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How to make the best spaghetti carbonara from scratch with only five ingredients. This homemade carbonara is made with nutty parmigiano reggiano or pecorino romano cheese, pancetta, spaghetti, creamy egg yolks, and black pepper. This Italian carbonara is famous for good reason!
I love the simplicity of spaghetti carbonara.
Spaghetti noodles are tossed with nutty parmigiano reggiano or pecorino romano cheese and egg yolks which create the most luxurious cream sauce and topped with pancetta and cracked black pepper. The saltiness from the pancetta paired with the creamy sauce makes the most perfect pasta. This is the best spaghetti carbonara recipe!
This Pasta Carbonara dates back to Rome Italy and is made with the highest quality ingredients. The cheese is what makes the sauce! This is a simple pasta dish using only five ingredients, so it takes less than 30 minutes, from start to finish.
I have recipe tested this carbonara pasta over and over again to get it just right. This is the best pasta carbonara recipe!
Ingredients:
Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano Cheese — this is the star ingredient so I suggest buying a wedge that you can freshly grate to make the most flavorful sauce.
Spaghetti Pasta — spaghetti is the most universally used in pasta carbonara.
Eggs — a combination of rich egg yolks and one egg that gives the sauce a creamy depth of flavor.
Pancetta or Guanciale — in Italy, they typically use guanciale, which is pork cheek, but you can use pancetta and it still is a classic carbonara recipe.
Black Pepper — freshly ground black pepper is an integral ingredient in traditional carbonara sauce. Be generous with the black pepper!
Substitutions:
This isn’t traditional but if you can’t find pancetta or guanciale, you can use bacon in this carbonara recipe.
Some pasta carbonara recipes call for garlic but it isn’t in a traditional Italian carbonara recipe. If you do love garlic flavor, I suggest adding only 2 garlic cloves so it doesn’t overpower the dish.
You may find heavy cream in some carbonara sauce recipes, but cream is not used in classic carbonara sauce. If you want to use a dash of cream for extra creaminess, you can but the eggs and cheese should be sufficient. If you want a thinner sauce, add more pasta water.
Spaghetti carbonara is garnished simply with freshly ground black pepper and grated pecorino romano or parmigiano reggiano cheese. No fresh herbs like parsley or basil are used in classic carbonara.
HOW TO MAKE SPAGHETTI CARBONARA:
- Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil over high heat. Add a generous amount of salt to the pot. Stir the spaghetti into the boiling water. Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water. This is starchy water that adds flavor to the carbonara sauce.
- While pasta is cooking, cook the pancetta, guancile, or bacon until cooked through. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
- In a bowl, stir together egg yolks, egg, and parmigiano reggiano cheese until combined. Stir in pepper.
- Once pasta is cooked, drain, and then toss spaghetti with the pancetta (or guancile). Once it is tossed, ladle in the cheese/egg mixture, a little at a time.
If needed, stir in 1/2 cup of pasta water to coat until the mixture coats the pasta. - Serve with freshly cracked black pepper and freshly grated cheese.
Popular Pasta Recipes:
I love making pasta and some of my favorite pasta dishes are…
Creamy Lemon Pasta — made with fresh lemon, garlic, cream, butter, parmesan cheese, and spices and all tossed with your favorite type of pasta. A light and creamy sauce that highlights fresh lemons!
Fettuccine Alfredo — fettuccine pasta topped with a homemade rich decadent alfredo sauce.
Spaghetti Aglio e Olio — spaghetti tossed in sauteed garlic, olive oil, red pepper flakes, and fresh parsley.
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Spaghetti Carbonara
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 ounces Pancetta (or Guanciale or Bacon)
- 1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano * (or pecorino romano, freshly grated)
- 3 large Egg Yolks
- 1 large Egg
- 12 ounces Spaghetti
- 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1/2 cup Pasta Water
Instructions
- Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil over high heat. Add a generous amount of salt to the pot. Stir the spaghetti into the boiling water. Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water. This is starchy water that adds flavor to the carbonara sauce.
- While pasta is cooking, cook the pancetta, guancile, or bacon until cooked through. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
- In a bowl, stir together egg yolks, egg, and parmigiano reggiano cheese until combined. Stir in pepper.
- Once pasta is cooked, drain, and then toss spaghetti with pancetta (or guancile). Once it is tossed, ladle in the cheese/egg mixture, a little at a time. If needed, stir in 1/2 cup of pasta water to coat until the mixture coats the pasta.
- Serve with freshly cracked black pepper and freshly grated cheese.
Notes
- I suggest freshly grating the parmigiano reggiano cheese. I don't suggest using packaged grated parmesan cheese for this recipe because it doesn't easily melt into the sauce.
- Use chopped, small pieces of pancetta, guanciale, or high-quality bacon.
- When pasta is almost finished cooking, remove 1 cup of the starchy pasta water. You will only use 1/2 cup of pasta water in the carbonara but if you want a thinner sauce, you can add more.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Sandra, my two sisters order this dish every time we go out to places that make it. I now can’t to make it and see their faces when they get this dish at my place and sorry, but they are going to have to wait and beg to get the recipe through you,
Omg this is amazing just try it!!
I am in love with how easy this recipe is! It also tastes amazing.
This pasta is incredible! I wanted to eat every last bite.
Is there any way to avoid the uncooked eggs?
I would suggest to toss the pasta in the guanciale first and lately in the egg/ cheese sauce. If the pasta is to hot you will cook the eggs and they will look like scrambled. Another thing is to do the right consistency of the cream while you are cooking the pasta, it’s pretty simple and sometimes you don’t even need the water. But from an Italian I must say this is a pretty good recipe, pretty original and well explained the other options, that I don’t agree. The carbonara is only one and all the others can be good but not carbonara. I will never use Parmigiano,the taste is completely different compared to the pecorino.
No, there is not. Eggs are essential ingredients in this dish. Along with pancetta, and Pecorino Romano, eggs are bring out the wonderful flavor.
Is there a way to lower the sodium level number. Thank you
You can pasteurized the eggs/ cheese cream on boiling water and bring them to 85 degrees Celsius. At that point are good to go.
WOW, this is my favorite way to eat Spaghetti. I love it for all of the reasons you have posted here. It’s easy, simple, and so delicious.
I love your recipe too. I usually add one more egg to mine only because that was how I was taught many years ago. I love this dish…