This easy, carbonara recipe is made with eggs, crisp guanciale (or bacon), and a blend of Pecorino Romano and Parmesan cheese for the ultimate creamy sauce- no heavy cream! Toss with fresh homemade pasta for an elegant twist.
Carbonara is a classic, 5-ingredient Roman pasta dish made with 5 simple ingredients: pasta, eggs, guanciale, Pecorino Romano cheese and black pepper. It’s made by tempering eggs, cheese and starchy pasta cooking water into a luscious creamy pasta sauce. The taste is rich, salty and addictive! There is absolutely no heavy cream in traditional carbonara sauce.
The thing is, carbonara is really easy to mess up. Ingredient quality is often overlooked, and execution is typically frantic and rushed (scrambled eggs anyone?). In fact, carbonara is more of a rhythm than an actual recipe.
My intent with this post is to not re-invent the wheel. Carbonara has been around forever. Instead, we’ll focus on ingredient selection, tips and tricks to execute the sauce, while finding and maintaining your own carbonara rhythm to achieve spectacular results.
Why This Recipe Works
- To preserve the integrity of the sauce, this is a small batch recipe (serves 2-3 people).
- A 2:1 ratio of egg yolk to whole egg provides just the right amount of richness without adding heavy cream.
- Fresh homemade pasta stands in for regular dried pasta to echo the delicate silky texture of the sauce.
Carbonara Tips:
- Bacon can be used instead of guanciale. Stack the slices and freeze for 10-15 minutes. It will be easier to slice uniformly.
- Preheat your serving bowls. Carbonara sauce will seize and thicken when served on a cold plate. You don’t want carbonara custard.
- Use freshly grated Pecorino or Parmesan cheese. You will need a microplane for this (the texture should look like snow). It will melt more easily into the sauce. Note: store-bought ground cheese can be used in a pinch if you do not mind a more “rustic” texture).
- Have everything measured out and ready to go BEFORE you start this dish. Execution is quick.
Pasta Carbonara Ingredients: You Will Need
- Fresh Homemade Pasta
- Guanciale
- Whole egg
- Egg yolk
- Parmesan and/or Pecorino Romano cheese
- Black pepper
- Pasta: Dried spaghetti or rigatoni is typically used for carbonara. However, I’ve seen it done with fresh egg pasta instead. It’s delicious. Make your own fresh pasta here or buy it in the grocery store. I recommend Giovanni Rana brand.
- Guanciale: This is salt-cured Italian pork cheek with spices. It’s salty, rich and fatty (like bacon). For carbonara, it’s cut into rough matchsticks and rendered in a hot pan until crisp. The leftover pan drippings are used to flavor and emulsify the sauce. Good-quality thick-cut bacon, such as Niman Ranch, can be used instead.
- Eggs: Whole eggs provide body and structure, whereas egg yolks provide richness. A combination is key. I use large organic large eggs.
- Pecorino Romano and/or Parmesan Cheese: Pecorino Romano is classic. Parmesan cheese is an acceptable substitute. I prefer a 50/50 combo. I recommend grating the cheese on a microplane. It will melt effortlessly into the sauce, giving it a more creamy texture.
- Black Pepper: I like fine grind for this dish. You can always sift coarse grain cracked black pepper or bash it up with a mortar and pestle.
How To Make Pasta Carbonara {Step-By-Step Recipe}
- Warm your serving bowls in a low oven, approximately 150 F.
- Bring a medium-sized pot of water to a boil. Season with salt.
- Meanwhile, cut the guanciale or bacon into 1/4-inch strips. Sauté in a medium pan until crisp but not brown, about 5-7 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve the drippings in the pan.
- Whisk the whole egg, egg yolks, grated cheese, reserved drippings and guanciale together in a large 10-inch bowl. Set aside.
- At this point, the water should be boiling. Add the pasta. Cook until aldente; do not drain. Reserve 1 cup cup of the pasta cooking water to emulsify the sauce (you will not use all of it).
- Using tongs, transfer the pasta directly into the egg mixture bowl. Add 1/4 cup of the reserved cooking water. Toss vigorously to coat, adding more pasta water, 1 tbsp. at a time, to loosen the sauce as needed. It should look creamy but not too thick. Toss! Toss! Toss!
- Taste, and season with salt and a generous amount of black pepper.
- Portion the pasta onto your warm serving plates. Top with extra cheese and black pepper, and serve immediately.
More Pasta Sauce Recipes To Try!
- Ragù Bolognese Sauce
- Aglio e Olio (Garlic and Oil)
- Real Alfredo Sauce (No Cream)
- 20-Minute Arrabbiata Sauce
- Quick Sicilian-Style Tomato Sauce
- Easy Golden Butter & Sage Pasta Sauce
- Authentic Pomodoro Sauce (Fresh or Canned)
- Homemade Italian Sausage Ragù
- Classic Italian Basil Pesto (Pesto alla Genovese)
- Easy Pesto alla Trapanese (Sicilian Pesto)
- 6-Ingredient Sun Dried Tomato Pesto
Creamy, 5-Ingredient Pasta Carbonara
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 10
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 2-3
- Category: Pasta Sauce
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
This easy, creamy pasta carbonara recipe is made with eggs, guanciale (or bacon), a 50/50 blend of Pecorino Romano and Parmesan cheese and black pepper. Serve with fresh homemade pasta for an elegant twist!
Ingredients
- 245 g (8 oz) fresh homemade pasta (or store-bought)
- 85 g (4 oz) thick-cut bacon
- 1 whole egg
- 2 egg yolks
- 40 g (1/3 cup) freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese*
- 40 g (1/3 cup) freshly grated Parmesan cheese*
- Salt
- Black Pepper
Notes:
- Grate the cheese on a microplane (it should look like snow). It will melt easily into the sauce.
- Measure out and prep all of your ingredients before starting this dish- execution happens fast!
Instructions
- Warm your serving bowls in a low oven, approximately 150 F.
- Bring a medium-sized pot of water to a boil. Season with salt.
- Meanwhile, cut the guanciale or bacon into 1/4-inch strips. Sauté in a medium pan until crisp but not brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve the drippings in the pan.
- Whisk the whole egg, egg yolks, grated cheese, reserved drippings and guanciale in a large 10-inch bowl.
- At this point, the water should be boiling. Add the pasta. Cook until aldente; do not drain. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water to emulsify the sauce (you will not use all of it).
- Using tongs, transfer the pasta directly into the egg mixture bowl. Add 1/4 cup of the reserved cooking water. Toss vigorously to coat, adding more pasta water, 1 tbsp. at a time, to loosen the sauce as needed. It should look creamy but not too thick. Toss! Toss! Toss!
- Taste, and season with salt and a generous amount of black pepper.
- To serve, portion the pasta onto your warm serving plates. Top with extra cheese and black pepper, and serve immediately.
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