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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.
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.
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!
LOOKING FOR MORE AIP PASTA RECIPES? TRY:
- Spaghetti and Meatsauce
- AIP Hand Rolled Pasta
- Sweet Potato Lasagna
- Sweet Potato Gnocchi
- Easy Paleo Pasta Salad
- Sweet Potato and Spinach Ravioli
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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Pasta Carbonara (AIP, paleo)
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2 portions 1x
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
- 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
- Boil pasta as per instructions and set aside in a colander.
- 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.
- 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.
- In the same skillet, add your chopped pieces of cured pork (guanciale, pancetta or bacon) and sauté until cooked and crispy.
- 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
This is amazing! Thank you for this recipe!
★★★★★
This was absolutely wonderful and so easy to make.
★★★★★
We’re so glad you liked it! Thank you for leaving your review.
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!
★★★★★
One of my go to meals. Can’t forget the hoards of bacon 🙂
★★★★★
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!!
★★★★★
Yay Dini! I’m so glad to hear that. Thank you for leaving your review.
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!
★★★★★
Yay! My heart is happy for you too. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review.
What can you replace tapioca starch with? Would an arrowroot powder work if just using for thickness?
Yes that should work!
This was delicious!! Can’t wait to try more of Nicole’s amazing recipes! Next up: cinnamon rolls!
★★★★★
This was amazing! So simple but it had so much flavor. Thank you for an awesome recipe!
★★★★★
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!!
★★★★★
Thanks so much Kelsey for taking time to write this review. I’m so glad you and your partner enjoyed!
Made this with shrimp and spaghetti squash. SO DELICIOUS!! I’m so happy to have carbonara back and guilt free!!
★★★★★
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!
★★★★★
Thank you, Amanda <3
This recipe was both so delicious and so satisfying! I could not believe how creamy the sauce could be with zucchini as the main ingredient (AND coconut free)!! The flavor also balanced out the bacon perfectly! Will 100% be making this again!
★★★★★
This is UN. REAL. It’s the comfort food I didn’t know I needed. When I made this I literally said, out loud, “Nichole can cook!” Ha! Thank you for making our AIP world way more tolerable, fun, and tasty. XOXO
★★★★★
Hahaha thank you Faith!
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! ??
★★★★★
Yay! So happy you enjoyed, thanks for reviewing Kendra!
So simple yet so delicious. My daughter also loved it. I definitely be making this again, and again!
★★★★★