Zucchini Noodle Carbonara

About This Recipe

All the silky, savoury indulgence of classic carbonara, reimagined with spiralised zucchini noodles instead of spaghetti. Crispy pancetta, a rich sauce of egg yolks and Parmesan, and plenty of black pepper — the result is unmistakably carbonara, just without the carbs. Zucchini noodles behave very differently from wheat pasta because they carry a lot of natural water, so the real technique here isn't the sauce (which follows the same off-heat egg-and-cheese emulsion as traditional carbonara) but managing that moisture: salting the spiralised zucchini and letting it sit briefly, then patting it dry, keeps the finished dish from turning watery and diluting the sauce. Tossing the noodles only briefly in the hot pan — just enough to warm and slightly soften them — matters too, since overcooked zucchini noodles turn limp and release even more water, working against the very texture the dish is going for. As with any carbonara, the sauce should never see direct high heat once the eggs go in; the residual warmth of the pan and noodles is what gently thickens the yolks into a glossy coating rather than scrambling them into curds.

Ingredients

Serves 2

• 3 mediumzucchini, spiralised
• 120 gpancetta or guanciale, diced
• 2 largeegg yolks
• 1 largewhole egg
• 50 gPecorino Romano, finely grated
• 30 gParmesan, finely grated
• 1 tbspolive oil
• 0.5 tspfreshly cracked black pepper
• 1 pinchsalt

Instructions

1. 1

   Prep the egg mixture

   Whisk together egg yolks, whole egg, Pecorino, Parmesan, and black pepper in a bowl until smooth. Set aside.

2. 2

   Cook the pancetta

   Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook pancetta for 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crispy and golden. Remove from heat and let cool for 1 minute.

3. 3

   Cook the zucchini noodles

   Add spiralised zucchini to the skillet with the pancetta. Toss over medium heat for 2 minutes until just warmed through. Do not overcook or they will release too much water.

4. 4

   Create the sauce

   Remove the skillet from heat. Pour the egg-cheese mixture over the zucchini and toss vigorously for 1 minute — the residual heat gently cooks the egg into a creamy sauce. Serve immediately with extra Pecorino and pepper.

Variations

• •

  Use spaghetti squash strands in place of zucchini noodles.

• •

  Add sauteed mushrooms for extra umami.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Best eaten fresh. Leftovers can be refrigerated 1 day but the texture changes.

Frequently Asked Questions