Creamy Bacon & Scallop Spaghetti

🥘 Ingredients

• bacon
  4 strips
• black pepper
  1 pinch
• butter
  1 tbsp
• cooking oil
  1 tsp
• cream sauce base
  ½ cup
• garlic powder
  ½ tsp
• parmesan cheese
  ¼ cup
• salt
  1 pinch
• scallions
  2 stalks
• scallops
  8 oz
• spaghetti
  4 oz
• spinach
  2 c
• sugar
  ¼ tsp
• sun-dried tomatoes
  2 tbsp
• veggie stock concentrate
  1 unit

🍳 Cookware

• large pot
• large pan
• medium bowl

1. 

   1

   veggie stock concentrate bacon spinach scallops cream sauce base parmesan cheese sun-dried tomatoes scallions spaghetti garlic powder butter cooking oil sugar salt black pepper

   veggie stock concentrate: 1 unit, bacon: 4 strips, spinach: 2 c, scallops: 8 oz, cream sauce base: ½ cup, parmesan cheese: ¼ cup, sun-dried tomatoes: 2 tbsp, scallions: 2 stalks, spaghetti: 4 oz, garlic powder: ½ tsp, butter: 1 tbsp, cooking oil: 1 tsp, sugar: ¼ tsp, salt: 1 pinch, black pepper: 1 pinch
2. 

   2

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry produce. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. Finely chop sun-dried tomatoes.
3. 

   3

   Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Add bacon. Cook, turning occasionally and adjusting heat if browning too quickly, until crispy ⏱️ 8 minutes . Turn off heat. Transfer bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate. Once cool enough to handle, roughly chop. Carefully discard all but a thin layer of bacon fat from pan.
4. 

   4

   Once water is boiling, add spaghetti to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente ⏱️ 10 minutes . Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain.
5. 

   5

   While pasta cooks, pat scallops dry with paper towels. Season generously all over with half the garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Melt butter and a small drizzle of cooking oil in pan with bacon fat over high heat. Once pan is very hot, add scallops. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through ⏱️ 2 minutes . Turn off heat. Transfer scallops and any pan drippings to a medium bowl . Allow pan to cool slightly, then wipe out.
6. 

   6

   Heat a drizzle of cooking oil in pan used for scallops over medium-high heat. Add scallion whites, sun-dried tomatoes, and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until scallions are fragrant and tomatoes have softened ⏱️ 2 minutes . Reduce heat to medium low. Stir in cream sauce base, veggie stock concentrate, half the parmesan cheese, remaining garlic powder, ¾ cup reserved pasta cooking water, and sugar. Cook, stirring, until sauce begins to thicken ⏱️ 2 minutes . If pasta isn't done cooking yet, ladle pasta water directly from pot.
7. 

   7

   Turn off heat. Add drained spaghetti, scallops with pan drippings, and spinach to pan with sauce. Stir until spinach wilts and pasta is thoroughly coated. If needed, stir in more reserved pasta cooking water a splash at a time until pasta is coated in a creamy sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired.
8. 8

   Divide pasta between bowls. Top with bacon, scallion greens, and remaining parmesan cheese. Serve.