BRINGING BACK PASTA ON A KETO OR LOW CARB DIET
We can never get enough Italian food. Ever. Palmini Hearts of Palm Noodles have revolutionized keto/low carb Italian dishes with a texture and flavor that’s the best we’ve tasted! Our Quick and Easy Linguine Alfredo with Ham recipe begins with a classic Alfredo sauce – a rich, creamy sauce, loaded with Gruyère cheese, heavy whipping cream, fresh herbs, cooked ham, and spices. It’s 30 minutes prep to table, and guaranteed to please everyone in the family, including the kids.
ARE PALMINI NOODLES LOW CARB?
One can of Palmini Hearts of Palm provides 3 servings – 20 calories and 2 net carbs per serving. We’ve tried Palmini Angel Hair in our Keto Cheesy Baked Angel Hair Casserole with great success, so we decided to give the linguine a try and had the same amazing results. Absolutely delicious.
HOW TO COOK PALMINI NOODLES
It’s important to follow the directions in preparing Palmini Hearts of Palm in order to achieve the best results. Rinse the noodles thoroughly in cold water prior to cooking. Then boil the hearts of palm noodles for 10 to 12 minutes, which neutralizes the palm flavor and maintains the perfect texture – not mushy or crunchy, but al dente yet tender. After draining, be certain to squeeze out the noodles until you’ve squeezed out as much moisture as possible. Either paper towels or a dish towel do a good job.
INGREDIENTS
Butter – For sautéing ham, shallot and garlic
Ham – Cut into small pieces
Shallots – You can substitute onions (green onions our favorite)
Garlic
Spices – Black Pepper, Oregano
Heavy Whipping Cream – To provide a rich, creamy sauce
Gruyère Cheese – A type of Swiss cheese
Palmini Hearts of Palm Linguine Noodles
Fresh Basil
PREPARATION
Rinse and Boil: Rinse 3 cans of Palmini Linguine Noodles and squeeze dry. Boil 10-12 minutes.
Sauté: In a large skillet, melt butter. Add chopped ham and cook over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes. Another option? Sauté fresh, sliced mushrooms until lightly browned.
Add in: Minced shallots (or onions) into the skillet and cook 2 minutes, then add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds.
Whisk or Stir: Heavy whipping cream, freshly ground pepper, and fresh oregano until the mixture comes to a boil.
Simmer: Stir and simmer 3 – 4 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken. Reduce heat in preparation of the addition of cheese.
Reduce Heat: Over low heat, stir in grated cheese until well-incorporated into the sauce. Stir for 2 minutes, or until sauce has thickened and flavors combine.
Add: Cooked, squeezed dry Palmini noodles and basil. Toss until coated.
Garnish: Use chopped chives, parsley, or red pepper flakes if you enjoy heat. Serve immediately.
STORING AND REHEATING KETO LINGUINE ALFREDO WITH HAM
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in fridge for up to 4-5 days.
Reheating: The leftovers are simply fabulous. Reheat in the microwave or on top of the stove, just until heated.
CAN I SUBSTITUTE DRIED HERBS FOR FRESH?
We’re fortunate to have an herb garden that produces what we need at least 6 months out of the year. The absolute clear winner here is fresh, but if you don’t have access to fresh herbs, substitute dried herbs. Fresh basil is a 2 to 1 fresh to dried ratio. This recipe calls for 4 tablespoons of fresh, chopped basil, which can be substituted with 2 tablespoons of dried basil. With oregano, the fresh to dried ratio is 3 to 1, so 1 tablespoon chopped fresh equals 1 teaspoon of dried oregano. For this recipe, the substitution would be 2 teaspoons of dried oregano.
WHY USE GRUYÈRE CHEESE INSTEAD OF PARMESAN?
Traditionally, Alfredo sauce uses Parmesan cheese. We prefer the taste and melting abilities of Gruyère cheese (pronounced groo-YAIR), a hard yellow Swiss cheese known for its rich, creamy, salty, and nutty flavors. It’s a great melting cheese, used in fondue and in the classic French grilled sandwich, croque monsieur. Gruyère runs a little higher in price than other cheeses, so if you want to substitute, try hard Swiss-style cheeses made in the USA.
WHAT TYPE OF HAM SHOULD I USE?
We’ve used deli ham (3 to 4 slices, cut into half-inch thickness). When home, cut the slices into small pieces. We’ve also used leftover ham from a celebration or holiday, like a Honey Baked Ham, or a half ham prepared at home. You can substitute bacon for the ham if desired.
HOW MANY CARBS ARE IN OUR QUICK AND EASY KETO LINGUINE ALFREDO WITH HAM RECIPE?
Each serving contains only 5 net carbs!
Quick and Easy Keto Linguine Alfredo with Ham Recipe
Equipment
- Large skillet
- Medium saucepan
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp butter
- 8 oz ham chopped into bite-size pieces
- 2 tbsp minced shallots
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp ground pepper
- 2 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped or 2 tsp dried
- 2 cups heaving whipping cream
- 2 cups Gruyère cheese, shredded or other hard Swiss cheese
- 42 oz Palmini Hearts of Palm Linguine 3 - 14 oz cans
- 4 tbsp fresh basil, torn or chopped or 2 tbsp dried
Instructions
- THOROUGHLY RINSE: Palmini Hearts of Palm Linguine and drain. Boil 10-12 minutes, then drain. IMPORTANT: Using paper towels or dish towel, squeeze out as much moisture as possible. While linguine is boiling, make Alfredo sauce.
- SAUCE: Over medium heat, melt butter in large skillet. Increase heat to medium-high. Add chopped ham and cook for 3 -4 minutes, until lightly browned. For crispy ham, continue cooking additional few minutes. Add shallots and cook 2 minutes until softened, stirring constantly. Add garlic and cook 30 additional seconds.
- WHISK: Into the skillet, whisk in heavy whipping cream, pepper, and oregano until mixture comes to a boil and thickens, about 3 minutes.
- REDUCE HEAT: Over low heat, stir in shredded cheese until well-incorporated. Stir for 2 minutes, or until sauce has thickened.
- ADD: Cooked, drained, and squeezed dry Palmini linguine and fresh basil. Toss until coated.
- Garnish with chopped chives or parsley. To add heat, sprinkled red pepper flakes on top.
