Description
A classic Italian Spaghetti Carbonara recipe featuring crispy bacon, creamy egg and Parmesan sauce, and a hint of garlic and fresh parsley. Perfect for a comforting and quick dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 3 oz. bacon
- 2 cloves garlic
- 12 oz. spaghetti
- 3 large eggs
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan (divided)
- ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper (or to taste)
- ½ tsp salt (or to taste)
- handful fresh parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Boil Pasta: Fill a large pot with water, season with salt, cover with a lid, and bring it to a boil over high heat.
- Cook Bacon and Garlic: While waiting for water to boil, cut bacon into small pieces and cook in a large skillet over medium-low heat until brown and crispy. Remove bacon, reduce heat to low, mince garlic cloves, add to skillet, and sauté for about one minute until fragrant and softened, then turn off heat.
- Prepare Egg Mixture: In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, ½ cup Parmesan, and a generous amount of freshly cracked black pepper until well combined to form the creamy sauce base.
- Cook Pasta Al Dente: Add spaghetti to boiling water, stir well, and cook until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain pasta in a colander.
- Combine Pasta with Bacon Liquid: Add ¼ cup reserved pasta water to the skillet used for bacon, stir to dissolve browned bits. Add hot, drained spaghetti to skillet and toss with bacon liquid.
- Add Egg Mixture: Pour egg and Parmesan mixture over hot pasta and immediately toss or stir quickly so the residual heat cooks the eggs and forms a creamy sauce. Continue tossing until sauce is creamy and coats the pasta evenly.
- Finish and Season: Add remaining Parmesan, crispy bacon bits, and more cracked pepper. Toss again, adding more reserved pasta water if sauce is too thick or dry. Adjust salt, Parmesan, and pepper to taste.
- Garnish and Serve: Top pasta with chopped fresh parsley and serve immediately.
Notes
- My handful of fresh parsley equaled about ¼ cup, roughly 1/6 of a bunch minced.
- Avoid adding too much salt to the pasta water to prevent the dish from becoming overly salty; adjust seasoning at the end instead.
- Work quickly when combining egg mixture with hot pasta to avoid scrambling the eggs and ensure a smooth carbonara sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 400 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 185 mg
