Vegetarian Carbonara with Mushrooms

You’ll never miss the bacon in this creamy and easy Vegetarian Carbonara with Mushrooms recipe. This meatless pasta dish is a main course that is both simple to prepare and even meat lovers will enjoy it!

We originally shared this recipe on August 26th, 2016. We have updated some of the content to share it with you today. This post contains affiliate links.

Why We Love This Mushroom Fettucini Carbonara Recipe

We originally discovered this recipe for Mushroom Carbonara while reading through Fresh Italian Cooking for the New Generation by Alexandra Caspero Lenz, R.D.. We had recently returned from a trip from Italy and the simplicity of the ingredients and authentic-tasting hearty flavors were just what we wanted after returning back to the United States.

After making this recipe, and learning just how easy making Fettucini Carbonara from scratch is, it has become one of my go-to family-friendly dinner recipes I make when I am short on time but want something the whole family will love. I have since come up with my own Brussels Sprouts Pasta Carbonara too!

This version of pasta carbonara is made without bacon, guanciale or pancetta, and instead relies upon sauteed shallots and meaty crimini (Baby Bella) mushrooms. The simple egg and Parmesan sauce blended with a bit of the hot pasta cooking liquid comes together in seconds and enrobes the al dente whole-wheat pasta in the most delicious way!

Pair this meal with Air-fried cauliflower or Roasted Brussels sprouts for a hearty meatless meal!

Ingredients For This Recipe

Mushrooms

We used Baby Bella mushrooms which are also called crimini mushrooms. If you are a mushroom lover and have access to a variety of mushrooms, this is the perfect recipe to showcase them in!

Whole Wheat Fettucini

For more fiber, we used whole-wheat pasta. Feel free to sub in white pasta or gluten-free. You can also use spaghetti or linguini if you cannot find fettucini.

Parmesan or Pecorino Cheese

The freshly grated Parmegiano Reggiano contributes much of the rich flavor and sharp cheesiness to the sauce. Grate some extra to top off each bowl. Other hard Italian cheese such as Pecorino or Asiago can be substituted for a different flavor experience.

Garlic and Shallot

You’ll think that this is too much shallot and garlic, but the flavors really mellow as they brown in the skillet. They add sweet caramelized richness to the flavor profile of the carbonara sauce. You’ll need three shallots and three cloves of garlic. Chop them finely so they just melt into the sauce giving it lots of savory flavors.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

To cook the shallots and mushrooms, we chose extra-virgin olive oil, since this is an Italian recipe after all. If you happen to have two different olive oils like we do (one for cooking and one for finishing) choose the less expensive cooking-grade oil as the heat will dissipate any subtle nuances of higher quality oil.

Egg

Classic carbonara relies on whole eggs that are cooked by the heat of the pasta, bacon and cooking liquid to form a thick and creamy sauce. This recipe only requires one egg.

Spices

We used a combination of salt, pepper and smoked paprika to season the mushroom saute. The smoked paprika helps to add a little smokiness to this vegetarian recipe. Normally that would have come from bacon or pork product in a classic spaghetti carbonara.

Step-By Step Instructions to Make Vegetarian Carbonara

Making this vegetarian fettuccine carbonara couldn’t be simpler! The steps for making creamy carbonara pasta in the comfort of your own kitchen are as follows:

Step 1: Saute the Shallot

First get your pot of pasta water going over high heat. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium- high heat. Add oil and swirl to coat. Add in the shallot and cook, stirring frequently, until it turns a lovely brown color, this takes about 4 minutes.

Step 2: Add Mushrooms and Seasonings

Add in the mushrooms and spices and continue cooking until the mushrooms are soft and brown. This takes about 8 minutes total. Meanwhile, once your pasta water comes to a boil, add the fettucini to the water and cook it according to the package instructions for al dente.

Step 3: Mix Egg and Cheese

While you are waiting for the pasta to cook and the veggies to soften, in a medium bowl whisk the egg and 1/2 cup of Parmesan so that it is ready to go once the pasta is done.

Step 4: Drain the Pasta and Reserve Cooking Liquid

Once the pasta is cooked, drain it, but make sure to reserve about two cups of the hot pasta liquid. This is an integral part of the sauce, so if you’re afraid of forgetting, set a measuring cup into the colander to remind yourself.

Step 5: Combine Cooked Pasta with the Sauce Ingredients

Here’s where the magic happens! Once your mushrooms are golden and they no longer have excess liquid, and your pasta is drained, you are ready to mix everything together. Keep the burner on low heat, and add the drained pasta to the mushrooms. Toss well with tongs.

Then add in the egg and Parmesan mixture, and toss as you drizzle in the cooking liquid as you toss it with the tongs to make it liquid. The hot pasta and cooking water will cook the eggs and melt the cheese and it will gradually melt into a creamy silky sauce that coats the pasta. Only add enough liquid as you need. If it seems dry or clumpy, you’ll likely need a bit more.

Serving Tips

This pasta “seizes” very quickly, so keep a little of the pasta cooking liquid to loosen it if need be. Work quickly to portion it into four wide pasta bowls. To serve, add cracked black pepper, more Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.

FAQs and Expert Tips

More Italian Recipes You’ll Love:

• If you love Italian classics, we suggest our Bolognese Sauce, which has authentic slow cooked taste, even though it is made in a slow cooker. We also adore Pasta with Puttanesca Sauce too because it is so fast!
• Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers {with Italian flavors!}: These come together surprisingly easily with pre-cooked rice and cooking them in the microwave! 
• This Italian Pasta Salad with olives and basil is a great summer make ahead side dish. 
• Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore with Noodles probably one of my favorite slow cooker recipes ever! 
• Butternut Squash Lasagna: OMG you guys, this is a game changer! Run dont walk to get the ingredients asap!
• My Minestrone soup is borderline legendary. Okay, whatever maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration but it is so freaking good you’ll have to try it! My brand new Instant Pot Minestrone is a quick version of the stovetop recipe. 
• If you eat chicken this Italian Wedding Soup is so comforting and cozy and the meatballs are made with chicken instead of beef and pork! 
• This caramelized onion and mushroom Lasagna is so complex in flavors! If you eat beef our Healthy Beef and Spinach Lasagna always wins rave reviews. If not we have a great veggie-packed Vegetarian Lasagna too!
• These Stuffed Shells with Spinach are a great make ahead vegetarian dinner to make if you are craving comfort food. They have a secretly healthy ingredient, and nobody will miss the meat! 

At Healthy Seasonal Recipes, we specialize in cooking with fresh veggies and creating weeknight meals. Sign up HERE to get more produce-forward dinner ideas for FREE! If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought! Happy Cooking! ~Katie

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