Pasta Carbonara is a classic recipe that’s simple to make with just a few ingredients. Cooked spaghetti tossed in a rich, silky sauce made with eggs and Parmesan cheese then sprinkled with smokey bacon makes a delicious dish perfect for a family meal or entertaining!
Pasta Carbonara is a pasta lover’s dream. Well, at least that’s my opinion. There are so many reasons to love this simple, classic dish.
Pasta Carbonara Is:
- Easy to make in less than 30 minutes.
- Made with just 6 ingredients.
- A dish that can be served as a main dish or a side.
- Loaded with cheese and then…there’s BACON!
- The perfect recipe to make when you don’t know what to cook!
Ingredients Needed To Make Pasta Carbonara
- Spaghetti
- Eggs
- Olive Oil
- Parmesan Cheese
- Bacon
- Fresh Cracked Pepper and Salt
This recipe is simple to make, but needs your full attention when you making it.
Tips For Making This Recipe
- Use good quality ingredients. The classic recipe for Pasta Carbonara calls for guanciali (jowl bacon) but I use a good brand of bacon instead since it’s easier to come by.
- Grate the Parmesan cheese yourself. The flavor and texture is so much better, and you will definitely know the difference if you try to “cheat” on this tip.
- Since this dish comes together so quickly, and timing is crucial, be sure to have all of your ingredients and cooking tools ready to go from the start.
What Kind Of Pasta Is Used In Pasta Carbonara?
Spaghetti is the most common type of pasta used for this recipe. You can also use linguine, fettuccine or bucatini.
PRO TIP: Cook the pasta al dente, which is done but still firm.
How To Use Eggs In Carbonara
Eggs are an extremely important part of Pasta Carbonara. And here’s the thing…don’t be afraid! Here’s the way to make sure you make a silky, rich sauce with raw eggs instead of scrambling them:
- Use room temperature eggs.
- Whisk the eggs and Parmesan together really, really well. I mean, go to it! You don’t want to see any of the egg whites in the mixture.
- Keep the pasta moving as you add it to the egg mixture.
What To Serve With Pasta Carbonara
The best way to showcase this amazing dish is with just a few simple sides. Here are my favorites:
More Pasta Recipes You’ll Love!
- Out Of This World Baked Spaghetti
- Mediterranean Pasta Salad
- Pizza Pasta Bake
- Best Caprese Pasta Salad
- Rotel Chicken Spaghetti
- Taco Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 slices bacon – cut into 1″ pieces
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 lb spaghetti or other long pasta
- Pepper
Instructions
- Heat a skillet on stove. Add olive oil and bacon. Cook until bacon is crisp.
- While bacon is cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil. When water boils, add salt and pasta. Cook pasta until tender but firm.
- Meanwhile, warm a large bowl in oven.
- Beat the eggs and the Parmesan together in the warmed bowl. When the pasta is done, reserve one cup of the pasta water then, drain and immediately toss in the egg and cheese mixture. Add pasta water if needed to make more sauce. Add the bacon from the pan.
- Add fresh cracked pepper and salt if needed.
- Sprinkle with more grated cheese and serve immediately.
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Raw eggs, is that a good idea?
Hey there Patsy!
That’s a really good question! The raw eggs actually start to cook from being in the warm bowl, that also ensures they don’t curdle, then they continue to cook from the heat from the pasta and the pasta water. Adding the hot pasta and pasta water to your egg/parmesan mixture will cook the eggs and melt the cheese to create this delicious, silky, cheesy sauce. Let me know what you think of this recipe if you try it, I hope you enjoy!
~Donya
Go for it Paula!! It really is so good and super easy.
Ok, this is MINE, I'm making it 😉