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Spaghetti carbonara is creamy, delicious, and incredibly easy! Spaghetti alla carbonara combines crispy pancetta, parmesan cheese, and a creamy sauce made from simple ingredients you likely have on hand.
- Flavor: Creamy and cheesy with crispy, savory pancetta in every bite.
- Budget Tip: To keep costs down, swap pancetta for bacon or try Pecorino Romano in place of Parmesan.
- Swaps: Fettuccine, linguine, or angel hair pasta can be used instead of spaghetti.
- Serving Suggestions: Top with fresh parsley and extra cheese, and serve with a Caesar salad and garlic bread for an easy weeknight meal.
Pantry Staple Ingredients
- Meat: In Italy, carbonara is made with guanciale (cured pork cheek), but since it’s hard to find, I use pancetta for that smoky, salty flavor. Swap it for bacon if that’s what you have.
- Cheese: Classic carbonara uses Pecorino Romano, but I use Parmesan since I always have it on hand.
- Eggs: Eggs make the sauce rich and creamy (without cream!). Make sure they are at room temperature to combine smoothly.
- Pasta: Any long pasta, like bucatina or linguine, works well in this recipe; I use spaghetti for a classic carbonara.
- If the eggs are cold from the fridge, let them sit in a cup of warm water for 5 minutes before using.
- Remove the pan from the heat just before tossing the egg mixture with the hot pasta. While the pasta needs to be hot to cook the egg, if it’s too hot, the sauce will not have a smooth consistency.
- Reserve some pasta cooking water to adjust the consistency of the sauce.
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Spaghetti Carbonara
Spaghettini carbonara features pasta in a deliciously creamy parmesan sauce with savory pancetta.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
- ▢ 1 pound spaghetti
- ▢ 6 slices pancetta or guanciale or bacon, chopped
- ▢ 2 cloves garlic minced
- ▢ 3 large eggs room temperature
- ▢ 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese or pecarino ramano
- ▢ black pepper to taste
In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, parmesan cheese, and black pepper. Set aside.
In a large skillet, cook pancetta over medium heat until crisp. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add garlic to the pan and cook for 1 minute.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water. Drain well but do not rinse.
Add the hot drained pasta to the skillet with the garlic, and toss to coat.
Remove the skillet from the heat and pour in the egg mixture, mixing well with tongs. If needed, add reserved pasta water to adjust the consistency of the sauce.
Add the pancetta and toss to combine. Season with additional salt to taste.
Serve hot, garnished with parsley or additional parmesan cheese if desired.
- This dish comes together fast. Prepare all ingredients before beginning.
- Cook the pasta until it is ‘al dente’ or firm.
- Do not rinse the pasta, the starch helps the sauce cling.
- Add a bit of pasta water if needed to create a creamy consistency.
- Carbonara will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Because of the creamy sauce it is not recommended to freeze.
Calories: 441 | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 114mg | Sodium: 400mg | Potassium: 250mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 270IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 230mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Italian
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About the author
Holly Nilsson is the creator of Spend With Pennies, where she creates easy, comforting recipes made for real life. With a passion for nostalgic flavors and simplified techniques, Holly helps busy home cooks create delicious meals that always work. She is also the author of “Everyday Comfort,” which promises to inspire even more hearty, home-cooked meals.
See more posts by Holly
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