Easy vegetarian carbonara with peas is ideal for a quick lunch or dinner. This simple pasta recipe without bacon or cream is made from just a few everyday ingredients and is ready to eat in 15 minutes.
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What you'll love about the recipe
- This healthier carbonara without cream is much lower in fat than a classic recipe. But this comforting pasta dish still has a delicious, rich creamy sauce
- Vegetarian carbonara with peas has got plenty of protein and fibre which will keep you feeling full for a few hours. Plus, there's a whole portion of healthy veggies in each serving
- It's easy to make one portion of the recipe or scale up carbonara with peas for the whole family
- Peas add a lovely fresh flavour to this budget-friendly pasta dish
You might also like this spinach cottage cheese pasta sauce which makes a quick and easy pasta meal with plenty of protein.
Ingredients
All of the ingredients for this easy vegetarian carbonara with peas recipe are foods that you are already likely to have in the cupboard or fridge.
Pasta. You don't have to stick with spaghetti to make carbonara. You can use most kinds of pasta (except sheets) - penne, fusilli, spaghetti, tagliatelle etc.
Easy vegetarian carbonara is even better for you if you make it with wholemeal pasta. Wholegrains (such as wholemeal flour) contain more vitamins and minerals than their white counterparts. Of course you can also make gluten free carbonara with gluten free pasta.
Egg. Each portion of this healthy carbonara contains a whole egg. Eggs are a source of high quality protein, and contain important nutrients such as choline and selenium. This recipe contains far more protein than you will get from a ready made carbonara sauce, which means that you'll feel satisfied for much longer.
Peas. Most of us tend to have a packet of frozen peas on hand as they are so convenient and contain all of the health benefits of fresh peas. There's no preparation required, and they take just just minutes to cook. You could also add other vegetables to the carbonara such as spinach or courgettes, which will cook easily in the heat of the sauce.
Like most other legumes, peas are a great source of fibre and protein. Fibre is important to keep your gut healthy and your blood sugar levels under control. Peas also contain anti inflammatory ingredients which make them good for your heart. They are also a rich source of minerals, several B vitamins and vitamin C. (See here for more about why peas are so good for you)
Cheese. Parmesan is ideal in vegetarian carbonara, but you could also use another type of hard cheese including cheddar. For a low fat carbonara use a low fat cheddar. The recipe also works well without the cheese if you'd rather omit it altogether.
Seasoning, to taste
How to make easy vegetarian carbonara?
This quick carbonara recipe takes only 15 minutes.
I find the easiest way to cook pasta which stops it boiling over is to bring it up to the boil, put a lid on the pan, and then turn off the heat. The pasta will continue to cook in the heat of the water.
Run the peas under cold water to defrost them. Add the peas to the pasta and turn the heat back on to bring the pasta up to the boil again.
If you are using wholemeal pasta, it will take a little longer to cook. Check the packet instructions and adjust accordingly.
Whilst the pasta and peas are cooking, beat the egg and grated cheese together with a pinch of ground black pepper.
When you drain the pasta, reserve some of the pasta water, as the starchy liquid is the secret ingredient for the sauce.
Add a tablespoon of the starchy pasta water to the egg mixture, then stir the eggs through the pasta. Keep the pasta off the heat at this stage as you don't want to end up with scrambled eggs! Loosen the sauce with a little more of the cooking water if necessary.
I've included ingredients for 1 person, so that it is easy to scale the recipe for as many people as you need. If you have any questions, please do get in touch.
Serving
Serve this easy vegetarian carbonara straight away whilst it's at its best. Add extra cheese if you like.
Enjoy with a green salad, or serve with this quick and easy courgette ribbon salad.
Frequently asked questions
Carbonara sauce is made from a mix of egg and the starchy pasta water. The eggs cook in the residual heat of the pasta. In this recipe, the cheese also melts into the sauce.
If you buy a tub of carbonara sauce from the supermarket, it may well contain cream. But a classic Italian carbonara is made without cream. The sauce still tastes deliciously creamy:)
There are 3 secrets to a smooth silky carbonara sauce. Firstly, beat the eggs well so they they are smooth and properly mixed together. Secondly, add some pasta water to the sauce as the starchy liquid will make the sauce delicious and silky. And thirdly mix the eggs into the pasta off the heat. The residual heat of the pasta will cook the eggs, but if you leave the mix on the heat, you'll end up with lumpy scrambled eggs.
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Recipe
Easy Vegetarian Carbonara
Ingredients
- 75 g pasta
- 75 g frozen peas
- 25 g parmesan finely grated
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Bring a pan of salted water to the boil, and add the pasta. Bring back up to the boil, put a lid on the pan, and turn off the heat. Leave to cook in the residual heat for 5 minutes.
- Run the peas under cold water to defrost them. Add to the pan of pasta, bring back up to the boil and simmer for 3 minutes.
- In the meanwhile, beat the egg with the grated cheese and a pinch of ground black pepper.
- Drain the pasta, reserving some of the pasta water.
- Add a tablespoon of the pasta water to the eggs and mix well.
- Then add the egg mixture to the pasta and peas away from the heat, and quickly stir through. Add 1-2 tablespoon of extra pasta water if necessary to make the sauce the desired consistency. Season to taste and enjoy!
Notes
- Although traditionally made with spaghetti, you can make vegetarian carbonara with most types of pasta (excluding sheets!). Wholemeal pasta or gluten-free pasta can also be used. Check the packet instructions for cooking time, some types of pasta such as wholemeal will take longer to cook.
- Cheddar cheese can be used in place of parmesan. You can also use a low-fat cheddar if you prefer.
Nutrition
Please note nutritional information is per serving and is provided for guidance only.
Vincent says
First class for simplicity and flavour. Many thanks