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Spaghetti Carbonara with a Twist

This creamy, flavorful spaghetti carbonara recipe will make you feel like you are dining in your favorite Italian restaurant. It is gluten, dairy, and egg free, Paleo, and AIP friendly.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Main Course, Main Dish
Cuisine Italian

Ingredients
  

  • 1 package Kelp noodles (sea tangle)
  • 1 cup crimini mushrooms, sliced
  • 1/2 cup leek, sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 4 slices bacon, pasture raised (a bit more than 1/2 cup)
  • 1 cup coconut cream (additive free), scoop out the the solid part on top of the coconut milk can
  • garlic powder
  • sea salt
  • Black pepper (omit on AIP)
  • parsley (as garnish)

Instructions
 

  • Soak the kelp noddles in a medium-sized bowl in warm filtered water for 10-20 minutes and detangle them gently with your fingers. Once done rinse them.
  • In the meantime, wash and slice the mushrooms, and the leeks into thin slices. Leeks tend to have soil inside. Make a cut lengthwise and wash them thoroughly. Peel and thinly slice the garlic. Cut the bacon into small cubes/squares.
  • Heat a large pan over medium heat. Add the bacon and fry until golden brown for about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon and set it aside. If there is a lot of excess fat in the pan scoop some out and save it in the fridge for the next time you cook.
  • Reduce the temperature to medium-low and add the garlic, leek, and mushrooms to the pan. Stir and cook until the mushrooms and leeks are cooked for about another 5 minutes. Add the coconut cream and stir (make sure to scrape off everything from the bottom of the pan. Add the bacon back in (feel free to save a few pieces as garnish) and cook everything in the sauce for a few minutes, taste, and add salt, pepper, and garlic powder to your liking. The longer you cook the bacon and the vegetables in the coconut cream the better the flavor of the sauce.
  • Finish up by adding the kelp noodles to the pan. At this point, they will be very crunchy so it is important that they cook in the sauce for a couple of minutes until they have a soft consistency (about 5 minutes). Cover the noodles with the sauce and move them around until they become soft. Now do a final taste test to check if you need to add more salt or other spices. If the noodles are still crunchy they need to cook in the sauce for a bit longer.
  • Serve immediately or store in the fridge for a couple of days. This dish heats up very nicely the next day. The key is to give it enough time to warm up so that the noodles become soft again. Add some chopped parsley and cracked black pepper as a garnish.

Notes

  • A word of caution on iodine and kelp: If you have a thyroid condition talk to your doctor and nutritionist about including foods high in iodine before you do so. Although enough iodine is crucial for thyroid health, too much can actually trigger thyroid diseases as well. This specific brand contains 54.80 mcg of iodine per serving (a package has 3 servings). Keep that in mind. 
  • Always buy canned full-fat coconut milk. Preferably without any additives, the fewer the better. The best option is just coconut and water as the ingredients. Also, opt for a BPA free can. The cream will rise to the top, especially if you put it in the fridge overnight. If the coconut milk can does not"produce" a full cup of coconut cream you can use a bit more coconut milk to make it a cup.
Keyword aip, dairy-free, gluten-free, egg-free, paleo