Simple yet so impressive.
There were a couple of reasons pasta carbonara had yet to make it into my kitchen and subsequently onto the site:
- I falsely assumed it was WAY too complicated to make.
- I also mistakenly thought it was LOADED with heavy cream.
You can believe my surprise when a friend of mine showed me an Instagram video of someone making it and A) it looked incredibly simple and B) there was ZERO heavy cream!
In fact, the main ingredients that made up a delicious carbonara sauce are eggs (primarily yolks!), Parmesan cheese, and a bit of reserved pasta water. <– The true and authentically Italian way!
Seriously?! Could it be that simple?
Yes, it can. But don’t let the simplicity fool you. (Or the fact that it takes less than 30 minutes to make this dish!)
With just the right amount of savory bacon, salty Parmesan cheese, fresh herbs, and zesty garlic you’ll have a combination of flavors that is sure to make your taste buds dance!
With a few high-quality ingredients, you can eat well, even on a busy weeknight.
(And this Lemon Arugula Salad will be the BEST way to round out the meal!)
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Lemon. While optional, you can add some lemon zest for a fresh flair at the end.
- Pasta. You can use your pasta of choice. Spaghetti noodles or linguine are traditionally used in this dish. You can use fettuccine, but they’re a bit too big and don’t get coated in the sauce as fully.
- Bacon. To layer the flavor of this dish, you need about 5 to 6 strips of bacon, sliced into pieces.
- Garlic. Fresh, minced garlic is essential for this recipe. If needed, you can sub in garlic powder.
- Eggs. You’ll need one whole egg along with 3 additional egg yolks.
- Parmesan cheese. Fresh grated cheese takes this dish over the top. Pecorino Romano cheese works equally well in this recipe.
- Herbs. Serve this dish with either parsley or basil chiffonade for an impressive presentation and flavor.
Step-by-step Instructions
Please see the recipe card below for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
Cook the bacon.
Heat a Dutch oven or large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced bacon to the pot.
Stir occasionally until the bacon is crispy and cooked through.
Use a slotted spoon to remove the crispy bacon from the skillet to a paper towel-lined plate or small bowl. Then drain the bacon grease, but save 2 tablespoons in the pot.
Cook the pasta.
Get another large pot and fill it with water. Bring the water to a boil, then add the pasta. Cook to al dente, according to the package directions.
Drain the pasta, but be sure to save 1 ½ cups of the starchy water. You can drizzle some olive oil over the noodles so they don’t stick together.
Make the sauce.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the whole egg and the egg yolks with ½ cup of Parmesan cheese, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
Slowly pour ¾ cup of the reserved pasta water, that is still warm but not hot, into the raw eggs. Be sure to whisk well while pouring SLOWLY so you don’t cook the beaten eggs.
Pro Tip: The process of making the sauce is VERY important. You need to go slowly and carefully so you don’t scramble the eggs.
Bring it all together.
Add the garlic to the remaining bacon fat in the Dutch oven. Cook for about 30 seconds over medium or medium-low heat, just until fragrant.
Toss in the cooked noodles and parmesan sauce, then stir to combine.
You can add in ¼ cup additional pasta water, or more, depending on how thick or loose you want the sauce.
Top with extra Parmesan cheese along with the fresh herbs.
FAQs
Traditional carbonara is a creamy pasta dish made with eggs, hard cheese, and seasonings. Very often cured pork, such as bacon, or another meat is also mixed in.
Usually, the cheese is Parmesan or Pecorino Romano and the pasta is spaghetti noodles. In Italy, you might find savory pancetta as the meat, but Americans generally use bacon.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4–5 days. You can freeze it for up to 2–3 months if well sealed, but keep in mind the texture may change after thawing.
The most important thing to remember when cooking a carbonara is to not scramble the eggs. You do this by tempering them with warm pasta water before adding the sauce to the noodles.
The main difference is alfredo contains heavy cream while carbonara is egg-based. These popular sauces are both delicious on long pastas like fettuccine and spaghetti.
What to serve with it?
Whether you’re going all Italian for the menu or changing it up, there are so many ways to enjoy pasta carbonara. Try pairing it with any of these recipes for a delicious meal.
You can choose a soup, like Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana, Minestrone, Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup, Italian Wedding Soup, or Roasted Tomato Basil Soup.
Of course, you can’t go wrong with a salad like a Fall Harvest Salad, Strawberry Spinach Salad, or a green salad with Italian Dressing.
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Pasta Carbonara Recipe
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Ingredients
- 5 ounces bacon about 5-6 slices, cut into pieces
- 12 ounces pasta spaghetti or linguine
- 4-5 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 large egg
- 3 egg yolks
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese grated, divided
- 1 teaspoon salt to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼-½ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- Parsley finely chopped, or basil chiffonade, optional
Instructions
- Add bacon to a large Dutch Oven or pot and cook over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until cooked and crispy. Remove the bacon bits from the skillet, drain the fat and add 2 tablespoons back into the pot.5 ounces bacon
- Bring a separate large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta to al dente according to the package directions. Remove and reserve 1½ cups of pasta water before draining the pasta in a colander.12 ounces pasta
- Whisk together the egg and egg yolks in a medium-sized bowl along with ½ cup of Parmesan cheese, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Slowly pour in ¾ cup of reserved pasta water, whisking after each addition to slowly temper the eggs and prevent them from scrambling.1 large egg, 3 egg yolks, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ¼-½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Add garlic to the bacon grease in the Dutch oven and cook for 30 seconds. Once fragrant and lightly browned, add pasta and egg mixture. Toss to combine. Add in ¼ cup additional liquid, or more, until your desired pasta sauce consistency is reached. Serve with an additional ¼ cup Parmesan cheese and fresh basil or parsley.4-5 cloves garlic, Parsley
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Video
Notes
- Bacon: Aim for tender but cooked bacon; the tinier the pieces, the crispier they will be.
- Eggs: You only need one whole egg plus three more yolks for a rich sauce.
- Cheese: Both Parmesan and Pecorino Romano cheese work.
- Sauce: Pour the hot pasta cooking water into the eggs slowly so you don’t scramble them.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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