Spaghetti Carbonara is a classic Italian dish known for its simplicity and rich, creamy flavor. It features al dente spaghetti pasta tossed in a sauce made with eggs, parmesan cheese, pancetta and black pepper! The result is a deliciously comforting and satisfying meal.
Fan of noodle dishes? Us too! Try a few of our favorites like Slow Cooker Spaghetti and Meatballs, Asian Spaghetti Salad with Sesame Ginger Dressing, Shrimp Scampi with Pasta, and Chicken Pad Thai.
Why This Recipe Works
Italian-Inspired Classic: This spaghetti carbonara recipe is an Italian-inspired classic that is super simple to make! Simply boil the pasta until al dente, mix the eggs and grated cheese, and combine everything until you get a creamy, silky sauce that is to die for!
Indulgent & Comforting: Everything about this chicken carbonara recipe just screams comforting. From the crispy pancetta and tender chicken to the tender pasta and the creamy sauce. Once you try making this carbonara recipe at home, you will realize what an easy yet indulgent meal it is! The whole family will love this one, and it is especially good to make on a chilly night when comfort food is a necessity!
Ingredients
- Spaghetti: I used dried spaghetti pasta here, but you can use any long noodle shape that you prefer!
- Oil: I like to use olive oil here, but any other neutral oil will do!
- Pancetta: Diced pancetta adds a lovely salty flavor and crispy texture! Don’t add salt until you taste the spaghetti carbonara at the end, since the pancetta will already add salt to this recipe.
- Chicken: If you want to make a chicken carbonara, add in some chicken strips! This is totally optional, though.
- Parmesan Cheese: You have to use a block of parmesan cheese that is freshly grated for carbonara. Since the cheese is an essential part of the sauce, it has to melt seamlessly! Pre-grated parmesan cheese has anti-caking agents that prevents it from melting.
- Eggs & Egg Yolks: You will need 2 full eggs and 4 egg yolks. This combination creates a silky smooth sauce!
- Black Pepper: Of course, finish it off with a little bit of cracked black pepper and extra parmesan cheese on top.
Here’s How to Make It
Step by Step Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Cook the pasta as per the package instructions until just tender. Set aside 1 cup of the cooking water. (not pictured)
- Sauté Pancetta & Chicken: Add the oil and pancetta to a large, non-stick frying pan. Then place it over medium high heat to gradually warm. Once the pancetta starts to sizzle, add the chicken strips, if using. If you’re just cooking the pancetta, remove the pan from the heat once the pieces are crisp. If you’re adding the chicken, remove it from the heat when the chicken is just cooked through. (photos 1-2)
- Mix Eggs & Cheese: Meanwhile, grate the parmesan on the smallest hole of your box grater or even better on a microplane, if you have one. Combine with the eggs and egg yolks and a little salt and pepper to make a paste. If there is any, stir in any excess cooking oil from the pan. (photos 3-4)
- Add Pasta to Pan: Drain the pasta and stir it into the pan, still of the heat. Gradually stir in the egg mixture, which should cook and coat the pasta in a silky sauce in the residual heat. Depending on how bit your eggs were, you might either need to add a little cooking water to loosen the sauce, or return the pan to a low heat, stirring constantly until the sauce has thickened slightly. (photos 5-7)
- Season & Serve: Season to taste with more salt and pepper, if needed, and serve in warm bowls with additional parmesan. (photo 8)
Expert Tips
- Feel free to replace the pancetta with bacon, and dice it up into small pieces before cooking! You will need about 5 slices for this spaghetti carbonara recipe.
- Read through the recipe before starting! This recipe moves quickly and it is important to get the pasta and sauce in the pan while the pan is still warm. The sauce will become silky smooth in the warm pan with hot pasta. If the heat is on though, the eggs could warm up too quickly and become scrambled eggs!
- Use room temperature eggs! Room temperature eggs will also help to ensure that the temperature change is minimal and the sauce will become nice and silky!
- Add veggies! Spaghetti carbonara would be delicious with some peas or mushrooms added to the mix!
Frequently Asked Questions
Carbonara is a pasta dish made with eggs, hard cheese such as parmesan, grana padano, or pecorino romano, cured pork, and black pepper. Cured pork comes in many forms such as like pancetta or bacon. It is generally served with a long noodle like spaghetti, linguine or fettucine!
While you are adding raw eggs and egg yolks to the pasta, the eggs are not raw when you eat them. The carbonara sauce is cooked by adding it to piping hot pasta in a warm pan. This will slowly and gently cook the eggs so they are safe for consumption!
More Pasta Recipes to Try
- Creamy Garlic Shrimp Pasta
- Sun Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta
- Cheese Tortellini Pasta
- One Pot Chicken Parmesan Pasta
- Cajun Shrimp Alfredo Pasta
Did you make this recipe? FANTASTIC. Please rate the recipe below and be sure to tag me on social when you share a photo on social – I love seeing what you’re up to in the kitchen!
Spaghetti Carbonara
Ingredients
- 14 oz dried spaghetti
- salt - to taste
- 1 ½ tbsp oil
- 6 oz diced pancetta
- 2 chicken breasts - cut into strips (optional)
- 3.5 oz piece of parmesan cheese - plus extra for serving, see note.
- 2 eggs
- 4 egg yolks
- cracked black pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta as per the packets instructions until just tender. Set aside 1 cup of the cooking water.
- Add the oil and the pancetta to a large, non-stick frying pan. The place it over a medium high heat to gradually warm. Once the pancetta starts to sizzle, add the chicken strips, if using. If you’re just cooking the pancetta, remove the pan from the heat once the pieces are crisp. If you’re adding chicken, remove it from the heat when the chicken is just cooked through.
- Meanwhile, grate the parmesan on the smallest hole of your box grater or even better on a microplane, if you have one. Combine with the eggs and a little salt and pepper to make a paste. If there is any, stir in any excess cooking oil from the pan.
- Drain the pasta and stir it into the pan, still off the heat. Gradually stir in the egg mixture, which should cook and coat the pasta in a silky sauce in the residual heat. Depending on how big your eggs were, you might either need to add a little cooking water to loosen the sauce, or return the pan to a low heat, stirring constantly until the sauce has thickened slightly.
- Season to taste with more salt and pepper, if needed, and serve in warm bowls with additional parmesan.
Notes
- DON’T be tempted to use pre-grated or pre-shredded parmesan here. This often contains agents to stop the pieces sticking together in the pack. Great usually but it will mess with your sauce!
- Feel free to replace the pancetta with bacon, and dice it up into small pieces before cooking! You will need about 5 slices for this spaghetti carbonara recipe.
- Use room temperature eggs! Room temperature eggs will also help to ensure that the temperature change is minimal and the sauce will become nice and silky!
- Add veggies! Spaghetti carbonara would be delicious with some peas or mushrooms added to the mix!
- Read through the recipe before starting! This recipe moves quickly and it is important to get the pasta and sauce in the pan while the pan is still warm. The sauce will become silky smooth in the warm pan with hot pasta. If the heat is on though, the eggs could warm up too quickly and become scrambled eggs!
I used shirataki noodles and the BACON grease instead of oil, but this recipe was Super easy and quite delicious. Thank you!
Excited to hear that you enjoyed this recipe so much!! Thank you for your feedback 🙂
did any of you actually make this?
I’m i’m sure all of us wish asparagus was in season all year around
It is absolutely delicious. Just finished making it and now I am enjoying a big bowl.
Good, but a bit rich. I tried it again, but without the extra yolks. Replaced these with a good dollop of half-fat creme fraiche and also added a couple of crushed garlic cloves.
NOW it’s seriously delicious 😋
Excellent! I made this recipe today for my family and they loved it! This was my first attempt at preparing a carbonara dish. I had some leftover bacon topped pork tenderloin in the fridge that I was hoping to “reinvent” into a different dish. I followed the recipe (and helpful tips) utilizing my chopped bacon and pork tenderloin and finishing with mixing a handful of fresh spinach into the warm completed dish. Perfection! Thank you for your easy to follow recipe!
Wow, great job! I’m so glad it turned out well 🙂