Paleo Carbonara With Spaghetti Squash

Spaghetti Squash Carbonara in White Bowl

4.88 from 8 votes

This Paleo Carbonara uses spaghetti squash for the noodles and combines eggs, bacon, coconut cream, and seasonings to create a rich, creamy, and flavorful carbonara.

Course gluten free, keto, Main Course, whole30

Cuisine Italian

Diet Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, grain free, Low-Carb, Paleo, Whole30

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 30

Total Time 1

Servings small servings/depending on size of squash

Calories 398kcal

Author Cassidy Stauffer

Ingredients

1 medium Spaghetti Squash
8 oz. Bacon
½ Onion finely chopped
4 Cloves Garlic minced
¼ C Chicken Broth or White Wine
1 Large Egg
2 Egg Yolks
2 tablespoon Nutritional Yeast
½ tsp. Sea Salt
½ tsp. Ground Pepper
2 Tbsp. Parsley
1 Tbsp. Coconut Cream*

Instructions

Roasting The Spaghetti Squash:

Puncture the squash several times with a sharp knife. Then, place the whole spaghetti squash on a lined baking sheet and bake at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or soft enough to cut in half. Using an oven mitt in one hand and a sharp knife in the other, cut in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Place back on the baking sheet cut side down and roast an additional 10-30 minutes.
Spaghetti squashes vary a lot in size, so you'll need to watch it carefully. To check for doneness flip one half of the squash over and run a fork down the side of the squash. If it comes away from the side easily in a nice spaghetti texture it is done. If it is too firm flip it back over and cook an additional 5 to 10 minutes. Also, you can poke a sharp knife through the skin of the upside-down squash - if it slides through easily, it's probably done. Or you can taste it. Do not over cook or it will be mushy and ruin the whole dish!!! Once done, use a fork to gently scrape out the flesh and set aside, the squash will come out in noodle-like strands.

Carbonara Sauce:

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Cut bacon into bite-sized pieces and cook over medium heat until crispy and set aside on a paper towel lined plate. Don't overcrowd the pan. If the pan is overcrowded the bacon won't get crispy so cook in batches if needed.
While the bacon is cooking, whisk together the eggs with the coconut cream, nutritional yeast (if using), parsley, salt, and pepper in a medium-sized bowl and set aside
Pour off all the fat except about 1 or 2 Tablespoons, Then, add the onion and garlic. Saute until the garlic is fragrant and the onion begins to caramelize. Pour in the chicken broth or wine and cook until the liquid has almost completely evaporated.
Remove pan from heat. Spoon about ¼ of the bacon mixture into the eggs and stir. Stir in another 2 or 3 big spoonfuls of the bacon mixture, then pour the mixture into the pan to warm the eggs but do not let the eggs scramble.
Add the spaghetti squash noodles and bacon. Toss to thoroughly coat. Adjust seasonings as needed and serve immediately.

Notes

Do not overcook the spaghetti squash. If the squash is overcooked, it will be mushy, not taste good, and ruin the whole dish! Watch the squash carefully and only cook it until it's tender.
This only makes 3-4 small servings, depending on the size of the squash. I've never doubled this recipe, but I imagine doubling it would work just fine if you need larger/more servings.
You do not need to worry about eating raw eggs. The eggs get heated enough to cook and thicken the pasta. If you're worried about it though, you can purchase pasteurized eggs that have been heated enough to kill bacteria and are safe to eat raw.
For coconut cream, place a can of full-fat canned coconut milk in the fridge for 24 hours. Then, scoop out the coagulated cream. I recommend Sprouts, Thai Kitchen, or Native Forest brands. Other brands may leave an aftertaste or may not separate as well.
Nutritional yeast is found in the spice aisle of most health food stores and it adds a dairy-free cheesy taste. I highly recommend it!
If you are not dairy-free, you can replace the coconut cream with heavy cream and the nutritional yeast with ¼ cup of grated parmesan cheese.

Nutrition