Easy Spaghetti Carbonara
Spaghetti Carbonara is tender pasta, tossed with parmesan and Romano cheeses and bacon, all in a rich creamy sauce. Ready in just 30 minutes this recipe is perfect for busy weeknights for the whole family!
What is Spaghetti Carbonara?
Spaghetti Carbonara is a delicious Italian pasta dish famous for its cheesy, creamy sauce and crispy bacon.
I love this recipe because it uses only a few ingredients. It’s a big hit with everyone in the family, children too, because it’s pasta, cheese, and BACON.
It’s a budget friendly recipe that’s easy to make, like this sour cream pasta, just be sure to read the recipe notes before you start cooking so you don’t end up with pasta and scrambled eggs!
Try this Sausage and Pepper Sheet Pan dish for another quick and easy Italian weeknight dinner solution, or my Southern Baked Spaghetti for a great make-ahead spaghetti meal!
Ingredients Needed
Spaghetti – We have used regular spaghetti but you could also use fettucini pasta or a gluten free option.
Bacon – Bacon is so delicious and frying it in the pan leaves you some extra flavor. You can use any cured meat instead like guanciale, pancetta, or chorizo.
Eggs – Eggs are basically the not-so-secret ingredient in carbonara, and I like to use large eggs when I cook. Make sure the eggs are at room temperature to make mixing easier.
Cheese – Use a combination of Parmesan and Pecorino Romano cheeses.
Pantry staples – Salt, black pepper.
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How to Make Spaghetti Carbonara
First: Cook pasta al dente according to package directions, minus 1 minute. Reserve 1 cup of the hot pasta water when you drained the pasta to use with the carbonara sauce.
Slowly cook the bacon over low or medium heat, remove it from the pan and keep warm, keeping all the bacon fat grease in the pan.
Second: Whisk the raw eggs, egg yolks, Parmesan cheese, Romano cheese, salt and pepper together in a mixing bowl.
Keep whisking as you slowly pour in the hot reserved pasta water. DO NOT pour it all in at once, little by little so the eggs don’t scramble.
Third: Add the spaghetti to the hot grease and toss to coat. Turn the heat down low. Drizzle while adding the egg mixture and toss continuously so the eggs don’t scramble.
Fourth: Stir in the bacon and serve immediately.
For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card at the end of this post.
How long does it last?
If you have any leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container or covered tightly in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Do not freeze.
Should carbonara have cream?
While carbonara is a creamy sauce, it’s actually the eggs and egg yolks that make it famously creamy. You don’t need any heavy cream to make spaghetti carbonara!
How do I reheat it?
Reheat pasta carbonara in the microwave and add a tablespoon of water. Cook it for 30-60 seconds, remove the dish and stir it. Repeat as necessary.
To reheat in the oven, place the pasta in an oven-safe dish with a dash of water, and cover with foil. Preheat the oven to 350° and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until heated through.
You may need to stir the pasta halfway through baking to avoid it sticking together, and if it seems too dry, add another dash of water.
Serving Suggestions
Serve your spaghetti carbonara main dish with a side of Green Beans or a large Italian Chopped Salad. These Garlic Knots are a big hit with pasta dishes too, especially ones with creamy sauces like this!
Tips for No Leftovers
- The whole eggs and the egg yolks are what makes this dish extra creamy.
- Adding the hot cup pasta water helps the eggs get hot enough they can be eaten but not scrambled. Be sure to toss continuously while adding.
- Use low heat to cook the bacon and slowly render out all the fat.
- Guanciale is the traditional pork and it has a higher fat content giving a nice salty flavor to the noodles, but thick cut bacon is a great substitute.
- Add in some greens like garden peas for more veggies in your meal!
- Make sure to slightly undercook the pasta as it will continue to cook to perfection in the grease.
- Garnish it with chopped fresh parsley and fresh grated cheese for an extra special finishing touch!
If you love this recipe as much as I do, please write a five-star review in the comment section below. Thanks!
This deliciously creamy Spaghetti Carbonara Recipe is ready to eat in just 30 minutes, making it perfect for a busy weeknight dinner!
Spaghetti Carbonara
Ingredients
- 1 pound spaghetti uncooked
- 1 cup hot spaghetti water from cooking spaghetti noodles
- 6 ounces bacon or guanciale or pancetta cooked, chopped
- 2 large eggs room temp
- 4 large egg yolks room temp
- 1/3 cup packed shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup packed shredded Romano cheese
- Pinch salt
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the spaghetti according to package directions, minus 1 minute. Don't over cook or it will be mushy when it cooks in the pan with the sauce.
- Reserve 1 cup of the boiling spaghetti water to use with the sauce. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, slowly cook the bacon over low heat, until the fat is rendered. (This may take up to 10 minutes.) Remove the bacon from the pan and drain on a paper towel lined plate. Keep warm. Do not drain the fat from the pan.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, egg yolks, Parmesan cheese, Romano cheese, and salt and pepper together. Keep whisking as you slowly pour in the hot spaghetti water. DO NOT pour it in all at once or the eggs will scramble. You want to drizzle it in little by little.
- Add the cooked spaghetti to the skillet and hot bacon grease. Toss with tongs to coat.
- Turn the heat down low and slowly pour in the egg mixture. Keep tossing so the eggs don’t scramble.
- Stir in the bacon and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
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