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20-minute noodles · 20 minutes

Tahini Carbonara with Smoked Paprika Chickpeas

Tahini whisked into the egg yolks makes a carbonara sauce that’s silkier and harder to scramble, and smoky crisp chickpeas stand in for the bacon.

Prep
5 min
Cook
15 min
Total
20 min
Serves
2
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VegetarianStovetop

Carbonara without the pork needs two things back: the smoky, salty crunch and the richness. Chickpeas fried in olive oil with smoked paprika handle the first, popping and crisping in the skillet while the pasta boils. Tahini handles the second, adding a nutty depth that tastes savory rather than sesame-forward once it meets the parmesan and black pepper.

Tahini also makes the sauce more forgiving. Its fat buffers the yolks, so they thicken into a glossy coating instead of curdling the second the hot pasta hits them. You still toss off the heat, but you don’t need to hold your breath.

The recipe

Tahini Carbonara with Smoked Paprika Chickpeas

Prep 5 min · Cook 15 min · Total 20 min · Serves 2

Ingredients

Tap to tick off as you go.

For the chickpeas

For the pasta

Method

  1. Step 1: Start the pasta

    Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of well-salted boiling water until al dente.

  2. Step 2: Crisp the chickpeas

    Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chickpeas and garlic in a single layer and cook for 8–10 minutes, shaking the pan now and then, until golden and crisp. Take off the heat, discard the garlic, and toss with the paprika and salt.

  3. Step 3: Whisk the sauce

    In a large bowl, whisk the yolks, tahini, parmesan and pepper into a thick paste. Just before the pasta is done, whisk in 3 tbsp of the hot pasta water to warm it through.

  4. Step 4: Toss off the heat

    Scoop out 1 cup of pasta water, then drain. Add the hot spaghetti to the bowl and toss quickly with tongs, adding pasta water a splash at a time, until the sauce turns creamy and glossy, about 1 minute.

  5. Step 5: Top and serve

    Twirl into bowls and top with the chickpeas, any paprika oil from the skillet, parsley, more parmesan and pepper. Serve straight away.

Good to know

  • Toss the pasta in a bowl, not the hot pot. The pasta carries enough heat to thicken the yolks; a pan on the stove scrambles them.
  • Add the paprika after the chickpeas come off the heat. Smoked paprika burns fast in hot oil and turns bitter.
  • Stir the tahini jar thoroughly first. The oil separates, and the paste at the bottom is too thick to blend smoothly.

Swaps

Smoked paprika chickpeas
3 tbsp capers, patted dry and fried in the oil for 2 minutes until they open and crisp
Spaghetti
Gluten-free spaghetti; save extra pasta water since gluten-free pasta releases less starch
Parmesan
Vegetarian pecorino-style cheese for a sharper, saltier sauce

Questions people ask

Can you make carbonara without bacon?

Yes. Swap in something smoky and crunchy, like smoked paprika chickpeas or fried capers, and keep the egg, cheese and pepper sauce the same.

Are the eggs in carbonara cooked?

They’re gently cooked by the heat of the pasta and its water, enough to thicken but not set. If you need to avoid undercooked eggs, use pasteurized eggs.

How do you keep carbonara from scrambling?

Toss the pasta with the sauce off the heat, temper the yolks with hot pasta water first, and keep the pasta moving. Tahini in the sauce helps too.

Get the garlic and parsley from a farmer.

This recipe is only as good as what goes in it. Find a farmers market or CSA farm near you, or get a produce box delivered when there’s no market this week.

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