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.
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Ingredients
4 servings
3
large egg yolks
4
oz. Pecorino Romano, finely grated, divided
3
Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1
medium onion, very thinly sliced
Kosher salt
3
8–9-oz. blocks frozen Sanuki udon noodles
4
garlic cloves, thinly sliced
Freshly ground pepper
1
tsp. soy sauce
Preparation
-
Step 1
Whisk 3 large egg yolks and 3 oz. Pecorino Romano, finely grated, in a medium bowl to combine; set aside.
Step 2
Heat 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add 1 medium onion, very thinly sliced, and season with a pinch of kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened and just beginning to brown around the edges, 7–9 minutes.
Step 3
Meanwhile, cook three 8–9-oz. blocks frozen Sanuki udon noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water and cook, undisturbed, 20 seconds. Using tongs, gently release from caked state and continue to cook until tender, about 45 seconds more (but no longer than 1 minute). Drain noodles, reserving 2 cups noodle cooking liquid.
Step 4
Add 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced, to skillet and cook, stirring, until fragrant and golden brown around the edges, about 3 minutes. Season generously with freshly ground pepper (add more than you think; it can handle it) and stir to toast in oil. Add ½ cup noodle cooking liquid and 1 tsp. soy sauce and stir to combine, scraping up any browned bits stuck to bottom of pan. Reduce heat to lowest setting possible and add noodles and reserved egg mixture. Pour 1 cup noodle cooking liquid over egg mixture to gently temper, then toss vigorously with tongs, adding more pasta cooking liquid as needed, until noodles are coated and a glossy, emulsified sauce forms.
Step 5
Divide noodles among shallow bowls and top with remaining 1 oz. Pecorino Romano, finely grated; season with more pepper.
