The Best Healthy Spaghetti Carbonara Pasta Recipe

This healthy spaghetti carbonara recipe is so quick to make with tasty fried bacon and mushrooms tossed into an authentic creamy sauce. It's an Italian dish made with an egg and cheese mixture for an easy weeknight meal for the whole family.

This Italian pasta dish is the perfect combination of healthy, nutritious and delicious without breaking the bank.

You can also make it many different ways, depending on what bits of cooked meat and vegetables you have leftover in your fridge. Who knew comfort food could be so easy?

Then to finish, traditionally pasta carbonara recipes are made with raw egg that cooks in the hot pasta with cheese. But I'll also show how you can create a creamy texture without eggs if preferred.

Jump to:

• ✔️ Why you'll Love this Recipe
• 🛒 Ingredient Notes
• 📋 Instructions for Making Spaghetti Carbonara
• 👩‍🍳 Substitutions
• ⚖️ Variations
• 🔪 Equipment
• ❄️ Storage
• 💡Pro Tips
• 🍽️ Serving Suggestions
• ❓ FAQ
• ➕ More Healthy Italian Recipes
• 🍽️Pairing
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

✔️ Why you'll Love this Recipe

• Ready in 20 minutes
• Cheap and easy meal to make
• Full of protein and antioxidants
• Easily adapted with your favourite ingredients
• The warmth of the pasta cooks the egg quickly
• Uses parmesan cheese which is a good source of calcium
• Teaches you how to make spaghetti carbonara healthy, and authentic,

🛒 Ingredient Notes

Please see the printable recipe card with exact ingredient quantities and preparation instructions at the bottom of this post.

Low calorie oil spray - we use Fry Light for a SW spaghetti Carbonara recipe. For a keto healthy carbonara, then you'll want to use a little olive oil

Dried spaghetti - or make a hearty pasta with whole wheat spaghetti for an extra source of fiber

Cloves of garlic - (minced) a good source of antioxidants and gives the dish a more complex flavour

Regular bacon rashers - fat removed and diced into bite sized pieces, or use turkey bacon, shrimp, salmon or make it a chicken carbonara recipe instead

Low fat cheddar - grated, or a mix of soft cream cheese and heavy cream for a Keto diet. Note: hold some back as a garnish at the end

Grated parmesan - or other salty hard cheese like pecorino romano for the best flavour

Eggs - this is egg yolks and all as a key ingredient to make a creamy carbonara pasta

Mushrooms - sliced, or you could use green peas and onions, etc

Seasoning - salt and black pepper

📋 Instructions for Making Spaghetti Carbonara

First, boil the dried pasta over medium heat until al dente in a large pot of salted water following the packet instructions. While it's cooking, work on the following steps:

Tip: let the spaghetti cool for 1-2 minutes before stirring the egg mixture in to avoid scrambled eggs

👩‍🍳 Substitutions

Depending on your dietary needs, here are a few swaps you can do with simple ingredients:

• Spaghetti - for low carb, try zoodles/courgetti (zucchini/courgettes). Or use Gluten Free pasta if needed
• Eggs - swap for pasta water and cream cheese
• Cheese - use pecorino cheese, or parmigiano reggiano for a rich taste. Or try quark for fat free carbonara sauce
• Vegan carbonara - omit bacon and use plant based cream and cheese with vegetable stock for extra flavour. Or use vegan bacon
• Meat - swap bacon for pancetta, cooked chicken, ham, prawns or smoked fish

⚖️ Variations

Here are a few different ways you can take this dish to the next level:

• Extra spicy - use a pinch of chili flakes for heat if you wish
• Deluxe - stir in the zest of a whole lemon to enhance the taste overall
• Kid friendly - encourage them to interact during the cooking process, like mixing the eggs and spaghetti together. And make it colourful and vibrant vegetables

You can find my salmon carbonara version of this recipe here.

🔪 Equipment

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• Weighing scales
• Colander
• Garlic press
• Cheese grater
• Salt and pepper grinder
• Chopping board
• Chopping knife
• Mixing bowl
• Frying pan - or large skillet

❄️ Storage

Storing - we prefer eating carbonara using egg freshly cooked, but it can be cooled to room temperature, then stored in an airtight container refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Freezing - we don't recommend freezing and reheating authentic carbonara as pasta tends to absorb the moisture.

Reheating - if you must, then heat for 1-2 minutes in a pan or microwave, then stir in a new egg mixture, or some cream cheese.

💡Pro Tips

• Plate up the dish straight away in warm bowls, as it loses heat very quickly.
  
• Remove bacon grease if preferred by placing on a paper towel after cooking
  
• Use dried spaghetti and follow the package directions instead of fresh for the perfect chewy al dente bite
  
• For a leaner recipe, use center-cut bacon which has the ends of the fat trimmed off

🍽️ Serving Suggestions

• Roasted vegetables: serve with some roasted or grilled Mediterranean vegetables such as courgettes, aubergine, and vine tomatoes
  
• Salad: enjoy with a leafy green salad tossed in extra virgin olive oil
  
• Bread: scoop up your carbonara with crusty garlic bread, which is our favourite way to eat it! Or serve alongside bruschetta
  
• Potatoes: for another budget side dish, try it with homemade oven parmesan chips or dirty fries

❓ FAQ

Disclaimer: This is an unofficial page and has no affiliation or endorsement from Slimming World.  Slimming World's website can be found at https://www.slimmingworld.co.uk/
*Any syn values are personal estimates and not verified by Slimming World.

➕ More Healthy Italian Recipes

Looking for more Mediterranean dishes? Try these:

🍽️Pairing

Here are some of our popular side dishes that go great with our low fat carbonara:

📖 Recipe