This twist on a classic carbonara offers a gluten-free and dairy-free version that’s just as tasty and tempting as the original!
As someone who loves to eat breakfast for dinner (there’s just something irreverent about it that I find to be amusing), I really appreciate a dish like carbonara that offers the best of both worlds. It calls for simple breakfast ingredients like bacon and eggs and yet elevates these well-loved flavors into a delicious dinner-worthy entrée. Though it’s simple to make, I always feel like I’m serving a fancy restaurant-level meal whenever I make it.
Rich, creamy, and ultra-savory, this carbonara recipe substitutes cheese with cauliflower, which is cooked in chicken broth for extra flavor and blended to create a delicious dairy-free sauce. The bacon offers a lovely bit of smokiness and saltiness, while the egg yolks thicken the sauce and add a nice richness to it. Green peas lend some sweetness and freshness to balance the dish.
Since this recipe utilizes gluten-free pasta and has a dairy-free sauce, it’s a great dish to serve when you’re cooking for folks with a variety of dietary requirements. Not to mention, it’s one that everyone will find hearty and delicious and worthy of seconds!
What is carbonara traditionally made of?
A classic Italian dish, particularly in the Lazio region of Italy, carbonara is typically made with just five ingredients: spaghetti, guanciale, Pecorino Romano cheese, eggs, and black pepper. Though the dish has a creamy consistency, it does not contain any actual cream or milk. Instead, it relies on the emulsion of starchy pasta water with eggs and grated cheese to create a silky-smooth sauce—the trick is to constantly whisk them together to avoid scrambling the eggs.
How do I store leftovers?
Carbonara is a dish that’s best enjoyed fresh, since the sauce is egg-based. However, if you have any leftover pasta, allow it to cool completely, and then transfer it to an airtight container. It will keep in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Freezing is not recommended, as the sauce is likely to separate upon thawing. To reheat, place the leftover carbonara in a pan on the stovetop over medium heat. Avoid high heat to minimize the risk of the sauce separating or becoming grainy.
Serving suggestions
This hearty pasta dish would pair well with a wide array of starters and sides. For a traditional Italian spread, start your meal with an Antipasto Salad or Green Salad, and serve some Focaccia on the side. Though it’s filling enough to stand alone, if you’d like to pair your pasta with a protein, these Gluten-Free Chicken Cutlets would go great with it, as would these Italian Sausage Meatballs.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces gluten-free penne
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 5 cups cauliflower florets
- 3 slices thick-sliced bacon hickory-smoked preferred
- 1 cup onion diced
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- Cracked black pepper
- 1/2 cup peas thaw if using frozen
- 2 egg yolks
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Cook the penne to al dente, according to package's directions. Once cooked, drain, and place it back into the pot.
- While the pasta cooks, combine the water and chicken broth in a very large pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add in the cauliflower, cover, and cook until fork-tender, about 7-8 minutes.
- Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat, and cook the bacon until golden brown and crispy, flipping once. Once cooked, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, and press out the excess fat.
- Keep the bacon fat in the pan, and turn the heat down to medium. Cook the onion and garlic until soft and golden brown, stirring frequently.
- Transfer the cooked onion-garlic mixture into a blender, making sure to scrape out all of the bacon fat with it. Add in the salt and a few twists of black pepper.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked cauliflower into the blender. Pour in 3 tablespoons of the cooking liquid, and blend until smooth and creamy.
- Pour the cauliflower sauce, along with the peas, into the pot with the noodles. Crumble the cooked bacon over the noodles, and then stir everything together. Finally, add in the egg yolks, and stir until well mixed.
- Transfer the pasta to a baking dish or oven-safe skillet, and bake just until the top is set, only about 10 minutes. Don’t over-bake or the cauliflower will lose its creaminess.
- Garnish with parsley, and serve.
Nutrition Info:
Nutrition information are estimates only and may vary based on the specific brands, ingredients, and portion sizes you use. This data is provided for informational purposes only.
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