Description
A classic Italian Spaghetti Carbonara recipe featuring crispy bacon, creamy Parmesan cheese, and a peppery egg sauce, tossed with perfectly cooked spaghetti for a rich, comforting meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 3 oz. bacon
- 2 cloves garlic
- 12 oz. spaghetti
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (divided)
- 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Handful fresh parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Boil Pasta: Fill a large pot with water and season with salt. Place a lid on the pot and bring it to a boil over high heat.
- Cook Bacon and Garlic: While waiting for the water to boil, cut the bacon into small pieces. Cook in a large skillet over medium-low heat until brown and crispy. Remove bacon and set aside. Turn heat to low, mince garlic, add to skillet and sauté for about one minute until fragrant and softened. Turn off heat.
- Prepare Egg Mixture: In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, and freshly cracked black pepper until well combined to form the creamy sauce base.
- Cook Spaghetti: Add pasta to boiling water and cook until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water before draining the pasta in a colander.
- Combine Pasta and Bacon Liquid: Add 1/4 cup reserved pasta water to the skillet and stir to dissolve browned bits. Add drained pasta to the skillet and toss with bacon liquid.
- Create Carbonara Sauce: Immediately pour egg and Parmesan mixture over hot pasta and toss quickly to cook eggs with residual heat and form a creamy sauce. Continue stirring until sauce forms.
- Finish and Serve: Add remaining Parmesan, more pepper, and reserved bacon bits; toss to combine. Add additional pasta water if too thick. Taste and adjust salt, Parmesan, or pepper. Garnish with chopped parsley before serving.
Notes
- My handful of fresh parsley was about 1/4 cup, roughly 1/6 of a bunch minced.
- Be cautious with salt in pasta water to avoid over-salting the final dish; adjust seasoning at the end.
- Toss the egg mixture quickly with hot pasta to avoid scrambling the eggs; work fast for creamy sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 420 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: 3 g
- Protein: 17 g
- Cholesterol: 190 mg
