The traditional Italian dish of spaghetti alla carbonara is loved by people all over the world. And what’s not to love! This classic dish is easy, fuss-free and tasty. It has a beautiful amalgamation of textures and flavors which can leave anyone craving for more. Its typical recipe has key components of bacon or pancetta or guanciale, with a creamy egg cheese sauce and perfectly boiled linguine pasta. But this legendary dish today has many innovative angles one can use.

If you’re wondering if you can add a twist to this classic to make it more interesting, here are some spaghetti alla carbonara dishes you must try.

Meatless spaghetti alla carbonara
If you happen to be a vegetarian or have just run out of bacon, don’t worry, it is still possible to relish this dish. You can quickly whip up the meatless version of spaghetti alla carbonara without using pancetta or bacon. The recipe is similar, a runny whisked mixture of the beaten eggs with parmesan and seasonings with perfectly cooked spaghetti. Embellish it with some grated cheese and grounded black pepper, and herbs.

Spaghetti alla carbonara with shrimp
This mouthwatering combination of bacon and shrimp exactly what you need to spruce up your boring weeknight. Cook the bacon, until it is crispy and shallow fry the shrimps in butter with seasonings till they turn pink.

Spaghetti alla carbonara with chicken
Although the incorporation of chicken doesn’t work for everything, but thankfully it works for most of the recipes. If you feel that you need to add a different meaty flavor to this pasta dish, chicken breasts should be your first option. Cook the diced chicken breasts along with the bacon, so that their flavors effortlessly balance. Gradually put the elements of meat, spaghetti and egg mixture together. Toss them well and don’t forget to garnish it with some frayed cheese.

Spaghetti alla carbonara with green peas
The addition of green peas in alla carbonara adds vibrancy as well as unique texture to the dish. Along with the crunchy pancetta or bacon, and the creamy mixture of the egg yolks and cheese, accommodating green peas will be refreshing as well as healthy. If you would like you can also add other veggies like spinach or kale.