Make this creamy dreamy Italian pasta ‘Carbonara’ at home and everyone will kiss your hands in gratitude!
What is Pasta Carbonara?
Carbonara is a type of Italian pasta that came from Rome. It is famously very creamy because of the rich sauce made from eggs, cheese (typically Pecorino Romano or Parmesan), and cured pork, such as pancetta or bacon. You can also use any other kind of fast cooking fatty meat but traditionally it is made from bacon.
The sauce is very important because it has to be made by mixing raw eggs with grated cheese without scrambling the eggs and then combining this sauce immediately with hot pasta so the heat gently cooks the eggs giving the creamy to die for texture.
How to Make Carbonara?
Traditionally this pasta is made with spaghetti and is called spaghetti carbonara. The other key ingredients include eggs, cheese, cured pork, garlic, salt and black pepper. The only technical part that has to definitely be nailed is the sauce which has to be silky, smooth and should coat the pasta without drowning it. It’s all in the balance of the ingredients.
There are versions that can include other vegetables like onions and peas or different kinds of cheeses but the classic Italian version does not stray far from the authentic version which is given below.
This pasta recipe is a typical comfort food in Italy and is usually served with extra cheese and freshly ground black pepper.
Carbonara Recipe
Ingredients
12 ounces (about 340g) spaghetti
4 large eggs
1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese (or Parmesan)
8 slices of bacon or pancetta, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp Ground black pepper
Salt to taste
Chopped fresh parsley
Step by Step Instructions
In a pot, boil water for the pasta and add salt and a little bit of olive oil so that the spaghetti doesn’t stick. Add in the spaghetti and cook it until al dente (8-10 mins).
Keep a cup of pasta water for later before draining the spaghetti.
In a bowl, crack the eggs and whisk until smooth. Grate the cheese into the eggs and mix them until combined. Now add in salt and black pepper and whisk again.
Next take a sauce pan or skillet and cook the bacon or preferred meat. Cook it until crispy and brown. Take out the meat and drain the excess oil on a piece of paper towel
TIP: Leave a little of the bacon grease in the pan to cook the pasta in. This gives the pasta an extra depth of flavor.
Now add the minced garlic to the bacon grease and without burning it, add in the cooked spaghetti and combine.
Shut off the heat and take the pan off the stove and then pour the egg and cheese sauce over the pasta and quickly mix together until well combined. The still hot pasta will cook the sauce and this will create a creamy and rich texture.
If the texture is too thick, you can add in a little of the pasta water to make it the right consistency.
Now add the cooked crispy bacon and combine again.
Serve the Carbonara immediately and garnish on top with grated Pecorino Romano cheese, freshly ground black pepper, and chopped parsley.
Try out this delicious recipe for Teriyaki Noodles, you will love it.
Carbonara Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 ounces about 340g spaghetti
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese or Parmesan
- 8 slices of bacon or pancetta diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp Ground black pepper
- Salt to taste
- Chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- In a pot, boil water for the pasta and add salt and a little bit of olive oil so that the spaghetti doesn’t stick. Add in the spaghetti and cook it until al dente (8-10 mins).
- Keep a cup of pasta water for later before draining the spaghetti.
- In a bowl, crack the eggs and whisk until smooth. Grate the cheese into the eggs and mix them until combined. Now add in salt and black pepper and whisk again.
- Next take a sauce pan or skillet and cook the bacon or preferred meat. Cook it until crispy and brown. Take out the meat and drain the excess oil on a piece of paper towel
- TIP: Leave a little of the bacon grease in the pan to cook the pasta in. This gives the pasta an extra depth of flavor.
- Now add the minced garlic to the bacon grease and without burning it, add in the cooked spaghetti and combine.
- Shut off the heat and take the pan off the stove and then pour the egg and cheese sauce over the pasta and quickly mix together until well combined. The still hot pasta will cook the sauce and this will create a creamy and rich texture.
- If the texture is too thick, you can add in a little of the pasta water to make it the right consistency.
- Now add the cooked crispy bacon and combine again.
- Serve the Carbonara immediately and garnish on top with grated Pecorino Romano cheese, freshly ground black pepper, and chopped parsley.
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