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–+ servings
bowl of pasta with fork

Spaghetti Carbonara

This is a super easy pasta dish that has a creamy sauce made from eggs and cheese and topped with bacon or guanciale.
3.67 from 3 votes
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Course: Main Dishes
Cuisine: American/Italian
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 675kcal
Author: Jennifer Stewart

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

  • The whole eggs and the egg yolks are what makes this dish extra creamy.
  • Adding the hot 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 traditionally used 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.
  • Be careful to slowly pour in the hot spaghetti water. If you pour it all in at once the eggs will scramble rather than make a sauce.
  • Be sure to mix the sauce completely to avoid any clumps of ingredients.
  • Garnish it with chopped fresh parsley for an extra special finishing touch!
  • Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

    • Nutrition

    Serving: 1g | Calories: 675kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 20g | Cholesterol: 390mg | Sodium: 1336mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g