Vegetable Carbonara
This homemade Vegetable Carbonara is an easy to make, healthy spin on the Italian classic. Fresh mushrooms, asparagus, and baby spinach, with lean bacon and pasta, in a simple creamy egg and parmesan cheese sauce (no cream). This recipe uses only 11 ingredients and takes just 20 minutes to cook!
Pasta alla carbonara is one of the ultimate classics in Italian cooking. This recipe uses authentic techniques, but it’s not really traditional (sorry, not sorry, Nonna). However, adding vegetables makes this a healthy alternative to the original!
A healthy carbonara with vegetables
Many people don’t realise that putting vegetables in carbonara totally works (particularly spring veggies)! In fact, it’s a good way of adding fresh flavours (and extra nutrition) that complement that delicious egg sauce.
Now don’t let all the vegetables fool you, this Vegetable Carbonara is high protein, but also lower in fat and calories than the original. It’s also high fibre, so it’s good choice for your gut health! This is one of my favourite pasta dishes when I want quick and easy comfort food or a lazy dinner. This veggie carbonara is one of my most popular recipes, it’s also approved by meat lovers!
Vegetable Carbonara ingredients
The best thing about this Vegetable Carbonara is that you probably already have some of the basic ingredients. The rest you can easily find at your local supermarket or farmers market.
The Vegetables
- Garlic – Although not traditional, it adds some extra flavour.
- Mushrooms – Gives the sauce an umami depth that takes it to a whole other level. I used regular white mushrooms, as they’re the most affordable. Mushrooms add nutrients such as potassium, vitamins B3 and B7.
- Asparagus – I used a whole bunch, with the ends trimmed. Asparagus adds a crisp, crunchy texture and freshness that goes great with eggs. Also adds some vitamins C, A, K and folate.
- Baby spinach – Also pairs well with eggs, and is also easy to get. Using baby spinach gives the carbonara a boost in vitamins A and K, mangesium, iron and folate.
Carbonara Sauce
- Bacon – Although not traditional, bacon is cheaper and easy to find compared to guanciale (pork cheek). I used short cut or eye slice bacon with the fat removed. These cuts help reduce the fat. A small reminder that having bacon every now and then is healthy.
- Whole eggs + egg yolks – Using whole eggs and yolks balances the richness of the sauce. It also reduces the fat, which comes mostly from the yolks. Credit to Nagi from RecipeTin Eats for this idea!
- Nutritional yeast – Adds umami flavour without needing additional salt.
- Parmigiano reggiano – Is a premium type of parmesan aged for extra flavour, but it is more expensive. This is what helps give the sauce it’s creamy texture. A more budget friendly choice is regular parmesan cheese, but NOT pre-grated cheese! You can find it in most Australian supermarkets. Preferably reduced / low fat.
- Black pepper – Real Italian carbonara is generously seasoned with fresh ground black pepper.
- Pasta – Spaghetti is most commonly used noodles for carbonara in Italian cuisine. However, all shapes work, e.g. bowtie, penne and fettucine.
Does traditional carbonara have cream?
No, real carbonara is made without cream. It uses just egg and parmesan cheese to create that rich and creamy sauce.
Cream also adds fat to the carbonara (on top of the fat from the eggs, bacon and cheese!). Making carbonara the traditional way, with no cream, reduces the fat and calories!
What is the best pasta for carbonara?
Wholemeal / wholegrain or pulse pasta is the best pasta choice. This way you get more dietary fibre, protein and nutrients to help fuel your body. A few suggestions I have include:
- Wholemeal spaghetti (more budget friendly),
- Chickpea pasta, or
- Lentil pasta.
However, this recipe works with regular pasta too!
How to make Vegetable Carbonara
- Cook vegetables – Heat extra virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium – high heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Tip the mushrooms and asparagus, and cook until the mushrooms start to wilt. Add the baby spinach and stir. Cook until the spinach has completely wilted. Remove the vegetable mix from the skillet and return it to the heat.
- Cook bacon – Add the bacon to the skillet and cook for 5 minutes or until caramelised. Tip the bacon onto a plate covered with paper towel and pat dry. This helps remove excess fat.
- Make sauce – In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs (and yolks), nutritional yeast, grated cheese and fresh cracked black pepper. Set aside.
- Cook pasta – Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Cook pasta according to packet instructions or until al dente. Drain into a colander. (Note 3)
- Mix sauce with pasta – Quickly return the pasta to the pot and pour in the egg sauce mixture. Stir vigorously until the cheese has melted and the sauce is creamy.
- Add bacon and vegetables – Add the bacon vegetable mix to the pot and stir. If they are cold, reheat in microwave for 1 minute.
- Serve – Transfer the vegetable carbonara pasta immediately in warm bowls. Garnish with extra parmigiano reggiano and black pepper if desired.
Fresh and hot is when pasta is at its best. Using warm bowls prevents the pasta from going cold and the sauce becoming stodgy. Heat the bowls in the microwave for 1 minute or run them under hot water before serving. Bon appetit!
Side dish suggestions
A creamy pasta like this Vegetable Carbonara is best paired with a light veggie side, such as:
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Substitutes & variations
- Other vegetable – Peas, lentils, green beans, capsicum / bell pepper, zucchini / courgette, or sundried tomatoes.
- Mushrooms – Swap for cremini / swiss brown mushrooms for extra flavour!
- Bacon – Pancetta will also work, but it will have more fat.
- Cheese – Pecorino romano.
- Herbs – Parsely or chives.
- Gluten free – Use gluten free certified pasta.
- No garlic – Just leave it out. This Vegetable Carbonara still tastes great without it!
- Vegetarian / meatless / baconless – Substitute for plant-based / meat free bacon.
Tips
Avoid using pre-shredded parmesan cheese. These bags contain anti-caking agents, which can stop the cheese from melting properly through the Vegetable Carbonara.
If you want to go for extra flavour instead of cutting back on fat, cook the bacon first without draining. Then cook the vegetables in the bacon fat.
The trick with this Vegetable Carbonara is to have all your ingredients ready. As soon as your pasta is cooked, you want to mix it with the sauce, then the vegetable bacon mix. If you pasta is left to cool, the cheese will not melt!
Want more healthy pasta recipes?
- A hearty Beef and Lentil Bolognese
- Creamy Gnocchi Primavera
- Tangy Red Pepper Pesto Pasta
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Ingredients
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
- 1 1/3 cups mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed & cut into 2cm pieces
- 3 cups baby spinach
- 4 pieces short cut or lean eye bacon fat removed, diced
- 2 eggs (Note 2)
- 2 egg yolks (Note 2)
- 4 tsp nutritional yeast
- 1 cup parmigiano reggiano, finely shredded (preferably reduced / low fat)
- 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
- 150 g wholemeal pasta
Instructions
- Cook vegetables – Heat extra virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium – high heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Tip the mushrooms and asparagus, and cook until the mushrooms start to wilt. Add the baby spinach and stir. Cook until the spinach has completely wilted. Remove the vegetable mix from the skillet and return it to the heat.
- Cook bacon – Add the bacon to the skillet and cook for 5 minutes or until caramelised. Tip the bacon onto a plate covered with paper towel and pat dry. This helps remove excess fat.
- Make sauce – In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs (and yolks), nutritional yeast, grated cheese and fresh cracked black pepper. Set aside.
- Cook pasta – Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Cook pasta according to packet instructions or until al dente. Drain into a colander. (Note 3)
- Mix sauce with pasta – Quickly return the pasta to the pot and pour in the egg sauce mixture. Stir vigorously until the cheese has melted and the sauce creamy.
- Add bacon and vegetables – Add the bacon vegetable mix to the pot and stir. If they are cold, reheat in microwave for 1 minute.
- Serve – Transfer the Vegetable Carbonara pasta immediately in warm bowls. Garnish with extra parmigiano reggiano and black pepper if desired.
Notes
- Measurements – This recipe uses 250ml cup and 20ml tablespoons measurements. Using US measurements may alter the recipe results.
- Eggs – Works with eggs labelled large (600g) or extra large (700g).
- Cooking pasta – I don’t salt my water to compensate for the amount of sodium. If you’re not watching your sodium you can salt the water.
- Gluten free – Use gluten free certified pasta.
- Vegetarian / meatless / baconless – Substitute the bacon for a plant-based / meat free bacon.
- Storage – 2 – 3 days, but is best eaten fresh.
- Nutrition – Calculated per serve, assuming 3 serves.
Nutrition
Life
Just over two week ago, I celebrated my 37th birthday. We went to a restaurant called Social Eating House. I was very sleep deprived, hence the unruly hair and heavy bags 😅. However, the food was so good that I’m in the process of testing out some of their menu options, with my own flair of course!
My favourite lazy dinner. Super tasty, easy, and love that I can make it in just 30 minutes!