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7 Comments
Pamela H.
September 29, 2017
I used to make carbonara with chopped smoked almonds. They provided crunch with the smoke. Otherwise, following the first recipe I had seen for the dish, eggs, pepper, parmesan, and parsley.
John R.
September 28, 2017
We have a nice smoked Gruyere from our local market. That, combine with some well sauted cremini worked really well in this recipe.
doireallyneedandaccounttopostacomment
September 26, 2017
I think it's a shame to think vegetarian creations feel the need to mimic or emulate their meat-laden counterparts. When I first made vegetarian carbonara, I sauted a variety of field mushrooms in browned butter with garlic, sage and thyme.
I like the idea of smoked mozzarella though - will give it a try for something new!
I like the idea of smoked mozzarella though - will give it a try for something new!
Blork
September 25, 2017
Hmm. I don't see how you'll get the "essence" of carbonara using mozzarella and not Parmesan or pecorino. Seems like it wouldn't be very "velvety" or at least not in the same way.
At the risk of looking like I'm just self-promoting, I'd like to offer my version of vegetarian carbonara, which I came up with in 2011. Its only real difference from the real thing is that it uses deep-browned crimini mushrooms instead of pancetta or guanciale. (And bear in mind that guanciale is not smoked, so smoke isn't a carbonara thing; rather "porkiness" is, which my method replaces with umami from deep-browned mushrooms.)
Why not give it a try as another alternative? I wrote about it on my blog in 2011:
https://www.blork.org/blorkblog/2011/08/08/vegetarian-spaghetti-carbonara/
At the risk of looking like I'm just self-promoting, I'd like to offer my version of vegetarian carbonara, which I came up with in 2011. Its only real difference from the real thing is that it uses deep-browned crimini mushrooms instead of pancetta or guanciale. (And bear in mind that guanciale is not smoked, so smoke isn't a carbonara thing; rather "porkiness" is, which my method replaces with umami from deep-browned mushrooms.)
Why not give it a try as another alternative? I wrote about it on my blog in 2011:
https://www.blork.org/blorkblog/2011/08/08/vegetarian-spaghetti-carbonara/
Courtney C.
September 25, 2017
Thanks for this recipe! I love carbonara, but can't often find a good vegetarian version. Can't wait to try this.
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