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Halloumi Carbonara Recipe

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4.2 from 2 reviews

This Halloumi Carbonara is a creamy, silky vegetarian twist on the classic Italian pasta dish, made with crispy halloumi cheese and a Parmesan-egg sauce. Ready in just 15 minutes, it offers a rich, satisfying meal perfect for a quick dinner or lunch with minimal ingredients and maximum flavor.

Ingredients

Pasta

  • 16 ounces spaghetti, make sure to reserve 1 cup of the cooking water

Sauce

  • 3 egg yolks
  • ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • Coarse kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For Cooking

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 8 ounces halloumi, cut into ½ inch cubes
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

Instructions

  1. Cook the spaghetti: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining the pasta.
  2. Prepare the egg and cheese mixture: In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and freshly grated Parmesan cheese until combined. Set aside.
  3. Cook the halloumi: When the pasta has about 6 minutes left to cook, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the halloumi cubes and cook, stirring frequently, until they turn brown and crispy, about 5 minutes.
  4. Sauté the garlic: Add the minced garlic to the skillet with the halloumi and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  5. Combine pasta and halloumi: Add the drained spaghetti to the skillet with halloumi and garlic, then remove the skillet from heat to prevent scrambling the eggs.
  6. Create the sauce: Slowly whisk half a cup of the reserved pasta water into the egg and Parmesan mixture to temper it. Then, slowly pour the egg mixture over the spaghetti, using tongs to toss constantly and evenly coat the pasta while keeping the sauce glossy.
  7. Adjust consistency and season: Add more reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a silky, glossy sauce that coats the pasta well. Season to taste with coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  8. Serve: Serve the Halloumi Carbonara immediately for best texture and flavor.

Notes

  • Reserve enough pasta water to adjust the sauce consistency for a smooth, creamy texture.
  • Remove the pan from heat before adding the egg mixture to avoid scrambling the eggs.
  • Halloumi cheese crisps up well and provides a nice texture contrast to the creamy sauce.
  • For a stronger garlic flavor, you can add an extra clove or sauté the garlic longer on a low heat.
  • This dish is vegetarian but not vegan, due to the use of eggs, Parmesan, and halloumi cheese.

Find it online: https://recipeplenty.com/halloumi-carbonara-recipe/