Creamy Zucchini Noodle Carbonara Recipes

BEAUTIFUL ZUCCHINI CARBONARA

Steps:

• Carbonara is a classic pasta sauce made with cream, bacon and Parmesan and is absolutely delicious. Try to buy the best ingredients you can, as that's what really helps to make this dish amazing. I'm using a flowering variegated variety of thyme but normal thyme is fine to use. When it comes to the type of pasta, you can serve carbonara with spaghetti or linguine, but I've been told by Italian mammas (who I don't argue with!) that penne is the original, so that's what I'm using in this recipe.
• Before you start cooking, it's important to get yourself a very large pan, or use a high-sided roasting pan so you can give the pasta a good toss.
• Put a large pan of salted water on to boil. Halve and then quarter any larger zucchini lengthwise. Cut out and discard any fluffy middle bits, and slice the zucchini at an angle into pieces roughly the same size and shape as the penne. Smaller zucchini can simply be sliced finely. Your water will now be boiling, so add the penne to the pan and cook according to the package instructions.
• To make your creamy carbonara sauce, put the egg yolks into a bowl, add the cream and half the Parmesan, and mix together with a fork. Season lightly with salt and pepper and set aside.
• Heat a very large frying pan (a 14-inch is a good start - every house should have one!), add a good splash of olive oil and fry the pancetta or bacon until dark brown and crisp. Add the zucchini slices and 2 big pinches of black pepper, not just to season but to give it a bit of a kick. Sprinkle in the thyme leaves, give everything a stir, so the zucchini is coated with all the lovely bacon-flavored oil, and fry until they start to turn lightly golden and have softened slightly.
• It's very important to get this next bit right or your carbonara could end up ruined. You need to work quickly. When the pasta is cooked, drain it, reserving a little of the cooking water. Immediately, toss the pasta in the pan with the zucchini, bacon and lovely flavors, then remove from the heat and add a ladleful of the reserved cooking water and your creamy sauce. Stir together quickly. (No more cooking now, otherwise you'll scramble the eggs.)
• Get everyone around the table, ready to eat straightaway. While you're tossing the pasta and sauce, sprinkle in the rest of the Parmesan and a little more of the cooking water if needed, to give you a silky and shiny sauce. Taste quickly for seasoning. If you've managed to get any zucchini flowers, tear them over the top, then serve and eat immediately, as the sauce can become thick and stodgy if left too long.
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CREAMY ZUCCHINI NOODLE CARBONARA

Steps:

• Cook bacon in large skillet until crisp. Remove bacon from skillet; drain on paper towels. Measure 2 Tbsp. bacon drippings into small bowl; discard remaining drippings.
• Whisk egg and Parmesan until blended. Use spiralizer to cut zucchini into thin lengthwise curled strips. Return 1 Tbsp. of the reserved drippings to skillet; heat over medium heat. Add zucchini; cook 2 to 3 min. or until slightly softened, stirring frequently. Spoon zucchini into bowl; cover to keep warm.
• Heat remaining bacon drippings in skillet. Add garlic; cook and stir 30 sec. Add chicken broth and Neufchatel; whisk 2 min. or until Neufchatel is completely melted and sauce is well blended.
• Add egg mixture to Neufchatel sauce; cook and stir 2 min. Remove from heat.
• Crumble bacon. Add to sauce along with the zucchini; mix lightly. Sprinkle with parsley.

ZUCCHINI CARBONARA

Steps:

• Make the zucchini noodles using a spiralizer (if not using pre-made noodles).
• Fry the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until just barely crisp, about 8 minutes. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels. Return the pan to the stove over medium-low heat and throw in the garlic and onions. Cook until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
• Mix together the eggs, yolks, Parmesan and cream in a bowl until smooth.
• Pour in the egg mixture into the skillet with the onions and garlic, carefully stirring the whole time. Season with salt and pepper. Add the peas and bacon, stirring until it's all combined and the mixture is warmed through. Add the zucchini noodles and carefully stir so the noodles don't fall apart.
• Serve immediately with extra Parmesan and basil.

ZUCCHINI CARBONARA FOR TWO(VEGETARIAN)

Steps:

• Cook pasta in lots of boiling salted water for 6 minutes.
• Meanwhile, trim zucchini, cut lengthwise into thick slices, then into strips, and then dice in small pieces.
• Add the zucchini to the pasta pot and cook until they are tender, but not overly soft, and the pasta is al dente-tender but firm to the bite, about 2 minutes longer.
• Now in a large bowl, beat the egg yolks, Parmesan cheese, lemon zest, salt and pepper together.
• Drain the pasta and zucchini, reserving a couple spoonfuls of the cooking water. Immediately add to the egg mixture, tossing quickly until the pasta is coated well. Add the reserved hot pasta water if it's too dry, and toss again until it's lightly creamy.
• Sprinkle with extra black pepper and Parmesan cheese. Serve in warm shallow bowls. Enjoy!

ZOODLES ALLA CARBONARA

Steps:

• Whisk eggs and egg yolk together in a bowl. Add Pecorino cheese and mix well.
• Heat olive oil in a large wok or skillet over medium heat; cook and stir pancetta until cooked through but not crispy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the zucchini noodles (zoodles); cook and stir until zoodles are warmed but not soft and pancetta is slightly crispy, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove wok from heat.
• Pour egg mixture over zoodles and stir until evenly coated. Top zoodles with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and black pepper.

BUCATINI CARBONARA WITH ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Cook pancetta in medium skillet over medium heat until brown, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to paper towels; drain. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons drippings from skillet. Add cream, garlic, and crushed pepper to drippings in skillet; bring to boil. Set aside.
• Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add zucchini; sauté until tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Transfer to large plate. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Pancetta, cream mixture, and zucchini can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)
• Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain well. Return pasta to pot.
• Meanwhile, place eggs in their shell in small bowl. Add enough hot water to cover. Let stand 5 minutes. Crack eggs into large bowl and whisk to blend. Bring cream mixture to boil in skillet. Gradually whisk hot cream mixture into eggs. Mix in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.
• Add sauce to pasta and toss over medium heat until sauce coats pasta (do not boil). Add pancetta and zucchini and toss to heat through. Season with salt and pepper. Serve, passing remaining cheese.