Our meat-free twist on a classic carbonara swaps bacon for golden mushrooms for a creamy pasta dish, that is a little bit lighter. Mushroom Carbonara is just 6 ingredients and only 15 minutes in the kitchen and you have all the creamy flavour of a carbonara, but with slices of mixed mushrooms. Something a little different for pasta night.
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We love a carbonara, but when we want to eat more meat free meal, the first swap we make is to include more mushrooms in our meals. They have a real meaty texture, and by using a selection of different mushrooms, you get so many different flavours and textures, it is a real taste sensation.
This recipe still has the delicious silky smooth sauce that you know and love from a carbonara, by using eggs and parmesan, but we swapped the bacon for mushrooms. It's such an easy swap and still really filling and hearty.
If you are looking for more ways to include mushrooms in your meals, why not try our Mushroom Sandwich, Spinach and Mushroom Gnocchi, Creamy Mushrooms on Toast or Mushroom and Spinach Risotto.
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Why You Will Love It
- A meat free alternative - If you love a classic carbonara, then this is a tasty meat free version as it swaps bacon for mushrooms.
- Quick - This is ready in less than 15 minutes, and can be even quicker if you use fresh pasta.
- A new way to eat mushrooms - Love mushrooms but looking for new ways to eat them? This is a good place to start.
- Adaptable - You can use this as a base recipe and then adapt it to suit your own tastes. We love stirring in some spinach for a green vegetable boost.
Ingredients and Substitutions
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Pasta - Spaghetti is traditionally used in a carbonara, but you could use any pasta.
- Mushrooms - The star of the dish. We used a mixture of mushrooms like oyster, shiitake and chestnut, as it gives it a lovely mixture of textures. However, you could use any mushrooms you like.
- Eggs - These are the key ingredient for the delicious carbonara sauce, with the yolks providing that rich creaminess
- Cheese - We used Parmesan, however another Italian hard cheese will work. Try to freshly grate it, as you will get a much stronger flavour than if you used a bag of pre-grated cheese.
- Garlic - This isn't a really garlicky recipe, as traditionally a carbonara wouldn't have a lot of garlic in it. However, you could add more if you wanted to.
- Butter - This is what the mushrooms are cooked in, and helps them to get lovely and golden brown.
- Pasta water - This is our "secret" ingredient in every pasta dish and something that every Italian uses in their cooking. Adding a little bit of the starchy pasta water makes the sauce really silky smooth and cling to the pasta. It also loosens the sauce up a little, helping it go further.
More ingredient substitutions and variations can be found in the recipe card.
How to Make Mushroom Carbonara
One: Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions.
Two: Mix together the grated Parmesan and the eggs. Set aside.
Three: Heat the butter in a frying pan and add the garlic and mushrooms. Cook until the mushrooms are golden, about 4 minutes.
Four: Remove 75ml/0.33 cup of pasta water from the pan.
Five: Drain the spaghetti and add to the mushrooms with the reserved pasta water. Add the Parmesan/egg mix and stir through until everything is coated.
Serving Suggestions
Everyone know that garlic bread and pasta are a match made in heaven. Carby heaven! Either buy some ready made, or make your own easy garlic bread by cutting up some French stick and spreading it with a mix of butter, crushed garlic and dried herbs. Then pop it in the oven for 10 minutes.
You could also keep it simple with a big green salad. The key to an epic green salad is to use a variety of greens, like romaine, spinach, kale and rocket. You want leafy greens, but crunch too. Then you need the perfect dressing. Why not try our Lemon Vinaigrette, Honey and Mustard Dressing or Tomato and Basil Vinaigrette. You could also try our Grilled Little Gem Salad.
If you want to add a big side of vegetables, then we recommend our Roasted Tenderstem Broccoli, Garlic Green Beans, Air Fryer Carrots, or Roasted Lemon Asparagus.
Dannii's Top Tips
- When using Parmesan, try to grate it fresh rather than using a bag of pre-grated cheese, as you will have a much stronger flavour.
- Make sure you stir the egg and cheese mixture into the pasta OFF the heat, otherwise the eggs will scramble. Don't worry, the heat from the cooked pasta will ensure the eggs are cooked through in the sauce.
- Don't forget to take some water out of the spaghetti pan before you drain it as this will make such a difference to your sauce. If you do forget, just boil some water in the kettle and add that.
- You could keep the bacon in, like a traditional carbonara, and use mushrooms too, but we wanted this to be a meat-free recipe. Because it doesn't have bacon in it, you do need to season it well to make up for not having the saltiness from the bacon.
- To make this mushroom carbonara even quicker, use some fresh pasta which is ready in a few minutes.
- If you like your food spicy, then add a sprinkle of red chilli flakes on top before serving.
- Add a splash of olive oil to the pan before serving for an extra boost of flavour.
- Serve with extra Parmesan, fresh parsley and cracked black pepper if you like.
Frequently Asked Questions
Adding starchy pasta water (just 100ml is enough) to a fat like butter will create an emulsion and this gives a really silky smooth sauce and helps it cling to the pasta. Make sure you scoop out the water just before draining, as this ensures that it is nice and starchy.
If you have leftovers, then you can store it in an air tight container in the fridge until the next day.
No, we wouldn't recommend freezing this carbonara because it has a strange texture once defrosted.
You can reheat this in a frying pan on a low heat. Add a splash of full fat milk to the pan to loosen it up.
Carbonara traditionally uses spaghetti, however this sauce recipe can be used with any pasta and we have used penne, fusilli and macaroni (which kids love) in the past.
More Pasta Recipes
If you've tried this vegetarian carbonara, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Mushroom Carbonara
Ingredients
- 140 g (5 oz) Spaghetti
- 300 g (11 oz) Mixed mushrooms - sliced
- 2 Garlic clove - crushed
- 2 tablespoon Butter
- 50 g (0.5 cups) Parmesan - grated
- 2 Eggs
Instructions
- Cook 140 g Spaghetti according to the packet instructions.
- Mix together 50 g Parmesan and 2 Eggs. Set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoon Butter in a frying pan and add 2 Garlic clove and 300 g Mixed mushrooms. Cook until the mushrooms are golden, about 4 minutes.
- Remove 75ml/0.33 cup of pasta water from the pan.
- Drain the spaghetti and add to the mushrooms with the reserved pasta water. Add the Parmesan/egg mix and stir through until everything is coated.
Recipe Tips
- When using parmesan, try to grate it fresh rather than using a bag of pre-grated cheese, as you will have a much stronger flavour.
- Make sure you stir the egg and cheese mixture in to the pasta OFF the heat, otherwise the eggs will scramble. Don't worry, the heat from the cooked pasta will ensure the eggs are cooked through in the sauce.
- Don't forget to take some water out of the spaghetti pan before you drain it as this will make such a difference to your sauce. If you do forget, just boil some water in the kettle and add that.
- You could keep the bacon in, like a traditional carbonara, and use mushrooms too, but we wanted this to be a meat-free recipe. Because it doesn't have bacon in it, you do need to season it well to make up for not having the saltiness from the bacon.
- To make this mushroom carbonara even quicker, use some fresh pasta which is ready in a few minutes.
- If you like your food spicy, then add a sprinkle of red chilli flakes on top before serving.
- Add a splash of olive oil to the pan before serving for an extra boost of flavour.
- Serve with extra Parmesan, fresh parsley and cracked black pepper if you like.
Nutritional Information
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The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
Jessica Stroup says
Such a simple and delicious recipe! Love the mushrooms!
Erin says
This mushroom carbonara is a simple dish to make but is so hearty and filling. Delicious!
Nic says
I love mushrooms and this recipe was so simple and easy to make! YUM. Thanks for sharing!
Farah Abumaizar says
This pasta looks so rich and wonderful! I absolutely love mushrooms so I'm so excited to try this out, thanks for posting!
Gina says
As a big mushroom fan this recipe was everything! Beyond delicious and will definitely be making again!
Natalie says
Carbonara with mushrooms? What a perfect dinner idea. My boys will love this. I'm making this tonight.
Petro says
I can't believe this is a vegetarian dish made with just a handful of simple ingredients! It looks incredibly delicious!
Julie says
Big fan of carbonara and mushrooms which makes this pasta dish perfect for my family. Can't wait to taste this.
Jenn says
LOVE that you used mushrooms in place of the bacon. They're so savory and full of flavor - love it so!
Jeannette says
Butter, garlic and mushrooms is one of my favourite combinations, so having it in a pasta ticks all the boxes for me! So good for dinner but also packed as a work or school lunch.
Beth Sachs says
I adore mushrooms AND carbonara so this is a winner for me!
Alexandra says
We are big mushroom fans, and this pasta dish will be on repeat in our household! It is the perfect meat-free meal.
Seema Sriram says
One of my kids went Ooo seeing the images. Now I am sure we will be grocery shopping tomorrow morning for this. looks so yum!
Tavo says
Simply delicious! I loved the mushroom twist!