Zucchini Carbonara
Updated: Jul 24
What does a student always have in the kitchen? Of course, pasta. Eggs, Parmesan cheese and a courgette can always be found somehow. Another favourite from the quick pasta kitchen is the carbonara. This dish will hopefully be with me all my life because I love it so much. But this time, let's change a little something. Don't worry, it only gets better. We'll add some courgette and let our pasta turn a little green! Pasta carbonara with courgette. Believe me, it's a perfect treat. You can even skip the bacon if you want to. So get to the pan and let's join food for flexitarians in bringing life to your kitchen.
Ingredients
2 egg yolks 1 egg
50 g pecorino
50 g parmesan
1 courgette
garlic
pepper
Pasta of your Choice
Instructions
We link the original carbonara recipe here and describe the process in detail. Now the quick version. Salt the pasta water and bring to the boil. Put the pasta in right away and fire up the pan.
Add olive oil to the pan and heat over medium heat with a clove of garlic in it. Before you put the courgette strips into the pan, squeeze out the water again. Sauté in the pan and add a little salt.
Next, grate the cheese and mix with the eggs. For taste, I use 2 different types of cheese and don't always add the whole egg. Of course, you can adjust this to your taste. (After all, you are only supposed to be inspired by food for flexitarians).
Just before the pasta is al dente, take it out of the pot and add some of the pasta water to the pan. Mix and add the egg and cheese paste. Reduce the heat and mix slowly. I said slow! (haha) Blend for about 3 minutes and you should have a super creamy carbonara with little green courgette strips. Get inspired guys and Cook!
Resumé
Carbonara is a well-known classic. I wanted a little more kick, but didn't want to change the dish. I find the courgette ideal with it. Good values and easy to digest. If you replace the bacon completely, the dish also takes on a completely different weight. But before I rave too much. Try it out. Do you add something else instead of the courgettes? Let us know and write in the comments!
The tools for this recipe
For this dish to turn out as intended, the right tools matter:
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FAQ
Can I use bacon or pancetta in this carbonara like the traditional version?
Yes, if you'd like a non-vegetarian twist, crisp up some pancetta or bacon before adding the zucchini and use the rendered fat instead of oil. The egg-and-cheese base works the same way either way.
Why does my carbonara sauce turn out scrambled instead of creamy?
This happens when the egg mixture hits pasta that's too hot. Take the pan off the heat before stirring in the eggs and cheese, and toss quickly using the pasta's residual warmth so the sauce stays silky instead of curdling.
Can I swap the zucchini for another vegetable?
Definitely — grated carrot or thinly sliced leek make good substitutes if zucchini isn't in season. Just sauté them briefly so they stay slightly firm and don't release too much water into the sauce.
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