Easy Korean Miso (Doenjang) Carbonara Udon Without Cream

A Korean twist on the popular miso carbonara, this delicious Korean Miso Carbonara Udon (aka Doenjang Carbonara) is deliciously creamy and umami, and soo guilt-free. Best of all, this dish comes together in less than 15 minutes, perfect for when you’re in a hangry mood.

How I Made this Low Calorie via the Fitsian Method

Carbonara is traditionally relatively heavy, but I portion the sauce so that the mixture is more macro and calorie friendly without losing the flavor. I do through portion control, by only using 1 egg and 2 tablespoons of cheese. Some notes on the ingredients in this particular recipe:

• I used Udon noodles here, but feel free to use any pasta of choice.
• If you don’t have or have access to Doenjang, you can also use Miso. Doenjang can be purchased at most Korean or Asian supermarkets. You can also buy it through Amazon now - this is the one I used for this recipe.

For a detailed breakdown of each ingredients, their portioning, and how they make up the nutrition profile of this Korean miso carbonara recipe, you may refer to the table below:

If you liked this recipe, check out the following:

• For more recipes that you can make in a pinch, check out my Fast and Fit Recipe collection.
• Healthy Kimchi Carbonara
• Healthy Korean Food Guide

 

Tips & Tricks 

Can carbonara really be healthy?

Yes -- carbonara is essentially pasta paired with an egg based sauce -- so at it's core, its carbs dressed in a protein sauce! We all need a baseline level of carbs in order to function properly so just ensure you're portioning accordingly. Using 1 egg, 2 tablespoon of cheese, and mixing in the doenjang make this sauce predominantly protein based while still being delicious. 

What is Doenjang? Is it healthy?

Doenjang is a Korean soybean paste, similar to a more flavorful and pungent miso. It's often used in Korean recipes for stews and/or as a Korean barbeque dipping sauce. Doenjang adds a deep umami flavor at only 5 calories per tablespoon, so it's a great way to enhance the flavor of a recipe without adding much calories. To learn more about Doenjang, check out this article detailing how to cook with Doenjang from Bon Appetit.

What noodles can I use?

In this recipe, I used udon noodles. But you can use any noodles you prefer. Korean knife-cut noodles, spaghetti, or egg noodles would also be delicious matches here.

If you liked this recipe, check out the following: 

• Mentaiko Udon Recipe for another delicious fusion Japanese udon recipe
• Healthy Udon Recipes for more low calorie and protein packed udon recipes

Ingredients

Doenjang Carbonara Sauce

• 1 Egg
• 1 tablespoon Doenjang
• 2 tablespoon Parmesan cheese

Noodles

• ½ pack of Udon noodles
• 1-2 clove(s) Garlic
• 1 teaspoon Onion
• Mushrooms of choice (I used Baby Bella)
• Scallions, Togarashi (For garnish)

Step by Step Instructions

1. Begin by mixing together the Doenjang carbonara sauce ingredients in a bowl thoroughly, and set aside.
2. In a pot, prepare the udon noodles or noodles of choice, and set aside.
3. Spray cooking oil in a skillet and begin to sauté garlic, onions, and mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper if desired.
4. Change heat to low and add in the noodles, then add in the sauce and mix thoroughly. It’s important to make sure the heat is low at this point or else the egg-based sauce will begin to curdle.
5. Remove from heat, garnish, and enjoy!