Meatless Udon Carbonara

The love child of carbonara and cacio e pepe, this vegetarian take on the two Roman classics features deliciously chewy udon noodles in place of pasta, lots of frizzled onion, garlic, and a touch of soy sauce to compensate for the lack of meat. Egg yolks work their magic, resulting in a luscious creamy, dreamy sauce without a drop of cream in sight. I prefer the sharp flavors of Pecorino Romano and lots of freshly ground black pepper for this, but Parmesan and crushed red pepper flakes would be just as delicious. Go easy on the salt and taste toward the end; among the noodle cooking liquid, cheese, and soy there’s plenty going on already.

Don’t be worried about the eggs scrambling—by bringing the pasta together in the skillet over low heat and allowing the warmth of the noodle cooking liquid to gently temper the eggs, the risk is reduced. If you have the benefit of having access to fresh or homemade udon noodles, it’s an easy 1:1 swap—just be sure to adjust noodle cook time per instructions.

This recipe is part of Make Your Own Noodles. Check out all of the recipes—plus expert tips, handy guides, and more.