Pasta Carbonara Recipe

Spaghetti alla carbonara. Luscious and wonderfully indulgent, pasta carbonara takes as long to make as it does to cook the pasta.

The ingredients are simple—just spaghetti (or another long pasta), and the carbonara is made with pancetta or bacon, eggs, Parmesan, a little olive oil, salt and pepper.

The silky carbonara sauce is created when the beaten eggs are tossed with the hot pasta and a little fat from the pancetta or bacon.

Did I already mention indulgent? Yes, this is not a make-it-everyday recipe. This is an I’ve-been-eating-my-kale-for-weeks-and-now-I-want-to-splurge recipe.

But heck, if you are going to splurge, you may as well do it right with pasta carbonara.

Video: How to Make Pasta Carbonara

0:56

Pasta Carbonara

The Trick to Good Carbonara

The trick to making a successful carbonara?

Stirring the egg mixture quickly into the pasta which should be hot enough to “cook” the egg to make a sauce but not so hot as to make it curdle.

Getting carbonara just right can take some practice so don’t despair if your carbonara sauce is a little lumpy the first time you make it.

Some people add cream to their carbonara. It’s not traditional, but you can certainly do this, and make an even creamier sauce for the pasta. Personally, I think it’s rich enough without it. Enjoy!

Overhead view of a bowl of Spaghetti Carbonara.
Overhead view of a bowl of Spaghetti Carbonara.

Karishma Pradhan