You won’t even miss the pasta in this Spaghetti Squash Carbonara — an easy, low-carb, and healthy weeknight dinner recipe! Roasted squash is filled with a creamy egg-based sauce, Parmesan cheese, and then topped with crispy bacon and fresh basil. Meal prep this healthy Italian dish for busy weeknights and have it ready to enjoy for dinner or lunch!
Spaghetti Squash Carbonara Recipe
Pasta Carbonara is SO good. Unfortunately, it’s a little carb-heavy.
Enter Spaghetti Squash Carbonara!
Not only does the milk and egg yolks combo work incredibly well at creating a luxuriously soft texture, but it is also SUPER tasty.
Pair a savory, Parmesan cheese sauce with salty bacon and the subtly sweet flavor of a roasted spaghetti squash strands…
And the flavor explosion is OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD delicious. Your taste buds will seriously do a happy dance at the combination of these simple ingredients.
It’s also rather simple to throw together; the total hands-on-time is less than 30 minutes!
Be sure to try these other spaghetti squash recipes—Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Boats, Spaghetti Squash Chicken Pad Thai, and Spinach Artichoke Spaghetti Squash.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Spaghetti Squash. Try to purchase a medium-sized spaghetti squash from your local grocery store. If you get a large one you may not end up with enough sauce to completely coat the squash “noodles.”
- Bacon. Select your favorite bacon variety to use in this recipe. Try to avoid ones with too much sweet flavor (like maple-flavored!) as it will interfere with the savory tones of the dish. If you’re Paleo, low-carb or keto make sure you look for one with no sugar added. Turkey bacon won’t work as there won’t be enough fat left over.
- Eggs. Two egg yolks are used to make the carbonara sauce ultra creamy and luxurious. Unfortunately, there is not a good egg-free substitution for this since it is the main ingredient in the sauce.
- Milk. Full-fat oat milk was used while testing this recipe to decrease the overall amount of dairy in the recipe. However, regular milk or even heavy cream can be used if you do not have any issues with lactose.
- Parmesan Cheese. Finely grated, and not shredded, Parmesan cheese is the best to use since it will easily melt into the sauce. If you’re dairy-free you can try out a vegan Parmesan cheese, but it may not melt quite as easily into the sauce as real cheese does.
- Herbs. Finely chopped basil brings a wonderful freshness to the dish and adds a nice finishing touch. If it’s difficult to find basil, you can also use Italian parsley instead.
How to Make Spaghetti Squash Carbonara
Please see the recipe card below for more detailed ingredient amounts.
1. Roast the Spaghetti Squash
While there are numerous ways to cook a whole spaghetti squash, it’s recommended to bake spaghetti squash in the oven for this particular recipe.
Roasting squash allows it to caramelize and brings out its natural sweetness. This slightly sweet flavor from the squash “noodles” pairs wonderfully with the rich and savory carbonara sauce.
Slice the spaghetti squash in half. Remove the seeds with a large spoon, then rub oil over each cut half of the squash.
Roast the squash cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet in a preheated 425°F oven for 40 to 50 minutes. The total amount of time depends on the size of your squash. It should be fork tender.
If you’re in a rush and do not have 50 minutes to bake spaghetti squash, you can also try cooking it in the Instant Pot.
2. Cook the Bacon
Chop the bacon with a sharp knife on a cutting board. Add the bacon to a large stainless steel or non-stick skillet.
Cook the bacon for 10 to 12 minutes over medium heat. Stir occasionally, until it’s cooked through. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon bits from the skillet to a plate lined with paper towels. Try to leave as much bacon fat as possible.
If you have less than 3 tablespoons left, make up the difference with additional olive oil.
3. Make the Sauce
A classic carbonara sauce is made by cooking bacon and then combining the remaining fat with some sort of milk or cream, egg yolks, and Parmesan cheese. If you would like to make this recipe lower in fat and calories, opt to use cashew milk instead of regular milk or heavy cream.
Stir the garlic into the bacon grease in the large skillet and cook over medium-low heat for 1 minute. Pour in the milk and let the mixture come to a boil. Reduce, and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Add the Eggs
Tempering is a process of adding small amounts of warmer liquid to raw eggs in order to slowly raise their temperature. If you add cold, or even room temperature, eggs into a sauce the rapid change in temperature will end up cooking them and turning them into small pieces of scrambled eggs.
So instead, the process of adding a bit of warmed milk to the eggs, one tablespoon at a time, will slowly raise the temperature of the egg yolks so they will mix in smoothly.
Crack the eggs into a small bowl, leaving only the yolks. Carefully and SLOWLY add 3 tablespoons of the heated milk from the skillet to the eggs, whisking constantly.
Add the egg mixture to the skillet and stir to combine. Allow the sauce to simmer for another 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Serve It Up
Mix the Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper into the sauce. Add more or less according to your preference.
Use a fork to carefully shred the insides of the cooked spaghetti squash until you get spaghetti-like strands. You can either pour the sauce over the squash halves or mix the noodles into the sauce. Top with bacon and fresh basil.
Recipe Tips
- Microwave for a few. This makes it easier to slice through.
- Check the color. You want the edges of the squash to brown up slightly so it will taste sweeter.
- Go slow. Tempering the eggs before adding them to the sauce ensures they don’t scramble.
- Make it work. Use whatever kind of milk you prefer when making this dish.
What to Serve with Spaghetti Squash Carbonara
If you’re looking for some tasty sides to pair with this Spaghetti Squash Carbonara, be sure to try these!
Start your meal with some Tomato Bruschetta or Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms.
You can’t go wrong with a simple green salad, like a Fall Harvest Salad, Strawberry Spinach Salad, or a Chopped Kale Salad.
More Squash Recipes
If you want a few more easy stuffed squash recipes, you might also enjoy:
- Lasagna Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
- Spaghetti Squash Pad Thai
- Stuffed Acorn Squash with Ground Turkey
- Fajita Chicken Spaghetti Squash
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Ingredients
Roasted Spaghetti Squash:
- 1 large spaghetti squash
- 2 Tbsp. oil avocado or olive
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
Carbonara Sauce:
- 6 oz. bacon cut into small pieces
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- ¾ cup milk regular, plant-based milk, or heavy cream
- 2 egg yolks
- ¾ cup Parmesan cheese
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
- Fresh basil to serve
Instructions
- Roast the Spaghetti Squash: Preheat oven to 425°F. Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise.* Scoop out and remove seeds using a large spoon with a relatively sharp edge. Rub 1 tablespoon olive oil over the inside of each half and sprinkle both with ¼ tsp. Salt and ⅛ teaspoon of black pepper. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and place spaghetti squash halves face side down. Bake in preheated oven for 40-50 minutes, or until the the insides shred easily with a fork.1 large spaghetti squash, 2 Tbsp. oil, ½ tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. black pepper
- Cook the Bacon: Add chopped bacon to a large stainless steel or non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the bacon is cooked through. Remove bacon from the skillet, trying to reserve as much of the bacon fat as you can. Measure out the bacon fat. If you have less than 3 tablespoons, add additional oil until you reach this amount.6 oz. bacon
- Make the Sauce: Add bacon fat and/or oil back to the skillet along with the crushed garlic cloves. Saute over medium-low heat for 1 minute, or until garlic becomes fragrant. Pour in milk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 2-3 minutes, whisking occasionally.3 cloves garlic, ¾ cup milk
- Add the Eggs: Whisk egg yolks together in a small bowl. Slowly add 3 tablespoons of the warmed milk from the skillet, while whisking constantly, to temper the eggs. Add the egg mixture to the skillet and stir to combine. Simmer for 1-2 minutes while whisking occasionally.2 egg yolks
- Serve the Pasta: Mix in the Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper, to taste. Serve sauce over spaghetti squash with bacon pieces and fresh basil. Enjoy!¾ cup Parmesan cheese, ½ tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. black pepper, Fresh basil
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Notes
- Microwave for a few. This makes it easier to slice through.
- Check the color. You want the edges of the squash to brown up slightly so it will taste sweeter.
- Go slow. Tempering the eggs before adding them to the sauce ensures they don’t scramble.
- Make it work. Use whatever kind of milk you prefer when making this dish.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was delicious! So easy, and incredibly yummy. My 15-year-old son even loved it.
Yay! So happy you and your son enjoyed the recipe, Rewari. Thanks for your comment and rating!