Spaghetti Squash Carbonara (Only 4.5g Net Carbs!)

This Spaghetti Squash Carbonara recipe is a delicious low-carb pasta meal made with a handful of simple ingredients for a flavorsome dinner that all pasta lover loves.

Bonus, one serving of these Spaghetti Squash Keto Carbonara brings only 4.5 grams of net carbs, so you can safely indulge in this pasta dish on a keto diet with no guilt.

Are Spaghetti Pasta Keto?

Spaghetti is regular pasta made from high-carb wheat flour. As a result, it’s far from a keto-friendly meal.

If you wonder how to make Keto carbonara, then using spaghetti squash is the answer! Not only is it a low-carb vegetable, but it also adds minerals and vitamins to your diet.

Of course, you can also use the sauce from this Spaghetti Squash Carbonara with zero-carb noodles to cut out the carbs even more.

However, I do think that spaghetti squash noodles are way tastier as a keto alternative to classic pasta.

Before sharing this amazing keto carbonara recipe, it’s good to share some basics about carbonara sauce.

There are many recipes online to make carbonara sauce, but a carbonara sauce done properly, the Italian way, is not what everyone thinks of.

Let me explain.

What Is Carbonara Sauce Made Of?

An authentic carbonara sauce doesn’t use cream or bacon! Instead, the true Italian carbonara sauce is made of cooked pancetta, egg yolks, eggs, and grated Parmesan cheese.

This mixture is combined into hot cooked pasta with no heat to create a silky, lukewarm smooth sauce.

Sometimes, a splash of hot water or hot broth is added at the end to loosen the sauce and make it silky smooth.

How To Make Keto Carbonara

An authentic carbonara sauce is naturally keto-friendly. The problem with carbonara pasta dishes is the pasta themselves.

They are made of wheat and high in carbs which spikes your blog sugar level and takes you out of ketosis.

So to make a keto carbonara recipe, you need to use low-carb pasta alternatives. There are a few options like:

• Shirataki Noodles – also known as zero-carb noodles, but some people don’t appreciate their fishy taste.
• Wonder Noodles – made of yams fiber and also zero carbs. I love to use these in my keto meatballs spaghetti recipe, they taste like real pasta, but they are also an expensive option.
• Spaghetti Squash – this is the magic vegetable that you can use as a keto pasta swap in many recipes. I already shared my keto spaghetti Alfredo casserole using these, and the texture, taste, and fulfilling effect are always guaranteed.
• Zucchini Noodles – perfect if spaghetti squashes are not in season. Check my pesto zucchini noodle recipe to try this option.

So here I am sharing a Spaghetti Squash Keto Carbonara recipe.

The sauce is also adapted from the authentic Italian recipe to up your fat macros and make the dish fulfilling enough.

Ingredients

All you need to make this Spaghetti Squash Keto Carbonara recipe are a few simple ingredients:

• Spaghetti Squash – that’s your pasta replacement. A regular whole squash spaghettis contains about 6 cups of cooked spaghetti strands.
• Pancetta
• Olive oil
• Eggs – learn why eggs are keto.
• Egg yolk
• Parmesan cheese – the grated Parmesan version is what melts the best in the sauce. Learn how to pick low-carb cheese.
• Heavy Cream – as mentioned earlier, the authentic carbonara sauce doesn’t use cream, but in a keto carbonara sauce, we want the sauce to be super fulfilling, so a touch of cream ups your fat, keeps you full, and makes the sauce silky smooth. And heavy cream is keto-friendly.
• Vegetable broth or beef broth – this is optional but a great way to loosen the sauce.
• Salt and pepper – pancetta is already salty. Add salt to taste.

Cook the Squash

Read my full detailed explanation of how to cook spaghetti squash for full details.

First, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Next, line a large baking tray with parchment paper and set it aside.

Cut the sides of the spaghetti squash, and using a fork, poke the skin of the vegetable many times, all over.

Next, cut the squash halfway lengthwise. Finally, use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and discard them.

Place the two halves of spaghetti squash, and flesh down onto the baking tray.

Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until you can scrape out the spaghetti flesh with a fork and form spaghetti strands.

Sometimes, the vegetable cooks faster in the center, so scrape out these vegetable strands first, set them aside in a bowl, and keep baking the remaining vegetable until cooked through.

It’s a good idea to check the cooking process after 30 minutes every 10 minutes, so as to not overbake the vegetable.

Cool the spaghetti strands down in a mixing bowl.

Cook the Pancetta

First, chop the pancetta into pieces. Then, heat olive oil in a non-stick skillet and cook the pancetta until crispy – about 3-5 minutes.

Add the spaghetti squash strands in the pan and stir to evenly flavor the vegetable strands with the pancetta – about 1 – 2 minutes.

Turn off the heat, cover the pan with a lid, and set it aside while making the sauce.

Make the Carbonara Sauce

In a mixing bowl, whisk eggs, egg yolk, and parmesan cheese. Pour the sauce over the spaghetti strand in the skillet, making sure your pan does not overheat, to avoid cooking the eggs and forming lumps.

The trick to making a delicious smooth spaghetti carbonara sauce is to quickly stir the egg mixture into the noodle without heat to create a lukewarm sauce that shines.

If you like, add a splash of lukewarm vegetable broth to loosen up the sauce. This is optional, but if you like your carbonara sauce thinner, go for it!

Now put the heat back to low, stir in cream and cook until hot.

Serving

To serve this keto pasta carbonara as an authentic Italian dish, top the plate with fresh chopped herbs and extra parmesan.

Storage

This recipe can be stored for up to 2 days in an airtight container in the fridge. You can also freeze the recipe and thaw it in the fridge the day before serving.

Rewarm the spaghetti carbonara in the microwave until hot or in the saucepan, adding some extra cream if needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

I’ve listed below the answers to the most common questions about this recipe.