Vegetarian Carbonara

Vegetarian Carbonara is an adaptation of the classic Italian Carbonara that uses non-meat ingredients to respect vegetarian dietary choices. Here’s how to prepare a tasty Vegetarian Carbonara:

Ingredients

• 320 g of spaghetti (or your preferred long pasta)
• 200 g of zucchini
• 100 g of grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• 4 large egg yolks (or 6 if they are small)
• Extra virgin olive oil (to taste)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Salt (to taste)

Preparation

1. Wash and cut the zucchini into very small cubes or julienne.
2. Place the zucchini in a pan with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt. Sauté until they become slightly golden and soft.
3. In a bowl, beat the egg yolks with grated Pecorino Romano cheese and plenty of black pepper. Mix well until smooth.
4. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta al dente according to package instructions.
5. Drain the pasta, reserving some of the cooking water.
6. Add the pasta to the pan with the zucchini and mix well.
7. Remove the pan from the heat and quickly add the egg and pecorino mixture, stirring quickly to blend without the egg curdling and forming lumps.
8. If the pasta appears too dry, add a little reserved cooking water to make the sauce creamier.
9. Serve immediately with an extra sprinkling of pecorino and black pepper to taste.

Enjoy your meal!

Fun Fact

Carbonara is a traditional Roman dish, the traditional version of which includes guanciale. In this vegetarian variant, zucchini provides a tender crunchiness that acts as a substitute for guanciale, allowing vegetarians to enjoy this dish in their diet.