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Pasta Carbonara (AIP)

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This AIP pasta carbonara is deliciously creamy and savory. It’s gluten free and coconut-free, paleo and AIP compliant and comes together quickly for an easy weeknight meal that is sure to please.

two white bowls with fusili pasta and bacon bits on a grey background with a beige cloth napkin and a stainless steel fork to the left of the center bowl

I first ate pasta carbonara five years ago in a restaurant in Rome called Felice a Testaccio. Prior to that point, I wasn’t really drawn to this rich and heavy dish, but, as they say, “When in Rome!” The thing I remember most fondly about the meal is the guanciale that was perfectly crispy and crackling and gave the dish an unmistakable and absolutely amazing flavor.

I hadn’t attempted a gluten-free, let alone AIP-version of this dish until recently when I was playing around in the kitchen with some creamy, coconut-free sauces. When I tasted this sauce, I thought it would go well with bacon, and so pasta carbonara came to mind.

This AIP pasta carbonara is creamy and delicious without being heavy. And zucchini is the undetectable secret ingredient that makes this sauce creamy and coconut free.

white bowl with pasta carbonara and a fork

Here’s what you’ll need for this AIP Pasta Carbonara:

  • zucchini – the magical ingredient that is blended into a creamy sauce
  • apple cider vinegar – adds a slightly acidic taste to the dish and cuts some of the richness of the bacon
  • yellow onions and garlic – sautéed in olive oil to add a classic base of flavor to the dish
  • dried thyme, sea salt and extra virgin olive oil
  • turmeric – a pinch is all you need to give this sauce that characteristic yellow colour in lieu of egg yolks (totally optional)
  • tapioca starch – used to thicken the sauce
  • cured pork – guanciale, pancetta or bacon (ensure these are AIP-compliant – cured only with salt)
  • AIP-compliant pasta – try my AIP hand-rolled pasta or buy this AIP sweet potato/cassava pasta or cassava pasta

To make this dish, boil your pasta as per instructions and set aside. In a large skillet, sauté the onions, garlic and zucchini in olive oil with the salt and dried thyme. Once soft, add these ingredients to a high powered blender along with apple cider vinegar, water, tapioca starch and turmeric. In the same skillet, add your cured pork or bacon and sauté until crispy. Return sauce to pan on low heat, add pasta and stir consistently. The tapioca starch will cause the mixture to thicken some more. Remove from heat and serve warm. If you’ve reintroduced black pepper into your AIP diet, it’s a great and classic topping to this dish.

Vegan or vegetarian? Try subbing the pork with some sautéed portabello mushrooms!

skillet with sauteed zucchini, dried thyme, garlic, onions in olive oil

LOOKING FOR MORE AIP PASTA RECIPES? TRY:

If you try this AIP Pasta Carbonara recipe I would love it if you would give the recipe a star rating and review. Also, be sure to snap a picture of the finished product and share it with me on Instagram by tagging @healmedelicious and using the hashtag #healmedelicious. 

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white bowl with pasta carbonara and a fork

Pasta Carbonara (AIP, paleo)

★★★★★

5 from 18 reviews
Print Recipe

Description

This AIP pasta carbonara is deliciously creamy and savory. It’s gluten free and coconut-free, paleo and AIP compliant and comes together quickly for an easy weeknight meal that is sure to please.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup zucchini, peeled and cubed
  • 1/2 large yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp dried thyme
  • pinch turmeric
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar 
  • 2 tsps tapioca starch 
  • 1/2 cup filtered water
  • 6–7 slices AIP-compliant bacon or guanciale, chopped into small pieces 
  • 4 oz of elbow or fusilli pasta (approximately 2 cups)

Instructions

  1. Boil pasta as per instructions and set aside in a colander.
  2. In a large skillet, heat olive oil to medium heat. Add onions and sauté 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently until they begin to turn translucent.
  3. Next, add crushed garlic, chopped zucchini, sea salt and thyme and cook 6-8 minutes or until zucchini has become soft. Once soft, add to high powered blender along with apple cider vinegar, filtered water, tapioca starch and turmeric and pulse until combined into a smooth sauce.
  4. In the same skillet, add your chopped pieces of cured pork (guanciale, pancetta or bacon) and sauté until cooked and crispy.
  5. Reduce heat to low and add sauce and pasta into the pan and stir continuously 1-2 minutes. The tapioca starch will cause the mixture to thicken some more. Remove from heat and serve warm.*

Notes

Black pepper is not AIP-elimination stage compliant. If you’ve successfully reintroduced black pepper into your AIP diet, it’s a great and classic topping to this dish.

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1
  • Calories: 807
  • Sugar: 5.6g
  • Fat: 35g
  • Protein: 26.5g

Keywords: pasta carbonara, pasta, egg-free, aip, paleo, bacon, aip pasta

Did you make this recipe?

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Melissa Visek

    My daughter absolutely loved this recipe! I would love to make more for her, but can it be frozen?

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  2. Erica

    I’ve made this three times now and it’s my absolute favorite sauce for pasta. I make a batch of sauce and a batch of pasta and keep them separate in the fridge, throw some in a pan when I want, and it’s as good as it is when fresh!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  5. ahs

    this is wonderful! I have never tried non-AIP carbonara but was looking to attend to a pasta craving. love this recipe and as other people have mentioned, the zucchini is undetectable to zucchini-skeptics. my partner doesn’t like zucchini but i grew up growing it and love all zucchini baked goods / zoodles etc. happy to get the creaminess of they provide to the sauce and generally just so happy for a comforting pasta go-to! thank you, truly!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  7. Dini

    You are a genius! I love that I got to eat with my whole family and cook just one meal. Even better, we all loved it and no one suspected the extra hidden veggie. Thank you!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  8. Colleen

    This is so delicious! My heart and stomach are so happy to have this after not being able to eat any cream-based sauces! And I love that it’s zucchini-based (brilliant). Thank you Nicole!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  12. Kelsey

    LOVE this recipe. And quote from my partner was “your protocol is delicious”
    Thankful, as others are, for a “creamy” sauce without coconut
    Thank you!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  13. Katerina

    Made this with shrimp and spaghetti squash. SO DELICIOUS!! I’m so happy to have carbonara back and guilt free!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  14. Amanda

    Another fantastic recipe from Nicole! This carbonara comes together quickly, is incredibly satisfying and pure comfort food. I paired it with her sweet potato gnocchi, which I found to be the perfect pasta for this sauce. AIP + coconut-free recipe = RARE PERFECTION!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  15. kendra Springer

    DELIC! First off I love a sauce with a hidden veg! And second this recipe is coconut free which is a rare find in the AIP world. Such a quick, delicious, filling dinner! ??

    ★★★★★

    Reply

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