Pasta Carbonara Recipe

Quick and easy Pasta Carbonara is perfect for weeknight dinners! You only need a few ingredients and 30 minutes to make it.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings servings

Calories 863kcal

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the cheese, egg, egg yolks, garlic, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat.
While the water comes to a boil, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until crispy, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and drain on paper towels.
Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes.
When pasta is al dente, turn off the heat. Remove ½ cup (120ml) of pasta water. Whisk ¼ cup (60ml) of the hot pasta water into the egg mixture.
Using tongs, remove the pasta from the water and place in a large serving bowl. (Do not drain the pasta.) Add the egg mixture and bacon to the pasta and toss until creamy and the cheese melts. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of pasta water if needed, 1 tablespoon at a time, to loosen the pasta mixture.
Season the pasta mixture with additional salt, to taste. Serve immediately and garnish servings with parsley if desired.

Prevent the pasta from overcooking and becoming soggy by turning the heat off when you start transferring it to the bowl. It will take a minute or so to get all of the pasta out of the pot, and what’s left behind in each transfer will continue cooking, but will be slowed down if you turn the heat off and stop the water from boiling.
Feel free to add a few little extras to the dish! A little heat with some red pepper flakes is delicious. Peas, arugula, a splash of lemon juice, or lemon zest also make for great additions to pasta carbonara sauce.