This paleo zucchini carbonara has a savory creamy sauce that you won’t believe is dairy free! Tossed with crisp bacon and low carb zucchini pasta, it’s a healthy meal you’ll want to make over and over again. Paleo, Whole30 compliant, low carb, dairy free.
Spaghetti carbonara used to be my absolute favorite – one of those dishes that I remember eating for the first time and then NEEDING to make on my own.
I mean, let’s just say I was a bacon and egg fan long before I knew what paleo was – so bacon, eggs, cheese, and pasta just seemed like the ultimate combo and tasting it for the first time did not disappoint!
Now of course since doing my first Whole30 and then eating 95% paleo, all that dairy is out of the question. And yup, the pasta too! So what’s a Paleo gal to do to get the carbonara fix?
Well, for a long time I did nothing because I couldn’t imagine trying to replicate one of my favorite pasta dishes without major disappointment.
I needed to shift my mindset away from replacing my beloved spaghetti carbonara and over to making something that’s similar (not a “copycat”) and delicious in its own right. Still, it took me quite a while to actually attempt it, due to all those tough decisions I needed to make!
Decision 1 – the “pasta.” Since I wanted something really neutral, it seemed like zucchini was the way to go. I like that you can make thicker noodles for the sauce to cling to, since the sauce is really supposed to be the star.
Decision 2 – the sauce, of course! Now with paleo, bacon and eggs are a-okay, but I needed to figure out how to replace the creamy, cheesiness that the parmesan provides. Again – not a copycat, but something 100% clean and super tasty.
I knew coconut cream had to be incorporated in there along with nutritional yeast – my go-to ingredient when I want to add “cheesy” flavor to my recipes. It’s Whole30 compliant and paleo, and you can add as much or as little as you want to suit your tastes.
Decision 3 – how to thicken the sauce?! Traditionally carbonara isn’t cooked, but rather tossed in a hot bowl/with hot pasta.
Since my sauce needed to be thickened, I decided to cook it over low heat on the stovetop for just about a minute – not long enough to scramble the eggs, but long enough to thicken the sauce to a great consistency.
Even though you’ll be “sweating” the zucchini before beginning to remove lots of water, the zucchini will still contain enough water to thin down the sauce after tossing, so the thicker the better, in my opinion! For this reason, I added a bit of tapioca to the sauce for that extra creamy thickness.
I was SO happy with the result! Hot zucchini noodles tossed with loaded of bacon, garlic, and a creamy “cheesy” sauce. You can’t go wrong here! I hope you’re ready to get started – let’s cook!
Paleo Zucchini Carbonara {Whole30, DF, Low Carb}
Paleo Zucchini Carbonara {Whole30, DF, Low Carb}
This paleo zucchini carbonara has a savory creamy sauce that you won't believe is dairy free! Tossed with crisp bacon and low carb zucchini pasta, it's a healthy meal you'll want to make over and over again. Paleo, Whole30 compliant, low carb, dairy free.
Ingredients
- 3-4 medium zucchini spiralized*
- 1 tsp salt - to “sweat” the zucchini
- 6 slices nitrate free bacon sugar-free for Whole30, cut into small pieces
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 large eggs preferably pasture raised
- 2-3 Tbsp nutritional yeast (For a "cheesy" flavor")
- 1/2 tsp arrowroot starch
- 1/4 tsp fine grain sea salt or up to 1/2 tsp to taste
- 1/4 tsp black pepper or to taste
- 1/2 cup coconut cream or full fat coconut milk
- Chopped parsley for garnish
- Crushed red pepper optional
Instructions
First, “sweat” the zucchini noodles:
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Place zoodles in a collander over a large bowl. Sprinkle the 1 tsp salt all over evenly and allow it to sit for 30 minutes to allow the salt to draw out water.
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After 30 minutes, use paper towels to squeeze the zucchini thoroughly to remove water. Much of the salt will come out with the water, though if you’re sensitive to saltiness, you can rinse the zoodles prior to squeezing water out.
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Once zoodles are squeezed, set them on paper towels while you prepare the sauce.
Prepare the Sauce:
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Whisk together the eggs, nutritional yeast, arrowroot, salt and pepper in a med bowl. Pour coconut cream into a small saucepan set heat to medium low.
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Whisk coconut cream until melted, then whisk in the egg mixture. Continue to whisk for about 45 seconds or until sauce just begins to thicken, then immediately remove from heat (or the eggs will scramble!) Set aside while you prepare the bacon and zoodles.
Prepare bacon and zoodles:
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Heat a large heavy skillet over med-high heat, then add bacon pieces. Cook until crisp, stirring to evenly brown. Remove with slotted spoon to a paper towel lined bowl.
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Reserve at least 1 Tbsp bacon fat and turn heat to low. You might have to wait a minute for your skillet to cool down. Add minced garlic and cook until softened, careful not to burn it, about 45 seconds.
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Add in the zoodles and toss to coat with the fat and garlic, then raise heat to medium. I like to cook my zoodles until just heated through, but feel free to sauté them longer if you prefer them soft.
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Once done, transfer zoodles and garlic to a serving bowl and toss with the bacon and sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley and crushed red pepper if desired. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
*I used this spiralizer to make my zucchini noodles
Nutrition
Want More Paleo and Whole30 Zucchini Recipes? Try one of These!
Zucchini Pasta with Chicken and Scallion Avocado Sauce
Spicy Shrimp Marinara with Zoodles
Sesame Almond Butter Zoodles {Vegan}
Zucchini Pasta with Chicken and Sun Dried Tomato Cream
Zucchini Noodle Breakfast Bake with Spicy Sausage and Eggs
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Yeah not a fan of this recipe. Definitely not enough to serve 4 people. Barely enough for 2. And didn’t like the coconut flavor in there.
What about frozen zucchini noodles? Do I thaw first? Do I need to use salt and drain?
How do you know the eggs are safe to eat? I don’t see a temperature which could kill harmful bacteria.
The sauce was bland and didn’t seem to match the bacon and zucchini flavors. Nothing savory about the sauce.
Hated it, won’t be making this again.