Healthy Carbonara Pasta Recipe

This Healthy Carbonara Pasta recipe is made with a lightened-up creamy garlic cauliflower cream sauce that feels as indulgent as it is good for you! (no eggs no cream)

Course Dinner, Main Course, Sauces

Cuisine Italian

Keyword carbonara pasta, healthy carbonara

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 40

Servings servings

Calories 374kcal

Author Kelli Shallal MPH RD

Ingredients

For Pasta:

8 ounces chickpea pasta (or any form of pasta, traditional would be longer pasta like spaghetti but we like short)
2 cups frozen vegetable medley (I used TJ's Foursome carrots, green beans, peas, and corn)
6 pieces center cut bacon or turkey bacon chopped

For Sauce:

1 medium head of cauliflower (or 1.5lbs florets)
1 tablespoon butter (organic, grassfed if possible)
4 cloves garlic minced
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
½ - 1 cup reserved pasta water
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
⅛ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Steam cauliflower florets for 10-12 minutes or until fork-tender. Remove from heat and let cool while pasta cooks.
Add pasta to the water you used to steam the cauliflower and cook 7-10 minutes until al dente (or according to package directions). Stir constantly to prevent sticking together.
While pasta cooks sauté minced garlic on low in butter until tender, fragrant, and slightly caramelized about 5-8 minutes.
Add frozen vegetables to the microwave-safe dish, cover, and microwave for 7-9 minutes until cooked through (stir halfway in between).
Drain pasta but save 1 cup of pasta water to use for the sauce (it will help thicken it). Add butter/garlic mix, Parmesan, salt, pepper, cauliflower, and ½ cup of pasta water to high powered blender or food processor (I used a Vitamix). Blend/process till smooth. (Use more pasta liquid if too thick).
Combine frozen vegetables, chopped bacon, pasta, and ½ of sauce (can use more if desired). *Store leftover sauce in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for future use.

Notes

You'll only need half the sauce for the recipe, but Mr. Hungry added a bunch more to his plates, so we ended up using all of it. (all of the sauce is included in four servings of the nutrition calculations!)

Nutrition