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The creamiest easy Zucchini Carbonara with Crispy Prosciutto and Burrata. The perfect bowl of summertime pasta. Just like classic carbonara, this pasta has a creamy Italian carbonara sauce. But I made some adaptions by adding shredded zucchini, crispy prosciutto, and burrata cheese. The zucchini helps to create an even creamier, buttery carbonara sauce. This simple zucchini carbonara is a great way to use up the garden zucchini. Plus, everyone in the house will enjoy this dish, veggies and all!
Sometimes all you need on a summer night is a bowl of creamy summer pasta. Our summer has been rainy, making some of our nights dark and cozy. They almost remind me of fall (which will be here before we know it). On these cozier nights, with the rain pouring down on the roof, I’m often left craving something warmer.
Sometimes I’ll make creamy polenta, or we’ll do a good homemade pan-style pizza. But most of the time, I make a quick summer pasta.
Pasta never disappoints! And this zucchini carbonara has been on repeat in my kitchen all summer long. It’s simple to make and so delicious – everybody loves it.
Some carbonara details
Carbonara is a traditional Italian pasta consisting of a sauce made from raw eggs. Now before you let that freak you out, the eggs do get cooked.
The key is to toss the eggs with the steaming hot pasta. Tossing the raw eggs with hot pasta and plenty of parmesan cheese creates a delicious sauce. The heat from the pasta cooks the eggs and produces the silkiest, smoothest, and creamiest pasta sauce.
My carbonara is a little un-traditional in that I like to use prosciutto in place of pancetta. I also almost always add herbs and burrata cheese. Yum!
Here’s how to make this carbonara
You’ll need prosciutto, eggs, parmesan, pecorino cheese, garlic, herbs, pasta, and burrata cheese. And then of course the zucchini.
First, pull out all of your ingredients and bring them to room temp. The key to a good carbonara is to serve it right after tossing. So having everything prepped and ready to go before cooking is key.
Start with the prosciutto. I prefer to bake the prosciutto in the oven as it’s hands-off. It also ensures the prosciutto gets evenly cooked and is crispy all around.
While the prosciutto is cooking, shred the zucchini and place it in a colander.
To make the sauce, whisk the eggs with parmesan, pecorino, garlic, and whatever herbs you have on hand. I like to use a mix of basil and thyme, but whatever you have will be great.
Boil the pasta, then drain it over the zucchini, the pasta water will start warming the zucchini. Once drained, immediately toss the pasta and zucchini with the eggs. This step is really important, but don’t worry it’s also really easy. Just be sure to toss, toss, toss for a good minute until the sauce thickens.
Lastly, serve this dish topped with torn burrata cheese and that extra crispy prosciutto. Oh, black pepper on top is always delicious too.
This is meant to be on the creamy/almost soupy side, with lots and lots of creamy sauce. The pasta will soak up the sauce if it sits too long, so be sure to enjoy it right away.
A good way to get in your vegetables and use up all the zucchini you have. And well, that’s that, told ya this is simple!
Looking for other pasta recipes? Here are some favorites:
One Pot Melty Burrata Lemon Pesto Pasta
Creamy Penne Alfredo with Spicy Arugula
One Pot Spicy Alla Vodka Pizza Pasta
Lastly, if you make this Zucchini Carbonara with Crispy Prosciutto and Burrata, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Zucchini Carbonara with Crispy Prosciutto and Burrata
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 424 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 3 ounces prosciutto, torn
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- olive oil, for drizzling
- 2 zucchini, or yellow summer squash, grated or cut into thin strands
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup grated pecorino cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- chili flakes
- 3/4 pound spaghetti
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 8 ounces burrata or ricotta, at room temperature
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 400° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the prosciutto in an even layer. Add the garlic and toss with olive oil. Bake 8-10 minutes, until the prosciutto is crisp and the garlic roasted. 2. Meanwhile, place the zucchini in a colander. Toss with a tiny pinch of salt.3. whisk together the eggs, parmesan, pecorino, garlic, basil, thyme, chili flakes, lemon zest, salt, and pepper in a large serving bowl.3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the pasta until al dente. Before draining, scoop out about 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain directly over the zucchini. This will heat the zucchini. 4. Immediately add the hot pasta to the egg/cheese mixture, tossing quickly (to ensure the eggs do not scramble) until the eggs thicken and create a sauce. Thin the sauce with a bit of the reserved pasta water, until it reaches your desired consistency. Be careful when adding the water, the zucchini will naturally release some water into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper.5. Serve topped with freshly torn burrata, prosciutto, and herbs. Enjoy!
This was absolutely delicious Tieghan! I followed your exact recipe, added a few home grown cherry tomatoes on top! You are amazing and have enjoyed following you since the beginning!
Hey Jodi,
Happy Monday!! I really appreciate you trying this recipe out, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Have a great week:)
Great recipe ?It was delicious ? Definitely making this again!
Hi Cary,
Awesome!! Thanks a lot for making this dish and sharing your feedback, I am so glad it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Made this for tea tonight, so delicious!
Hey Sophie,
Thanks a lot for trying this recipe out and sharing your feedback, I love to hear that it was a winner! xTieghan
This was really tasty. I swapped in ricotta for the burrata. I think I’d like it with burrata ?
Hi Deborah,
Fantastic!! Thanks a lot for making this dish and sharing your feedback, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Happy Monday! xx
Baked prosciutto is brilliant. My husband described it as a bacon “potato”chip. The entire recipe came together easily and quickly and was yet another smash hit in our house. Thank you for making recipes that produce such satisfying meals!!
Hey Katherine,
Happy Monday!! I really appreciate you trying this recipe out, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Have a great week:)
The recipe was confusing and frustrating to follow with so many missing steps. Some clarification on when to add the garlic, lemon and zucchini would be great. The butter made the dish greasy, I would not add it again.
Hi Ali,
Sorry to hear you did not enjoy the recipe. The butter was a typo and no longer in the ingredient list. The zucchini is going to be in the colander with the pasta so you end up tossing that altogether. The garlic is used in step 3 and the lemon in step 5. xTieghan
What tool did you use to make the zucchini noodles?
Hey Becky,
Here is the link:
https://rstyle.me/+2n2ZPWriEqsEHLpKF4rkQQ
Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Hi Tieghan, this sounds summery and delicious but it’s hard to get Burrata in my area. Any suggestions for a reasonable sub? Thank you!
Hey Jenna,
Fresh mozzarella would be great to use in place of the burrata! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
Thank you! I ended up using ricotta as suggested by you and others, and had to make some other subs; both of my kids (2&5) and husband all loved it! Tough to find a recipe that appeals to all and includes some veggies. Big applause!!
Hey Jenna,
I really appreciate you giving this dish a try, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Hope you’re having a great Wednesday! xT
Deliciousness on steroids and perfect for my successful zucchini plant that keeps producing beautiful zucchini. I lined up all my ingredients however when I put it together the directions don’t say when and
where to add the lemon zest or the butter. I punted but curious for next time. Please advise!
Hey Tricia,
Happy Monday!! I really appreciate you trying this recipe out, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Sorry, the butter is a typo and the lemon is added in step 5 with the herbs. Have a great week:)
First time making carbonara…. SO GOOD! I accidentally bought thin spaghetti so used I fettuccine. Delicious. Great recipe. My family loved it.
Hey Jennifer,
Happy Sunday! I am so glad to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for making it:) ?
Just made this tonight for the family and I’d definitely make again. I made a couple of changes to accommodate the ingredients I had on hand. I skipped the prosciutto and used chicken (sautéed separately then added at the end) and replaced the burrata with dollop of ricotta. I used bucatini noodles rather than spaghetti (I prefer the thickness of these anyway) and added in a small amount of sun-dried tomatoes. I added my lemon zest in step 4. I used just a tiny pour of the pasta water at the end, as the sauce didn’t thicken up enough to really need it. Overall, it was delish! Hubby, teen daughter and I cleaned our plates. Keep the recipes coming, they’re my go-tos! 🙂
Hey Shaunna,
Happy Sunday! I am so glad to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for making it:) Thanks for sharing what worked well for you! ?
When does the roasted garlic go in?
Hi Karen,
You are roasting the garlic in step 1 and mixing it in the bowl in step 3. Please let me know if you have any other questions:) xx
This was a great meal. Once you can get past all the missing parts of the recipe, it turns out yummy.
To everyone who has asked:
When to add the lemon zest: add it with the rest of the egg mixture.
For the zucchini: She does state that you put it in the colander and pour the hot water of it and then toss it with the cooked noodles. This IS enough to cook the zucchini/squash.
She stated butter, but i’m not sure it was supposed to be in here. I did add it anyway when I mixed the noodles with the sauce.
And I ended up putting about 1/3 cup of water in the egg mixture and that was WAY too much so start slow!
All in all.. I loved this recipe and would make it again!
Thank you Tieghan for another great one 🙂
Hi Amber,
Happy Sunday! I am so glad to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for making it:) ?
Can you link the vegetable peeler you used for the zucchini? I need this in my life:)
Hey Aaron,
Here is the link for the veggie peeler:
https://rstyle.me/+2n2ZPWriEqsEHLpKF4rkQQ
Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Just finished eating dinner. The recipe was fabulous!! Another keeper!
I love all your recipes, we make half baked harvest dinners a few times a week.
Keep them coming. You are amazing.
Peace and happiness,
Cheryl.
Hi Cheryl,
Thanks so much for your kind message and making this recipe! I am so glad it was enjoyed! Have a great weekend! xTieghan
Where does the butter and lemon get added ? Can’t seem to find this
Ah me neither! Just watched the reel on IG and the lemon and butter are skipped there too.
Hi Lynsey,
Sorry for any confusion, there is no butter in the recipe, that was a typo. The lemon is added in step 5. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Hi Chrystie,
Sorry for any confusion, there is no butter in the recipe, that was a typo. The lemon is added in step 5. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Just made this…SO GOOD! Like an elevated take on cacio e Pepe (Italian’s, don’t kill me). I put the butter in right before the burrata. Happy belly!! Take it easy ya’ll!
Hey there,
Amazing!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so excited it was enjoyed! Hope you’re having a great weekend! xx