Pasta Carbonara may sound intimidating to cook, so it’s a good thing that this recipe is called Easy Pasta Carbonara! This delicious Italian dish is made simple with this recipe that takes under 20 minutes and is full of flavors like crispy bacon and a creamy egg and cheese sauce that will blow your mind. Easy Pasta Carbonara is classic, hearty, and perfect for dinner.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces spaghetti
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup parmesan, freshly grated, plus more for topping
- 8 slices bacon
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- kosher salt, to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- extra-virgin olive oil, optional, for garnish
- flaky sea salt, optional, for garnish
- parsley, optional, freshly chopped, for garnish
Directions
Step 1 –In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the spaghetti according to package directions until al dente.
Step 2 –Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.
Step 3 –In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and parmesan until combined.
Step 4 –In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy, about 8 minutes. Reserve the fat in the skillet and transfer the slices to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Crumble the bacon when cool enough to handle.
Step 5 –Add the garlic to the skillet and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Step 6 –Add the cooked spaghetti and toss until fully coated in the bacon fat. Remove it from the heat.
Step 7 –Immediately pour the egg and cheese mixture over the pasta and stir vigorously until creamy. Stirring frequently will help prevent the eggs from scrambling and will help the sauce come together.
Step 8 –Add the reserved pasta water a couple tablespoons at a time to help the sauce come together.
Step 9 –Season generously with salt and pepper and stir in the cooked bacon.
Step 10 –Drizzle the pasta with the olive oil and garnish with the flaky sea salt, parmesan, and parsley before serving.
