Spaghetti Carbonara - a silky sauce made from egg and egg yolk, parmesan and butter combined with crispy garlic bacon and spaghetti. Containing no cream, the lovely sauce is created with pasta water.
This Spaghetti Carbonara is rich, silky and full of flavour. With just a handful of simple ingredients, you can create a glossy, restaurant-quality pasta at home. Everything in this version can be easily found at your local supermarket, making it a fuss-free meal that feels a little bit special. This recipe contains no cream, which is the more traditional way to make carbonara. The silky sauce is created simply from eggs, cheese and a little hot pasta water, giving you that beautiful glossy finish without the need for cream.
Ingredient notes:
- Streaky bacon: For this recipe, we're using streaky bacon because it's easy to find everywhere and still tastes delicious. It creates a lovely crispy base for the sauce and works beautifully. If you can get thick cut bacon even better. Traditionally, carbonara is made with guanciale (cured pork cheek), which definitely gives the most authentic flavour and texture. If you can find guanciale at a deli or specialty store, it will elevate the dish even further. Pancetta is another great option too. If you do choose to use one of these I recommend cutting into pieces before frying!
- Cheese: We're also keeping things simple with Parmesan cheese as I usually have this in my fridge ready to go. For a more traditional and authentic flavour, you can use a 50/50 mix of Parmesan and pecorino if you have both available.
- Pasta: Spaghetti is the traditional pasta used in carbonara and works beautifully because the long strands hold onto the silky egg sauce so well. However, you can use any long pasta you like such as fettuccine, linguine or even bucatini. In truth, this sauce will coat almost any pasta shape nicely, so feel free to use what you have in the pantry. Short pasta like penne or rigatoni will still taste delicious, even if it's not the traditional choice.
Note: Scroll to the recipe card for the ingredients, quantities and the full method.
Step by step instructions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and begin cooking the spaghetti according to packet instructions. Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan over medium heat with a small drizzle of oil. Cook the bacon until lightly browned. Remove and slice into thin strips.
To the same frying pan, add the butter along with the flattened garlic clove. Return the sliced bacon to the pan and cook until golden and crispy. Discard the garlic clove. In a heatproof bowl (large enough to hold the pasta and sit over the pot), whisk together the egg, egg yolk, grated parmesan and a generous amount of black pepper.
From the pot cooking the spaghetti, carefully scoop out ¼ cup of the hot water. Slowly pour it into the egg mixture while whisking continuously. This will gently warm the mixture without scrambling the eggs. Set the bowl aside.
Using tongs, transfer the al dente spaghetti from the pot to the frying pan with the bacon. Leave the pasta water in the pot simmering while you toss the spaghetti in with the bacon.
Place the egg mixture bowl over the pot of simmering water. Add the spaghetti and bacon to the bowl with the egg mixture.
Toss the spaghetti continuously with tongs until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy. (Take care not to overheat, as the eggs can scramble).
Add a little extra pasta water, if needed, to loosen the sauce. Serve immediately topped with extra parmesan, black pepper and parsley.
Recipe FAQs:
You don't have to. Cooking the eggs too much can ruin the whole dish which is a waste of ingredients and not to mention super disappointing! If you're confident working with eggs, you can turn the heat off your frying pan and stir the egg mixture directly through the hot pasta in the pan. A very low heat can help gently thicken the sauce - however, it is much easier to scramble the eggs this way if the pan is too hot. Using a heatproof bowl over gently simmering water gives you more control and reduces the risk of scrambling. If you're not confident, the double boiler method is the much lower risk option.
Yes, this recipe can easily be doubled to serve four people. Just make sure you have a large frying pan and a large heatproof bowl to toss everything together comfortably. If you're increasing it to six serves or more, it is still doable but can become tricky to mix properly unless you have extra large equipment. The pasta needs space to move so the sauce can coat it evenly.
The eggs in carbonara are gently cooked by the heat of the pasta and steam from the double boiler, but they are not cooked in the same way as scrambled or fried eggs. Food safety during pregnancy is a personal decision. If you feel unsure or uncomfortable about consuming lightly cooked eggs, it's best to avoid this recipe! (** In countries like New Zealand and other Western nations, food safety standards for commercially sold eggs are generally very high, so the risk from using fresh, properly stored eggs is low for most healthy people. However, if you are pregnant, immunocompromised or feel unsure, it's always best to follow medical advice and make the choice you're most comfortable with.)
I just prefer this as it's easier to slice into think strips and the bits don't stick together in clumps when cooking, but of course you can cut first if you prefer. And if using Pancetta or Guanciale definitely cut into small strips to begin with before you fry.
Storage:
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Reheat gently in a frying pan over low heat with a splash of water, stirring constantly to loosen the sauce and prevent scrambling.
Freezing is possible but not recommended, as the texture can become grainy once thawed and reheated.
Top tips:
- Work quickly once the pasta is drained. The heat from the pasta is what creates the silky sauce, so have everything ready to go before you combine it.
- Eat this fresh and hot from the pan! If it cooks down it can start to coagulate and lose it's creamy silky texture. It will still taste great though. You can always add a dash more hot pasta water to loosen up the sauce.
- Use room temperature eggs. Cold eggs are more likely to seize or scramble when they hit the hot pasta.
- Finely grate your parmesan. A very fine grate helps the cheese melt smoothly into the sauce and prevents clumping.
- Don't skimp on black pepper. Carbonara traditionally has a generous amount, which balances the richness of the eggs and cheese.
Related Recipes:
Made this recipe?
Please click on the stars below to rate it or, write a review!
Spaghetti Carbonara
Spaghetti Carbonara - a silky sauce made from egg and egg yolk, parmesan and butter combined with crispy garlic bacon and spaghetti.
Ingredients
- 200 g dried spaghetti
- 100 g streaky bacon
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and flattened
- 1 whole egg, room temp
- 1 egg yolk
- 50g parmesan, finely grated
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup reserved pasta water
To serve
- Extra parmesan, to serve
- Italian parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and begin cooking the spaghetti according to packet instructions.
- Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan over medium heat with a small drizzle of oil. Cook the bacon until lightly browned. Remove and slice into thin strips.
- To the same frying pan, add the butter along with the flattened garlic clove. Return the sliced bacon to the pan and cook until golden and crispy. Discard the garlic clove.
- In a heatproof bowl (large enough to hold the pasta and sit over the pot), whisk together the egg, egg yolk, grated parmesan and a generous amount of black pepper.
- From the pot cooking the spaghetti, carefully scoop out ¼ cup of the hot water. Slowly pour it into the egg mixture while whisking continuously. This will gently warm the mixture without scrambling the eggs. Set the bowl aside.
- Using tongs, transfer the al dente spaghetti from the pot to the frying pan with the bacon. Leave the pasta water in the pot simmering while you toss the spaghetti in with the bacon.
- Place the egg mixture bowl over the pot of simmering water. Add the spaghetti and bacon to the bowl with the egg mixture.
- Toss the spaghetti continuously with tongs until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy. (Take care not to overheat, as the eggs can scramble).
- Add a little extra pasta water, if needed, to loosen the sauce.
- Serve immediately topped with extra parmesan, black pepper and parsley.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 609Total Fat: 35gSaturated Fat: 15gUnsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 269mgSodium: 1379mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 34g
Nutritional values are approximate. Please use your own calculations if you require a special diet.
Thank you for checking out this recipe. I hope you enjoy making and eating it! If you have any questions, queries or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below.
If you don't already follow me, head over to my Instagram, Facebook or TikTok pages to keep up to date with all my new recipes.
Vanya
Leave a Comment