Description
A creamy, dairy-free twist on classic Italian carbonara, made rich and silky with ripe avocado, garlic, and savory cured meat for a luscious, satisfying pasta dish.
Ingredients
12 oz spaghetti or your favorite pasta
1 ripe avocado
2 large eggs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 oz diced beef cured meat
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Fresh parsley, chopped (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
- While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced meat and cook until crispy, about 5-7 minutes. Add minced garlic in the last minute and sauté until fragrant. Remove from heat.
- In a blender or food processor, combine the avocado, eggs, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Quickly toss the hot pasta with the avocado mixture, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time to reach a silky sauce consistency.
- Stir in the meat and garlic mixture.
- Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan and chopped parsley if desired.
Notes
Use pancetta or bacon instead of beef cured meat for a traditional flavor.
For a vegetarian version, omit meat and add sautéed mushrooms or roasted vegetables.
Gluten-free pasta can be used to make the dish gluten-free.
Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to brighten the avocado sauce.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 2 days; reheat gently with added water or broth.
To avoid raw eggs, use pasteurized eggs or temper eggs with hot pasta water before blending.
Vegan adaptations include substituting eggs with silken tofu or vegan replacers and Parmesan with nutritional yeast.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Sautéing, Blending, Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 7g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 140mg
