Description
A classic Italian Spaghetti Carbonara recipe featuring crispy bacon, creamy Parmesan egg sauce, and a hint of fresh parsley. This rich and flavorful pasta dish is quick to prepare and perfect for a comforting meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Aromatics
- 3 oz. bacon
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Pasta and Sauce
- 12 oz. spaghetti
- 3 large eggs
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided (½ cup + ¼ cup)
- ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper (or to taste)
- ½ tsp salt (or to taste)
Optional Garnish
- handful (about ¼ cup) fresh parsley, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Boil pasta water: Fill a large pot with water and season with salt. Place a lid on the pot and bring it to a boil over high heat to prepare for cooking the spaghetti.
- Cook bacon and garlic: While waiting for the water to boil, cut bacon into small pieces. Cook in a large skillet over medium-low heat until brown and crispy. Remove bacon bits, reduce heat to low, add minced garlic to the warm skillet, and sauté for about one minute until fragrant and softened. Turn off heat.
- Prepare egg mixture: In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, ½ cup Parmesan, and a generous amount of freshly cracked black pepper to create the creamy sauce base.
- Cook spaghetti: Once the water is boiling, add the spaghetti and cook until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain spaghetti in a colander.
- Combine pasta and bacon liquid: Add ¼ cup of reserved pasta water to the skillet used for bacon. Stir to dissolve browned bits. Add drained hot pasta to the skillet and toss well to coat with bacon liquid.
- Mix pasta with egg mixture: Pour the egg and Parmesan mixture over the hot pasta and quickly stir or toss to allow the residual heat to cook the eggs, forming a creamy sauce. Continue stirring until sauce forms evenly.
- Finish and season: Add remaining Parmesan, crispy bacon bits, and more freshly cracked pepper. Toss again, adding reserved pasta water if the pasta seems too thick or sticky.
- Adjust and garnish: Taste and adjust salt, Parmesan, or pepper as needed. Top with roughly chopped fresh parsley before serving.
Notes
- The handful of fresh parsley used is about ¼ cup, roughly 1/6 of a bunch minced.
- Be cautious not to oversalt the pasta water, as the dish will be salted further when the spaghetti mixes with bacon and cheese. Salt can be added at the end as needed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 500mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 16g
- Cholesterol: 185mg
