Like many French people, you love carbonara but feel guilty at the first bite? Good news: it is possible to lighten them in no time thanks to the tips from our nutrition expert, Pauline Pied.
What do French carbonaras contain?
The “French” version of Italian carbonara is just as rich in carbohydrates. It contains delicious linguine, but also crème fraîche (often whole), bacon, onion, salt, pepper, and for those with a sweet tooth, in addition egg yolks.
To prepare them, there’s nothing rocket science: just cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, then brown the sliced onions, add the bacon and let them brown. Then, in a salad bowl, the crème fraîche, eggs, salt and pepper should be mixed. The bacon-onion mixture can be incorporated immediately afterwards. Finally, the al dente pasta must be mixed with the cream-egg mixture, and everything must be covered with gruyere or parmesan. Some even like to add mushrooms as an addition!
The problem ? Unsurprisingly, this combination of ingredients is anything but “light”. Pasta provides a significant amount of refined carbohydrates which, in these proportions and without added vegetables, can cause a rapid rise in blood sugar levels.
Full cream, bacon and cheese contain a lot of saturated fat. However, when consumed in excess, they are associated with an increase in LDL cholesterol (the “bad” cholesterol). Bacon also provides a significant amount of salt (beware of high blood pressure!).
Finally, the combination of cream, cheese, eggs and bacon (a form of ultra-processed cold meats) greatly increases the caloric density of the dish. So you will have understood: French carbonaras are not very balanced and can even promote weight gain if they are consumed very regularly. The good news? It is possible to improve the nutritional profile of this recipe… by following these few tips.
How to make this pasta dish lighter? Advice from our expert
For Pauline Pied, dietician-nutritionist, the solution is very simple: you just have to go back to the original version.
“In the real recipe, for example, there is no crème fraîche. Many people try to compensate for a lack of taste by adding fat or salt, but this is not necessary,” she says.
The authentic carbonara recipe is based on parmesan, mixed with bacon (or an equivalent), then the sauce is simply diluted with the pasta cooking water. “It is this water, rich in starch, which provides the creaminess, not the cream“, assures the expert.
“Moreover, in France, we often use only egg yolks. However, in the traditional recipe, we use two whole eggs. This not only allows us to obtain a perfectly linked texture, but also to increase the protein intake, thus making the sauce more filling”, specifies Pauline Pied.
The dietitian’s recommendation is therefore simple:
“favor the real recipe, with a sauce made with pasta cooking water rather than cream, and use whole eggs. This recipe is more authentic, more balanced and just as delicious!”, she concludes.