thanks!
Thanks Kirsten ~ I love comfort with a splash of elegance too 🙂
I love the change up to pasta! What a great dish!!!
What Gaby said. 😉
I haven’t tried brown rice pasta…is it very starchy? Definitely an amazing GF alternative.
Aimee, the brown rice pasta has a nice texture. I don’t like to eat too much of something like that though ~ can get kinda heavy if you do. I am a “heavier on the toppings” kinda gal 😉
What a fabulous and delicious salad!
This looks totally amazing! Such gorgeous colors and flavors.
Fabulous!!!! It looks so refreshing. 😀
I’ve been looking for pasta recipes with lots of leafy greens, so this fits the bill. Plus, poms are delicious! Thanks for sharing this great recipe 🙂
Glad I could give you guys such a tasty, satisfying and healthy pasta dish. Enjoy!
Now that is a tasty sounding pasta! I really like the use of the pomegranate in it!
I never thought to add pomegranate and we love it! Do you recommend any substitute for pancetta? We don’t eat pork.
Isra, how about some diced smoked turkey or chicken?
Pomegranate makes dishes look so festive – love the look of this pasta!
I love this one because I love pasta. I could add this to my healthy eating plan for my diet tips :). Thank you for sharing this healthy food. Hope you can visit mine too 🙂
More power &
GOD BLESS
Oh man… this looks fab! I would never think to pair pancetta and pomegranate together!
This is a gorgeous dish, Marla! I love everything going on here! 🙂