Healthier Carbonara Pasta Recipe » LeelaLicious (2024)

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by Regina | Leelalicious 9 Comments

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Comfort food made healthier with this Healthier Carbonara Pasta! This tasty pasta Carbonara is made with cauliflower sauce. Bacon, green onions and Parmesan perfect the meal.

Healthier Carbonara Pasta Recipe » LeelaLicious (1)

On Sunday we've had snow for the third time this season. And this time it feels like it's here to stay. If not on the calendar, winter has nevertheless begunhere in Calgary. How fascinating it is to live in different parts of the world with vast changes in climate (looking at you, SE Asia).

Saturday was still fairlywarm and sunny, so I brought our potted tomato plant out on the balcony. And by that I think I finally killed it off. We went out for Konrad's birthday dinner and I didn't think of the tomatoes again until Olivia's night feeding at 2 am.

By then it was -5 C (23 F) out. I rushed to get it in, but morning showed that I was too late. All leaves are hanging down sad and soggy. The green tomatoes on it might be fine still. I'll wait and see if they will turn red eventually. One can only have faith. Regarding our tomatoes, I have faith in droves. I love growing veggies.

Healthier Carbonara Pasta Recipe » LeelaLicious (2)

Making a Healthy Alternative to Carbonara

Well, all day Sunday, theflurries just kept coming and coming. We spent theafternoon coziedup on the couch, sipping hot coffee, snuggling with baby Olivia while watching the world outside being covered up in white (I try to forget the piles and piles of laundry I was folding at the same time).

After the rough week we have all had, this was just the kind of time out we needed. And to end the day, some simple but delicious comfort food was called for and so, this fabulous dinner came to be.

Last week I shared with you my way of making healthier Alfredo sauce from cauliflower. It is a solid contender to the less-healthy alternative. Personally, making alfredo from cauliflower gives me a sense of accomplishment. My favorite quick meal to make with it is any kind of pasta. To give it an extra kick, I add bacon and green onions and call it Carbonara.

Healthier Carbonara Pasta Recipe » LeelaLicious (4)

Quick and Simple, Add Variety As You Please

If you have the sauce ready and waiting for you, this healthier Carbonara pasta meal comes together in about 15 minutes. Exactly the amount of time I could handle being away from the couch yesterday. I'm sure you can relate to that at times.

You can use any kind and shape of pasta. I had regular fettuccine, but you can use whole wheat, gluten free or low glycemic pasta. Now you just fry the bacon, add the cauliflower sauce, pasta, green onions and a sprinkle of Parmesan.

Of course you could add some more protein, like sliced chicken breast or even some salmon.

Healthier Carbonara Pasta Recipe » LeelaLicious (5)

Healthier Carbonara Pasta

5 from 3 votes

Comfort food made healthier with this Healthier Carbonara Pasta! This tasty pasta Carbonara is made with cauliflower sauce. Bacon, green onions and Parmesan perfect the meal.

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Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Ingredients

  • ½ pound pasta
  • 6 slices bacon diced
  • 1 ½ cups Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce see recipe from previous post
  • ¼ cup green onion sliced
  • Parmesan cheese grated, to taste

Instructions

  • Cook the pasta according to directions.

  • In a large frying pan cook the bacon dices until crispy. Drain most of the bacon grease, but leave some for flavor.

  • Add the Cauliflower sauce to the pan until heated through. Stir in cooked pasta and green onions.

  • Serve pasta hot and sprinkle with more green onions and grated Parmesan cheese to taste.

  • When heating leftovers you might need to add a little more sauce or water to moisten.

Keyword Healthier Carbonara Pasta

Tried this recipe?Please leave a comment below! Share a picture on social media with tag #leelalicious !

Pin Healthy Pasta Carbonara recipe for later?

Healthier Carbonara Pasta Recipe » LeelaLicious (6)

Update:

For more creative cauliflower recipes check out 4 Surprising Ways to Cook With Cauliflower!

Other Recipes You Might Enjoy

Check out these similar recipes, and keep on keeping it real.

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  2. Bacon-Wrapped Scallops Pasta - Video
  3. Vegan Pasta Bake (Gluten Free)
  4. Creamy Bacon Pasta with Spinach
  5. Homemade Whole Wheat Pasta

Random Questions

Is pasta carbonara good for you?

While traditional carbonara can be rich and high in calories, this healthier version with cauliflower sauce offers a more nutritious alternative. It incorporates vegetables and lean protein, making it a more balanced choice.

What's healthier, carbonara, or Alfredo?

Between the two, the healthier option depends on the preparation. Traditional Alfredo sauce tends to be rich in butter and cream, while carbonara typically includes eggs, cheese, and pork. This cauliflower-based carbonara recipe offers a lighter alternative to both.

What is the best pasta for carbonara?

Carbonara pairs well with long, thin pasta shapes like spaghetti, fettuccine, or linguine. However, you can also use whole wheat, gluten-free, or low glycemic pasta based on your dietary preferences and needs.

What are the health benefits of carbonara sauce?

With this cauliflower-based sauce, you can enjoy the nutritional benefits of cauliflower, which is a great source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Additionally, the dish includes green onions and bacon, providing a good balance of flavors and nutrients.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Reply

  1. Kelsey

    This looks really good but I've never tried cauliflower. I'm not necessarily the bigger vegetable lover but I do have my favorites. Does this taste the same or similar to a regular carbonara sauce?

    Reply

    • Regina

      I wouldn't go as far as to say it is just like carbonara. It will give your pasta a similar consistency but with the benefit of consuming a good amount of vegetables at the same time

      Reply

  2. Kasandra

    Healthier Carbonara Pasta Recipe » LeelaLicious (7)
    I love this cauliflower sauce for everything. I used my Nutribullet to blend this and added my soy butter for creaminess. YUM. I also froze the sauce for later.

    Reply

    • Regina

      This is awesome Kasandra! So happy to hear you are making full use of the versatility of this sauce 🙂

      Reply

  3. Lauren

    OMG, I am SOOOO making this!!! When I saw this on IG (and so many OTHER recipes I missed, I had to come see it!) Pinning it and the sauce now!

    Reply

    • Regina

      Thanks so much for visiting Lauren. And of course for pinning! Btw...the inlaws are getting us the recommended Manfrotto tripod for Christmas. Ahhh....excited!!

      Reply

      • Lauren

        Oh, yay! Good luck!!!

        Reply

  4. Jacquee

    This looks so hearty and inviting! I want to plant my face into that last shot...let's hope I miss the fork. 🙂

    Reply

    • Regina

      Ahh....thank you Jacquee. This sauce it really fantastic. Paired with pasta and bacon you just cant go wrong 😀

      Reply

Healthier Carbonara Pasta Recipe » LeelaLicious (2024)

FAQs

Is carbonara healthy or unhealthy? ›

Creamy sauces like carbonara sauce are usually made from butter, cheese, and heavy cream, all of which pile on the saturated fat and calories. A healthier option would be a lighter sauce such as the olive oil-based one in aglio olio, which is rich in good fat and cooked with fresh ingredients like garlic and chilli.

What's healthier carbonara or alfredo? ›

What's healthier, carbonara, or Alfredo? Between the two, the healthier option depends on the preparation. Traditional Alfredo sauce tends to be rich in butter and cream, while carbonara typically includes eggs, cheese, and pork. This cauliflower-based carbonara recipe offers a lighter alternative to both.

What is a good substitute for pasta in carbonara? ›

Whilst courgetti is the most commonly used pasta substitute there is no need to stop there. Sweet potato and carrots are also popular options and of course, as provided in this recipe, you can use butternut squash.

What is the golden rule of cooking a carbonara? ›

The golden rule to silky carbonara is to whisk your egg whites so that they're completely incorporated with the egg yolks. This will create a smooth, velvety sauce. As like any pasta dish, including carbonara, cook the pasta perfectly al dente so that it's soft but still firm, with some bite.

What is the healthiest pasta to eat? ›

Whole-Wheat Pasta

Also called whole-grain pasta, this type of pasta keeps the bran, endosperm, and germ of the grain together. It's filled with fiber, vitamins, and minerals. This helps you feel full longer and keeps your blood sugar from spiking. It also has a little over 8 grams of protein per cup cooked.

What are the disadvantages of carbonara? ›

The dish offers some nutritional benefits. Eggs provide protein, while Pecorino Romano cheese contributes calcium and flavor. However, carbonara is also high in saturated fats and calories due to the use of cheese and cured pork. Additionally, the pasta itself is a source of carbohydrates.

Is pizza or carbonara healthier? ›

Neither pasta or pizza would be labeled as healthy, but can be included in a healthy lifestyle in limited amounts. Although the fat content in a slice of cheese pizza is higher than in a cup of cooked pasta, this does not mean that pizza is healthier than pasta.

What's the difference between carbonara and Italian carbonara? ›

The Italian version doesn't use cream or ham. It is made with pancetta (pork belly meat that is salt cured, also referred to as Italian bacon), Parmigiano Reggiano or pecorino romano cheese, eggs, and black pepper—called the basics. The pork is fried in fat, usually olive oil.

What's the difference between Boscaiola and carbonara? ›

While carbonara and boscaiola sauces both start with a base of bacon or pancetta, and are finished with parmesan cheese, everything added in the middle of the sauce is different. A carbonara sauce is made with eggs and black pepper, whereas boscaiola sauce is made with mushrooms, tomatoes and heavy cream.

Why no garlic in carbonara? ›

Why is there no garlic in carbonara? Because it's an Italian dish, not an Italian-American dish, and Italian cooking does not use garlic as heavily as Italian-American cuisine. You can either make a carbonara, or the same dish with added garlic (just don't call *that* carbonara, it's not).

Are egg noodles healthier than pasta? ›

Soba noodles are also high in protein and fiber as well as a great source of manganese. Egg noodles are not healthier than pasta, since they are high in carbohydrates and calories, just like pasta. The overall nutritional profile of egg noodles is very similar to that of pasta.

What is healthier rice or pasta? ›

A cup of rice contains about 250 calories and 53 grams of carbohydrates, putting it ahead of its pasta rival in calories and carbs. Compared to pasta, rice—brown and white—contains far less protein (roughly 2 grams per serving compared to pasta's 8 grams) and fiber (1 gram for brown rice, .

Which ingredients should never be used in traditional carbonara? ›

that there are only five ingredients: pasta, pork cheek, eggs, cheese and pepper. That's it. A real carbonara does not contain onion, garlic, or cream.

Do you put raw egg in carbonara? ›

What distinguishes carbonara from other pasta dishes is its technique of combining eggs, hard cheese, cured pork, and black pepper into a rich, silky sauce. This recipe calls for raw eggs that are gently cooked by the hot sauce. If you prefer, you can use pasteurized eggs instead.

Is 1 egg enough for carbonara? ›

In my test, I made a single portion of carbonara using 100 grams of dried pasta (my go-to amount for one person) and a single whole egg.

Is carbonara high in calories? ›

Original Carbonara usually runs around 574 calories, 27 grams of fat per serving. This revised recipe turns out only 307 calories and 7 grams of fat. NOTE: This recipe is OK for those on the LMD (Low Microbial Diet), as long as all vegetables AND cheese are well cooked. Omit the cheese for those on a dairy restriction.

How is carbonara safe to eat? ›

The use of thermal processing is the most effective method for Salmonella inactivation in preparations containing eggs. Consequently, according to regulatory agencies, it is generally mandatory that these preparations must be completely cooked to a temperature of at least 70 °C.

Can I eat carbonara everyday? ›

It is possible to eat pasta daily and still be healthy. The key to eating pasta every day is to limit your portion size and supplement your pasta bowl with essential nutrients. The recommended portion size is two ounces of dry pasta or one cup of cooked pasta.

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