Spaghetti carbonara is a standard Italian dish that’s tremendous easy however brimming with taste. The carbonara sauce is simple to make with solely 5 elements, one being pasta water. That is a kind of meals you could simply throw collectively alongside a salad or vegetable facet dish with little or no effort and time.
Carbonara additionally manages to be a kind of pasta dishes that feels each gentle however wealthy and filling on the similar time. The principle parts are pancetta (or bacon), egg yolks and cheese.
Associated: Pomodoro Sauce, Vodka Sauce, Alfredo Sauce, Pesto and Bruschetta.
Elements
- Pancetta, or thick reduce bacon
- Parmesan
- Egg yolks
- Garlic
- Spaghetti noodles
- Salt and pepper
Pasta water can be a essential element of this recipe, however you’ll make it as you cook dinner the noodles.

Instructions
Prepare dinner the pasta based on the package deal instructions for al dente. Earlier than straining, reserve among the pasta water.
In a big saucepan, cook dinner the pancetta (or bacon) till absolutely cooked, however not too crispy. Then toss within the garlic and cook dinner for an additional minute.
In a small bowl, add just a few tablespoons of the (sizzling) pasta water to the egg yolk and stir to include. Add just a few extra tablespoons at a time, stirring in between. The aim right here is warmth up the yolks progressively so that they don’t curdle/cook dinner as soon as added to the pan.
Now add the pasta and yolk combination to the pancetta pan. Cut back the warmth to low and toss every thing with tongs. Sprinkle within the cheese and proceed to toss till the cheese begins to soften. Style and add any salt or pepper as wanted. Serve heat.

Ideas & Substitutions
- Pancetta is the standard possibility for carbonara sauce, however generally this ingredient is troublesome to seek out on the grocery shops I frequent. If that’s the case for you as nicely, thick reduce bacon may also work for this recipe.
- In case you do discover the eggs curdling or cooking too quick, it’s OK! This may solely change the feel, it doesn’t imply the dish is totally ruined. It is going to be extra like fried rice than conventional carbonara however nonetheless tasty.
- I’ll typically add a sprinkle of recent herbs, like parsley, earlier than serving only for slightly added taste and inexperienced, however that is non-obligatory and never essentially conventional.

Serving Solutions
I like this carbonara recipe alongside an enormous salad or vegetable facet dish. Listed here are some concepts.
- Do-it-yourself Caesar Salad
- Roasted Asparagus
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Roasted Inexperienced Beans
- Roasted Cauliflower
- Air Fryer Zucchini
- Air Fryer Inexperienced Beans
- Air Fryer Cauliflower
- Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
- Air Fryer Asparagus

Carbonara Sauce
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Elements
- 2 ounces pancetta
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 clove garlic
- 8 ounces spaghetti noodles
- ¼ cup pasta water
- salt and pepper
Directions
-
Prepare dinner the pasta based on the package deal instructions for al dente. Earlier than straining, reserve among the pasta water.
-
In a big saucepan, cook dinner the pancetta (or bacon) till absolutely cooked, however not too crispy.
-
Then toss within the garlic and cook dinner for an additional minute.
-
In a small bowl, add just a few tablespoons of the (sizzling) pasta water to the egg yolk and stir to include. Add just a few extra tablespoons at a time, stirring in between. The aim right here is warmth up the yolks progressively so that they don’t curdle/cook dinner as soon as added to the pan.
-
Now add the pasta and yolk combination to the pancetta pan. Cut back the warmth to low and toss every thing with tongs.
-
Sprinkle within the cheese and proceed to toss till the cheese begins to soften.
-
Style and add any salt or pepper as wanted. Serve heat.
Notes
In case you do discover the eggs curdling or cooking too quick, it’s OK! This may solely change the feel, it doesn’t imply the dish is totally ruined. It is going to be extra like fried rice than conventional carbonara however nonetheless tasty.
I’ll typically add a sprinkle of recent herbs, like parsley, earlier than serving only for slightly added taste and inexperienced, however that is non-obligatory and never essentially conventional.

