Spaghetti Carbonara Recipe
This classic Spaghetti Carbonara recipe has a rich, creamy sauce made from olive oil, eggs, and cheese. Mix in the flavors of garlic and pancetta or bacon, and you’ve got yourself a winning pasta dish every time you serve it!
Ingredients
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 pound pancetta, cubed or sliced into small strips
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, freshly grated (plus more for serving)
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water (approximately 2 tablespoons of salt needed) to a boil. Cook pasta for 8-10 minutes, until al dente, and drain. Be sure to set aside 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water before you drain the pasta. This will be used to mix in with the sauce.
Meanwhile, heat olive oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add the pancetta and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the pancetta is crisp and the fat is rendered. Next, add the garlic and sauté an additional minute.
Add the hot, drained spaghetti to the pan and toss for 2 minutes to coat the in the pancetta fat. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese together in a mixing bowl, whisking well to prevent lumps. Remove the pan from heat and pour the egg and cheese mixture into the pasta, mixing continuously so that the eggs do not scramble. It is very important that the pasta is hot when adding the egg and cheese mixture, so that the heat of the pasta cooks the raw eggs in the sauce.
Next, add the reserved 1/2 cup of cooking water from pasta to the pasta. Season with black pepper and salt to taste. Spoon a mound of pasta on a serving dish, and garnish with fresh parsley, and additional cheese if you’d like. Then enjoy this delicious Spaghetti Carbonara recipe!
Notes
You can substitute the pancetta in this Spaghetti Carbonara recipe with slices of slabbed bacon.
