Description
This classic Spaghetti Carbonara recipe features crispy bacon, creamy Parmesan, and a perfectly cooked egg sauce that comes together quickly and easily for a comforting Italian meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Sauce
- 12 oz. spaghetti
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (divided)
- 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
Bacon and Aromatics
- 3 oz. bacon, cut into small pieces
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Garnish
- Handful fresh parsley, roughly chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Boil the Pasta. Fill a large pot with water, season it with salt, then place a lid on the pot and bring it to a boil over high heat.
- Cook the Bacon. While waiting for the water to boil, cut the bacon into small pieces and cook it in a large skillet over medium-low heat until brown and crispy. Remove the bacon bits from the skillet and set aside. Reduce the skillet heat to low.
- Sauté the Garlic. Mince the garlic and add it to the warm skillet. Sauté for about one minute or until fragrant and softened, then turn off the heat.
- Mix the Egg Sauce. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, 1/2 cup of the grated Parmesan, and a generous amount of freshly cracked black pepper until well combined to form the creamy sauce base.
- Cook the Spaghetti. Once the water is boiling, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining the pasta in a colander.
- Combine Pasta and Bacon Liquid. Add 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water to the skillet with the bacon drippings and stir to dissolve the browned bits. Add the drained, hot pasta to the skillet and toss with the bacon mixture.
- Incorporate Egg Mixture. Immediately pour the egg and Parmesan mixture over the hot pasta, stirring or tossing quickly to cook the eggs with the residual heat and form a creamy sauce. Continue stirring until the sauce is smooth.
- Finish the Dish. Add the remaining Parmesan, reserved bacon bits, and more freshly cracked black pepper. Toss everything together, adding additional reserved pasta water if the sauce becomes too thick or sticky.
- Adjust and Garnish. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, Parmesan, or pepper as needed. Top with roughly chopped fresh parsley leaves if desired and serve immediately.
Notes
- My handful of fresh parsley equaled about 1/4 cup, roughly 1/6 of a bunch minced.
- Avoid putting too much salt in the pasta water initially to prevent an overly salty final dish; you can always add more seasoning at the end.
- Work quickly when combining the eggs with the hot pasta; if you wait too long before tossing, the eggs may scramble instead of forming a creamy sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 400 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 180 mg
