Celeriac Carbonara with Pancetta (Printable)

Spiralised celeriac with creamy Parmesan sauce, crispy pancetta, and egg yolks for a low-carb Italian classic.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 medium celeriac roots (approximately 1.75 pounds total), peeled and spiralized

→ Meats

02 - 4.25 ounces pancetta or streaky bacon, diced

→ Dairy and Eggs

03 - 2 large eggs
04 - 2 large egg yolks
05 - 2.1 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
06 - 1 ounce unsalted butter

→ Pantry

07 - 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
08 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste
09 - Sea salt to taste

# How To Make:

01 - Spiralize the peeled celeriac into thin noodle-like strands. Set aside on a clean kitchen towel.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced pancetta and cook until crispy, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Remove pancetta with a slotted spoon and set aside, reserving the rendered fat in the skillet.
03 - In a medium bowl, whisk together whole eggs, egg yolks, grated Parmesan cheese, a generous pinch of black pepper, and a pinch of salt until fully combined.
04 - Add butter to the skillet with the pancetta fat and allow it to melt over medium heat. Add spiralized celeriac and sauté for 4 to 6 minutes until tender but maintaining slight firmness.
05 - Remove the skillet from heat. Immediately add the egg-Parmesan mixture and crispy pancetta to the celeriac. Toss vigorously so the residual heat gently cooks the eggs and creates a creamy sauce coating the noodles. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of hot water if needed to achieve desired consistency.
06 - Divide among serving bowls immediately while sauce is warm. Garnish with additional grated Parmesan cheese and freshly ground black pepper.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It delivers all the creamy, smoky richness of classic carbonara but feels surprisingly light and fresh.
  • Celeriac holds up beautifully to the sauce without going mushy, giving you that satisfying twirl-on-a-fork moment.
  • You can have this on the table in about half an hour, perfect for weeknights when you need something impressive fast.
  • The flavour is complex and grown-up, earthy and nutty with crispy bursts of pancetta in every bite.
02 -
  • Take the skillet off the heat before adding the egg mixture or you'll end up with scrambled eggs instead of a smooth sauce, I learned this the hard way on my second attempt.
  • Room temperature eggs are crucial, cold eggs straight from the fridge won't emulsify properly and the sauce can turn grainy.
  • Don't oversalt the egg mixture, the pancetta and Parmesan bring plenty of salt on their own.
03 -
  • Warm your serving plates in a low oven before plating, carbonara cools down fast and warm plates keep it creamy longer.
  • Save a little of the pancetta fat in a small dish, you can drizzle it over the top just before serving for an extra hit of smoky richness.
  • If you don't have a spiraliser, you can use a julienne peeler or even a sharp knife to cut the celeriac into thin matchsticks, it won't look as elegant but it'll taste just as good.
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