Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Pasta Carbonara
Carbonara has a rich coating around each strand of spaghetti, with bacon adding crisp, salty bites between the noodles. Parmesan gives the sauce a savory flavor that suits a generous grind of pepper. Catch some reserved bacon from the top as you wind up your next forkful.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 20 min
- Original yield
- Serves 6
- Ingredients
- 9 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Main course
- Primary protein
- Pork
- Cuisine
- Italian
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 15 minutes or less · Total: 30 minutes or less
- Dish type
- Pasta
A few quick notes
1. Save pasta water
Reserve the stated pasta cooking water before draining the spaghetti so it is ready for loosening the finished sauce.
2. Keep only some bacon fat
After cooking bacon, drain all but the specified portion of fat before briefly cooking the garlic.
3. Add eggs off the heat
Take the pan off the heat before pouring in the egg-cheese mixture and tossing it through the hot pasta.
Get to know the ingredients
Eggs and yolks
Whisk the whole eggs and extra yolks with Parmesan in a separate bowl before combining with the hot pasta.
Bacon
Cook the small bacon pieces, then reserve a portion to sprinkle over the carbonara at serving.
Parmesan
Parmesan goes into the egg mixture, with additional cheese offered as a garnish over the finished spaghetti.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 6. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 8 steps completeMake room for Pasta Carbonara
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
Reserved bacon on top
Finish with reserved bacon, chopped parsley and additional Parmesan, then serve the coated pasta immediately.
A little more help as you go
Coat in bacon fat first
Toss the cooked spaghetti with the remaining bacon before removing the pan from heat for the egg mixture.
Loosen a little at a time
Whisk in the reserved cooking water by the tablespoon as needed until the sauce reaches your preferred consistency.
A few questions you might have
Should the eggs go into a hot burner pan?
Remove the pan from the heat first, then toss the egg-cheese mixture with the hot pasta until it thickens.
Why is some bacon held back?
The reserved portion is sprinkled over the finished carbonara with parsley and additional Parmesan just before serving.
How do I thin the sauce?
Add reserved pasta cooking water a tablespoon at a time as needed, then season with salt and pepper.
When does the garlic cook?
Add it after the bacon is cooked and most of the fat is drained, then cook briefly before continuing.
Can I use another long pasta?
The ingredient list allows other long pasta such as linguine or fettuccine in place of the spaghetti.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: dinneratthezoo.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.
