Pasta carbonara is a classic Italian dish that tastes amazing. Made with cooked guanciale, eggs and a combination of parmesan and pecorino this pasta is easy to make with simple ingredients. It is rich and creamy and wonderfully easy to make.
Pasta carbonara is one of those classic Italian pasta dishes that comes to mind when you think of simple and tasty comfort food. One of the best parts of this recipe is that it will be ready in less than 30 minutes which is perfect for those on the go or that don’t have a lot of time. It is a quick and easy recipe that is perfect for the whole family and paired with a nice easy salad makes a great meal with minimal effort.
Table of Contents
Pasta carbonara ingredients
There are only a few ingredients in this recipe which is why it makes such a great meal. If you don’t happen to have all of the ingredients, they are easy to find at the store.
Guanciale: this is cured pork cheek that is traditionally used in this recipe. Check out below for substitutions.
Eggs: this is the basis of the creamy pasta sauce.
Parmesan cheese: will add salt and creaminess to the pasta sauce along with the eggs.
What can I use if I don’t have guanciale?
Pancetta is the best alternative if you cannot get ahold of guanciale. There are many times you will need to go to a specialty store or a high-end grocer to get guanciale if you are not in a location where it will be readily available. Pancetta is a great alternative and is more commonly available. However, you can also use a good thick cut bacon as well since both pancetta and bacon come from pork belly. Bacon is cured and smoked where pancetta is cured and not smoked.
Cooking the perfect pasta
Depending on the thickness of the spaghetti the cooking times will vary. Almost all packaged pasta will come with instructions for how to cook until al dente. This is important as you don’t want to overcook your pasta. Once you have reached the cook time test a piece of pasta and bite through. It should still be firm but slightly chewy. Remove from the water as it will still cook and immediately transfer to the mixing bowl to toss into the egg mixture.
How do I prevent scrambled eggs in my pasta carbonara?
This is probably the most daunting part for a lot of people since you are using uncooked eggs for the sauce. The easiest way to do this is to mix the pasta and egg mixture in a mixing bowl instead of the pan. The reason for this is that the pan will retain much more residual heat that can cause the eggs to cook before you completely toss the noodles. Another tip is to whisk in a little bit of pasta water in the egg mixture before adding the pasta. The heat from the water will help temper the eggs.
Looking for other pasta recipes?
Pasta Carbonara (Spaghetti alla Carbonara)
Equipment
- Skillet
- Large saucepan or pot
- Spider strainer
- Whisk
- Tongs
Ingredients
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 6 ounces guanciale or pancetta or bacon, chopped
- 2½ ounces parmesan cheese grated
- 1½ ounces pecorino grated
- 3 eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions.1 pound spaghetti
- While the water is boiling heat the guanciale, pancetta, or bacon in a pan over medium high heat and cook until browned about 7-10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.6 ounces guanciale
- In a mixing bowl combine the eggs, egg yolk, pepper, and cheeses together and whisk until combined. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of pasta water.2½ ounces parmesan cheese, 1½ ounces pecorino, 3 eggs, 1 egg yolk, ½ teaspoon pepper
- When the pasta is ready remove if from the water using the tongs or spider strainer. Place the pasta in the egg mixture and toss with the tongs to coat. Add the guanciale and toss to coat every noodle.
- If the sauce is too thick add a couple more tablespoons of pasta water. Top with additional grated cheese and parsley if desired.
Nutrition
This is one of my go to pasta dishes when I don’t want to spend a lot of time cooking but want something hearty.