Homemade Carbonara
Printable Recipe (click to expand)
Carbonara
Ingredients
Method
- Boil a large pot of salted water, and cook pasta as per package direction until pasta is al dente. While pasta is cooking begin making carbonara sauce.
- In a small bowl beat egg and mix in parmesan cheese. Once ingredients are well combined set aside.
- In a large frying pan cook pancetta (or bacon) on medium high heat crispy, then add one whole clove of garlic that’s been crushed with the back on a knife.
- Continue to cook garlic and pancetta (or bacon) until it is crispy, then remove the pan from the heat, drain3/4 of the excess pork fat, discard the garlic clove and set aside until pasta is done.
- Once pasta is al dente, drain pasta water keeping about 3/4 of a cup aside, then toss pasta into the pancetta with tongs.
- Pour egg mixture into the pasta mixture, making sure to toss quickly and add a little bit of pasta water to help thicken the sauce slightly (you may not need the full 3/4 of a cup).
- Continue to toss the pasta for about 2 minutes, then portion out and serve with some black pepper and parmesan cheese.
Hey there Honey's and New-Bees!
Normally our go-to pasta dish is penne with tomato sauce; it’s been a favorite in our home for as long as I can remember, but as much as I enjoy it, sometimes you just want to switch things up.
Pasta night in our home is reserved for those evenings neither of us really want to cook – it’s quick, it’s easy, and it’s way more nutritious than restaurant food. Most pasta nights our go-to is penne with tomato sauce, but sometimes I like to switch things up so I make the next best thing, pasta carbonara.
I realize that I might start sounding like a broken record saying this, but for years I had no idea what carbonara was, and the only times I ever had it was when I’d buy the prepackaged powdered mixes (that weren’t very good).
When I finally decided to try making my own carbonara from scratch, I was pretty embarrassed when I learned that it’s just egg, garlic, pancetta, and parmesan cheese.….SERIOUSLY?! I’d been spending over $3 for these small processed packages for years, when I’d had all the ingredients in my fridge!
Anyways I decided to write this post because I don’t want you making the same foolish mistake I did for years, and also to share with you a fun little recipe that’s affordable, quick, and easy to make, and most importantly just awesome to eat!
I hope you enjoy the recipe and please let me know in the comments how your carbonara turned out!
Step 1 – Combine your Egg & Cheese
Before starting this step, start boiling your pasta with a little salt.
To make things easier later on, start by making your egg and cheese mixture so it’s ready when you need it, and so that your eggs are a little more tempered when you add them to your pasta.
This step is pretty easy and all you need to do is beat eggs then mix in your parmesan cheese and set everything aside.
Your water should be boiling by now, so add your pasta and cook your noodles as directed.
Step 2 – Fry your Pancetta & Garlic
Although carbonara is traditionally made with pancetta you can always use bacon instead. In all honesty most of the time I use bacon since I always have some in my freezer and the dish always comes up marvellously!
Chop your bacon and/or pancetta into small cubes, then fry it with a little olive oil. When the bacon is about halfway done cooking, take 1 large clove of garlic and crush it with the side of a knife and add it into the frying pan and continue to fry the bacon and garlic until the bacon is nice and crispy.
Crushed garlic releases a very strong flavor which will absorb into your bacon/pancetta. Keeping the garlic in one large piece prevents the garlic from burning while still providing that intense garlic flavor to your bacon; I’m sure you’ve probably noticed that garlic burns very quickly when it’s chopped up, and burned garlic has a tendency to be an overpowering (and unappealing) flavor.
Step 3 – Toss and Serve
By the time your bacon is nice and crispy your pasta should be just about done, so remove the garlic and clove, and drain your pasta but make sure to keep about 1 cup of that starchy pasta water to add to your carbonara sauce.
Once your noodles are drained, combine them with your bacon, turn off the heat and then toss egg and cheese mixture into the noodles, making sure to toss well and stir constantly so that the eggs don’t scramble when they hit the warm noodles and so that everything gets coated evenly. Once all the egg has been added, gradually add your pasta water and continue to toss your pasta until everything is well combined and your pasta is glistening and serve with a little pepper.
So that was pretty easy right?! It really doesn’t take much to make a master carbonara – all you need is a little know-how and 10 minutes to make a great homemade meal!
Items Featured in this Post:
Carbonara
Ingredients
Method
- Boil a large pot of salted water, and cook pasta as per package direction until pasta is al dente. While pasta is cooking begin making carbonara sauce.
- In a small bowl beat egg and mix in parmesan cheese. Once ingredients are well combined set aside.
- In a large frying pan cook pancetta (or bacon) on medium high heat crispy, then add one whole clove of garlic that’s been crushed with the back on a knife.
- Continue to cook garlic and pancetta (or bacon) until it is crispy, then remove the pan from the heat, drain3/4 of the excess pork fat, discard the garlic clove and set aside until pasta is done.
- Once pasta is al dente, drain pasta water keeping about 3/4 of a cup aside, then toss pasta into the pancetta with tongs.
- Pour egg mixture into the pasta mixture, making sure to toss quickly and add a little bit of pasta water to help thicken the sauce slightly (you may not need the full 3/4 of a cup).
- Continue to toss the pasta for about 2 minutes, then portion out and serve with some black pepper and parmesan cheese.
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Yummy! The pasta look so good! I can eat it in one go! Your idea is really unique, I’ve never tried cooking pasta like this before! I’m going to cook it on weekend for my family!
😊If you’ve never had Carbonara before, it’s a real treat! Happy Cooking!
I have never made Carbonara! This sounds delicious and easy to make! Definitely something to try! 🙂
It’s super easy to whip up and soo delicious!! Happy Cooking and Enjoy 😋😊
I can eat pasta everyday of the week! This recipe sounds so quick and easy plus I usually have all these ingredients in. I’m going to check out your other recipes too!
It is quick and easy, it’s also a lot of fun to make! Happy Cooking!!
I love how simple this recipe is. You clearly outlined the steps and the pictures are so very helpful. Any variation of a pasta dish is a WIN in my house. My kids love spaghetti and would it is the same thing every time, I like some variety. Thank you for the suggestion.
Thanks LC and it’s my pleasure 😃!
Carbonara is literally one of my absolute favorite pasta dishes out there! I’ll definitely be trying this one! SO excited for this, because I’ve always been intimidated to try making it for myself, but these step-by-step instructions make it seem a lot easier than I thought! Also, looks so tasty!
Yum! Pasta is my ultimate weakness, and since this only takes 15 minutes, I’m definitely going to make this over the weekend!!!
Awesome! Enjoy!
You had me at “pancetta,” Bee! I absolutely adore it and can’t get any decent stuff here in rural BC. I’m going to have to have friends ship it to me from Little Italy in Montreal, just so I can make this sauce, LOL!
hahahaha! Ohhhh that’s going to be some pretty good pancetta!
Wow, this looks so simple, yet super classy and delicious! Pinning for sure. Can’t wait to try it!
Thanks! It’s such a great dish to serve and it always a hit!
Love the simplicity of the dish. Can feel the flavours of fried bacons and garlic too. As they say, simple food is the tastiest!
Now I crave for some Carbonara. Lovely dish 🙂
This is looks so yummy!!! Can’t wait to try it!
This looks and sounds amazing! Wow, I will be referencing this recipe in the future! Xx Ash // themessylife.com
Wonderful, enjoy the recipe!
this is one of my fave meals! i learned cooking it when i used to live in italy! great to see how other people do it! mine is almost the same as u do 🙂
I love carbonara, its one of my favorite pasta dishes to get at Olive Garden. This is so easy to make, I’ll have to use it the next time I am craving it.
I have saved this for future reference… I have never made carbonara, always assumed it was too complicated, but this looks straightforward enough for an attempt 🙂
I used to think the same thing, but it’s actually pretty straightforward and easy! Enjoy!