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how to make vegetarian carbonara
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Vegetarian Carbonara Recipe 

This vegetarian carbonara is the perfect alternative to a traditional guanciale carbonara. The nuttiness from the freshly ground pepper and spicy aromatic flavor of the garlic truly come together to emulate a guanciale flavor. Once that creamy sauce makes love to the pasta, this dish becomes the most amazing vegetarian pasta recipe; my spin on the traditional for anyone unable to eat pork.
Course Main Course, Pasta
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 2

Equipment

  • 1 knife
  • 1 Chopping-board
  • 1 large pot for frying
  • 1 Slotted spoon
  • 1 Plate
  • 1 Roll of paper towels
  • 1 large pot for boiling pasta
  • 1 Small bowl for eggs
  • 1 fork
  • 1 wooden spoon
  • 1 Frying pan
  • 1 Mug
  • 1 Silicone tongs

Ingredients

  • 1 Large zucchini Or two medium
  • 200 grams Dry pasta 7.05oz I used fileja Calabresi
  • 3 Eggs 2 egg yolks, 1 entire egg
  • 5 tbsp Pecorino romano Up to 6 heaped tbsp.
  • 2 cloves Garlic 1 per person
  • Sunflower oil to fry the zucchini
  • Extra virgin olive oil as much as required
  • Salt and pepper as much as required

Instructions

  • Cut the zucchini into thin disks, place the disks on top of one another, and slice them thinly
  • Make sure the oil is hot, and fry the zucchini strips.
  • Once the zucchini turns crispy brown, take them out and rest them on a paper towel over a plate.
  • Start boiling water and add 1 tablespoon of rock salt.
  • Once the water is boiling, and you have prepped your sauce add the pasta and follow the cooking instructions on the package.
  • After the pasta is cooked, strain the pasta, but be sure to keep about 1 mug of pasta water for the sauce.
  • Combine 2 egg yolks and 1 whole egg. (The egg white can be used to make amaretti while the egg yolks are used for carbonara!) Then add a generous amount of pepper.
  • Add some pecorino cheese - a small amount at a time so it can be thick but still runny. This will turn into cream, so make sure it doesn’t get too thick.
  • Leave some pecorino on the side so that you can use it as a topping for your pasta.
  • Cut the garlic, so it is very, very thin, and then smash it and/or cut it even smaller.
  • Heat a frying pan on low heat and add 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil letting the smell of garlic fill the room.
  • After approx 30 seconds, add the zucchini. Once cooked, take them out and place them on a plate with a new paper towel.
  • Add the pasta to the frying pan and add about half a mug of pasta water. Stir the this through.
  • Take the pan off the heat and add some pecorino cheese then mix everything together.
  • Add the egg mixture into the pan then combine. The water and egg will combine and create a beautiful cream.
  • Then sprinkle some more of the pecorino and zucchini then mix everything together, and you have a beautiful vegetarian carbonara!
  • To serve, carefully scoop some of the carbonara onto the center of the plate and top it off with some pepper, pecorino, and zucchini.

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