Western
Egg & Cheese Pasta (Pork-Free Carbonara)
A pork-free take on carbonara — eggs and cheese turned silky by hot pasta. 15 minutes, no cream.
About this recipe
Egg & Cheese Pasta (Pork-Free Carbonara) is a western lunch for 2 that is built around one boiling pot — easy to scale and hard to overthink. It’s built around egg, and it takes around 15 min start to finish. We sized it for a small household and ranked it on OneToCook by how much of it you already have in the fridge.
Good to know
* Dietary flags are derived from the listed ingredients — always check labels and your own needs for allergens.
Ingredients
- 180g spaghetti
- 2 egg
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 50g parmesan buy
Equipment
Method
- 1
Boil spaghetti until al dente; keep a mug of pasta water.
~9 min
- 2
Beat eggs with grated cheese and lots of black pepper.
~2 min
- 3
Drain pasta (keep it hot), off the heat toss with the egg mix and splashes of pasta water until creamy — the residual heat cooks the egg without scrambling it.
~3 min
Smart swaps
Out of something? Try one of these.
- Parmesan
- pecorino, grana padano, or a little extra salt + nutritional yeast.
- Garlic
- garlic powder (¼ tsp per clove) at a push.
Cook's notes
- Smash each clove with the flat of your knife first — the skin slips off and it minces in seconds. How to mince garlic →
- Do your chopping first (mise en place). With everything prepped, the actual cooking here is only about 12 min.
Storage & leftovers
Cool, then store airtight in the fridge for up to 2–3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout; add a splash of water if it has dried out.
Frequently asked
How long does Egg & Cheese Pasta (Pork-Free Carbonara) take to make? +
Around 15 min from start to finish, almost all of it hands-on.
How many people does this recipe serve? +
As written it serves 2. To cook for 4, roughly multiply the ingredients — but cook in batches if the pan gets crowded, so things sear instead of steaming.
What equipment do I need? +
You’ll want: induction hob, pot. OneToCook only suggests recipes that fit the equipment you tell it you have, so you can filter these out if your kitchen is more minimal.
What can I use if I'm missing an ingredient? +
Common swaps for this dish: Parmesan → pecorino, grana padano, or a little extra salt + nutritional yeast; Garlic → garlic powder (¼ tsp per clove) at a push. See the full list of smart swaps above.
Can I make Egg & Cheese Pasta (Pork-Free Carbonara) ahead of time? +
Cool, then store airtight in the fridge for up to 2–3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout; add a splash of water if it has dried out.
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