ZOODLES CARBONARA (ZUCCHINI NOODLES)

It’s spring, and I’m feeling inspirilized! These Zoodles Carbonara are so easy and quick to make, they will soon become your go-to gluten-free or keto-friendly choice. All it takes is 4 main ingredients: Zucchini Noodles, Eggs, Bacon, and Pecorino Romano cheese.

Before I share the full recipe, I’d like to dedicate a moment to the traditional Carbonara ingredients.

ABOUT CARBONARA

If you read my About page, you already know I’m Italian. I was born in Puglia (the heel on Italy’s map) and lived in Rome for 7 years. Rome is where the original Carbonara recipe comes from, and I was fortunate enough to have “the real thing” more times than I can count. It’s still one of my favorite things to order when I’m over there (AIP Paleo be damned). Trust me, it has nothing to do with the version I found in some restaurants in the US where they use cream (there’s NO cream in Carbonara!)

Carbonara purists usually insist on the following ingredients and procedures for real Spaghetti Alla Carbonara:

• Eggs: 1 egg yolk per person + 1 whole egg every 4 egg yolks. That means that a recipe for 4 people would contain 4 egg yolks plus 1 whole egg.
• Guanciale: purists don’t use pancetta, which is Italian for pork belly and is similar to bacon. They rigorously use pork cheek or joul, guanciale in Italian.
• Cream: repeat after me: there’s NO cream in Carbonara! I feel like Tom Hanks in A League of Their Own when he yells, “There’s no crying in baseball!”
• Pecorino Cheese: there’s no Parmesan cheese in Carbonara. The original recipe uses Pecorino Romano Cheese. The reason is simple. The typical livestock in the countryside around Rome is sheep, not cows. Parmigiano (Parmesan) is made with cow’s milk. Pecorino is made with sheep’s milk.
  

  Pecorino Romano Cheese, aged 1 year

MORE CARBONARA TRIVIA

Not every Italian agrees with the strict Carbonara purists, though. There are 2 points where they might have strayed from tradition.

1. Bacon, Pancetta or Guanciale?
   According to culinary lore, the first Carbonara was born in 1944 in a Trattoria in Vicolo della Scrofa (I actually lived nearby). Some American soldiers brought in bacon and asked for something with bacon & eggs. That is when the cook came up with Spaghetti alla Carbonara.
   If that is true, then the real traditional ingredient would be bacon, not pancetta or guanciale. So, feel free to substitute bacon without incurring the wrath of Carbonara purists.
2. Egg Yolks or Whole Eggs?
   There are objections about using just the egg yolks. Poverty was rampant in Italy at the end of World War II. It is highly unlikely that the cook decided to discard the whites and use only the yolks for Carbonara.
   So, feel free to incorporate all the whites if you wish.

SHOPPING LIST FOR ZOODLES CARBONARA

• Zucchini
• Eggs
• Bacon (or Pancetta or Guanciale)
• Pecorino Romano Cheese
• Black Pepper
• Sea Salt (I’m using Hymalian Salt)

NB: If you are on a full AIP Paleo diet and have not re-introed eggs, dairy, or pepper. This dish is not for you. For basic Paleo, you can skip the cheese; this dish will still be bursting with flavor.

Use your favorite spirilizer to make the zoodles or zucchini noodles. I’m using this one in the video below. It takes under 1 minute for 1 zucchini.

Watch me in action, making Zoodles Carbonara:

That’s how easy and quick it is!

• Just beat the eggs, cheese, salt, and pepper together, as you would for an omelet.
• Spirilize the zucchini.
• Then take a large non-stick frying pan and preheat it before adding the chopped bacon.
• Once the bacon is crisp and a deep golden brown, add the zoodles.
• Stir well for just a couple of minutes before adding the egg mixture to it. If it’s a bit dry, add a drizzle of olive oil, not water. The water would make the dish runny, as the zucchini will release quite a bit of moisture.
• Keep stirring well, until all coated and the zoodles are “al dente”, just like the perfect spaghetti would be. Don’t overcook this Carbonara or you’ll end up with a frittata!

Here’s the full recipe for you to save or print.