Food and Recipes Pasta Fettuccine With Collards And Bacon 5.0 (2) 2 Reviews Whip up this speedy Southern-inspired pasta dish in 40 minutes. By Anna Theoktisto Anna Theoktisto Anna Theoktisto is a recipe tester and developer who's been working in Dotdash Meredith test kitchens since 2017. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on January 27, 2023 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn Active Time: 40 mins Total Time: 40 mins Servings: 4 Jump to recipe It’s safe to say that nearly all Southerners love bacon, most love collard greens, and a generous handful of those crave pasta. Put all those favorite foods together, you’ve got this speedy Southern pasta dish! Thin ribbons of meaty collard greens go into your favorite cast-iron skillet for a quick sauté in bacon drippings before being combined with thick al dente strands of fettuccine, Parmesan cheese, and a little pasta water to create a speedy, savory sauce that clings to every noodle. Topped with a generous handful of toasted garlicky breadcrumbs, it’s the perfect easy supper to warm you up fast on a cold night. A Trick for Tender Greens To avoid tough greens, fold each leaf in half and then tear or slice off the stem. Ingredients 1 lb. uncooked fettuccine 4 garlic cloves, divided 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 cup panko breadcrumbs 1/4 tsp. kosher salt, plus more for salting water 8 thick-cut bacon slices, chopped 1 medium-size yellow onion, finely chopped (1 1/2 cups) 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper, plus more for garnish 1 lb. fresh collard greens, stemmed and thinly sliced (about 6 cups) 4 oz. pecorino Romano cheese, grated (about 1 cup), plus more for garnish Directions Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high. Add fettuccine; cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Reserve 1 1/2 cups cooking water; drain pasta, and transfer to a large heatproof bowl. Grate 1 garlic clove. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add panko, salt, and grated garlic; cook, stirring often, until panko is golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, and set aside. Wipe skillet clean. Add bacon to same skillet; cook over medium, stirring often, until crisp, about 12 minutes. Transfer cooked bacon to a plate, reserving drippings in skillet. Mince remaining 3 garlic cloves. Add onion, red pepper, and minced garlic to drippings in skillet. Cook, stirring often, until onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Add collards; cook, stirring often, until just tender, about 5 minutes. Add cooked fettuccine and bacon, cheese, and reserved 1 1/2 cups cooking water. Continue cooking over medium, tossing occasionally until sauce coats noodles, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and sprinkle with panko mixture. Garnish with additional cheese and crushed red pepper. Serve immediately. Rate it Print