Description
Classic Bacon Carbonara Pasta is a quick and easy Italian-inspired dish featuring al dente spaghetti tossed in a creamy sauce made from eggs, Parmesan cheese, and crispy bacon. Perfect for a comforting meal that comes together in just 25 minutes.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Pasta
- 12 ounces spaghetti or pasta of your choice
Bacon and Sauce
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
- 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- Salt to taste
- 1 cup reserved pasta water
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente, following the package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and drain the pasta.
- Prepare the Bacon: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped bacon and cook until crispy. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set it aside on a paper towel-lined plate. Leave about 2 tablespoons of the rendered bacon fat in the skillet.
- Whisk the Sauce: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and black pepper until smooth. Set aside.
- Combine Pasta and Bacon Fat: Add the drained pasta to the skillet with the bacon fat and toss well to coat evenly, warming the pasta gently.
- Make the Sauce: Turn off the heat. Quickly pour the egg and cheese mixture over the pasta, stirring vigorously to evenly coat the pasta and create a creamy sauce without scrambling the eggs. Gradually add the reserved pasta water, a little at a time, to loosen the sauce to your desired consistency.
- Add Bacon and Serve: Stir the crispy bacon pieces back into the pasta. Serve immediately, garnished with additional Parmesan cheese and black pepper if desired.
Notes
- Use room temperature eggs to prevent scrambling when combined with hot pasta.
- Reserve some pasta water to adjust the sauce consistency and help it cling to the pasta.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute Parmesan with nutritional yeast or a vegan cheese alternative.
- Avoid adding cream; traditional carbonara relies on eggs for the creamy texture.
- Serve immediately as the sauce thickens and sets as it cools.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 53 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 210 mg
