Vegetarian Mushroom Carbonara

Classic Italian carbonara made without meat but with lots of savoury flavour, ready in only 20 minutes.

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Total Time20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: mushroom carbonara

Servings:

Cook the pasta according to package instructions in a large pot of boiling water.
Meanwhile mix the egg yolks, one egg and grated Parmesan cheese in a small bowl and set aside for later.
Brown the mushrooms in a heated pan with olive oil with two cloves of whole garlic that have been slightly crushed for about 5 minutes. Discard the garlic cloves. Take the pan off the heat.
Once the spaghetti is cooked al dente, drain in a colander, reserving ½ cup of pasta water. Add the spaghetti to the pan with mushrooms and half of the reserved pasta water and lightly toss to combine. Then add the egg and cheese mixture and toss until the pasta is evenly coated with the sauce. Work quickly to prevent the eggs from scrambling. If the dish looks dry, add the remaining pasta water and continue mixing until the pasta is coated with the sauce. Add salt to taste. Serve with more grated Parmesan cheese and black pepper.

To make this a truly vegetarian meal, be alert for hard cheese made with animal rennet. Vegetarian alternatives are usually available.