Ready to try the classic version of this legendary pasta dish? We have you covered, with Easy Carbonara Sauce! I learned how to make carbonara from an Italian friend, and since then it has become a staple in my house. It is my go-to recipe for whenever I want something quick and tasty that won’t make me work too hard. It is perfect for both lunch and dinner, and pairs brilliantly with a side salad or pretty much any vegetable.
Mushroom carbonara recipe
Traditional spaghetti carbonara is made with guanciale, which I left out to make this recipe vegetarian. I actually find that the mushrooms do an amazing job on their own, but to add a bit more punch one extra clove of garlic was added. The slightly crushed garlic cloves are removed from the mushrooms after five minutes because carbonara should not be too garlicky. Letting them cook with the mushrooms for a few minutes is plenty of time to let just enough flavour to come through without dominating the dish. To bring out the best possible rich and nutty mushroom flavour I made sure to brown the mushrooms rather than steam them. To do this, I turned the heat up to give them a bit of caramelization. I also made sure not turn the mushrooms until they had started to get a bit of crispy edge to them. While this was happening, I had the pasta boiling and was mixing the eggs and cheese. With a bit of practise, you will be able to have everything ready at the same time.
Serving suggestions
Carbonara is a dish few people could complain about, which makes it one you might to bring out when guests come over. But a word of warning: it’s hard to properly combine the egg and cheese mixture with the pasta when making a large quantity. I find that the upper limit of servings is four. Any more than that and the dish is just not the same! Part of the joy of a mushroom carbonara is they way it can be a convenient meal all by itself. The last thing you want to do is add complicated side dishes to make this simple meal into a chore. A Caprese Salad is perfectly simple but adds a hit of freshness that is the ideal match for a creamy pasta dish like carbonara. My Summer Tomato Salad does the same thing and is just as easy to make. For something every so slightly more complex, treat yourself with Chickpea Tuna Salad!
Storage and leftovers
It’s definitely not unenjoyable to reheat leftover carbonara, but it’s not a dish that improves with age. If you are left with a little extra, keep it in the fridge in an airtight container for 2-3 days, although the pasta will soften the longer it is in there. It can be reheated in a microwave. I don’t recommend freezing pasta leftovers.
More vegetarian pasta recipes
Butternut Squash Ravioli Sauce Sicilian Pasta alla Norma Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Breadcrumb Topping Tortelloni with Creamy Tomato Sauce and Spinach
