Description
Creamy, silky spaghetti carbonara brings Roman culinary magic straight to your kitchen with minimal ingredients and maximum flavor. Crispy pancetta, rich eggs, and pecorino romano cheese create a luscious sauce that whisks you into Italian comfort in mere minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Proteins:
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 150 grams (5.3 ounces) pancetta, diced
Pasta and Cheese:
- 400 grams (14.1 ounces) spaghetti
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) grated parmesan cheese
Seasonings and Oils:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water, add salt, and bring to a rolling boil. Cook spaghetti until tender yet firm, approximately 8-9 minutes.
- Drain pasta, reserving one cup of starchy cooking liquid for later use. Set pasta aside.
- Render pancetta in a skillet over medium heat until golden and crisp, releasing its rich, savory oils. If desired, briefly sauté minced garlic for added depth.
- Whisk whole eggs and extra yolks in a separate bowl, incorporating freshly grated parmesan and cracked black pepper until mixture becomes uniformly smooth.
- Remove skillet from direct heat, then immediately toss hot pasta with crispy pancetta.
- Rapidly fold egg mixture into warm pasta, stirring continuously to prevent scrambling. The residual heat will gently cook eggs, creating a silky, luxurious sauce.
- Gradually introduce reserved pasta water to achieve desired sauce consistency, ensuring a glossy, creamy texture.
- Finish with an extra sprinkle of black pepper and additional parmesan cheese. Serve immediately while temperature and texture are optimal.
Notes
- Carefully mix the egg mixture with hot pasta off the heat to create a smooth, silky sauce without turning eggs into scrambled bits.
- Reserved starchy water helps emulsify the sauce, creating a perfectly creamy texture without drying out the carbonara.
- Replace parmesan with nutritional yeast and use plant-based bacon or smoked tofu for a vegan-friendly version that maintains the original flavor profile.
- Use room temperature eggs to ensure even coating and reduce the risk of accidentally scrambling when mixing with hot pasta.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 570 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 580 mg
- Fat: 26 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 220 mg