Spaghetti alla Carbonara with Bacon Recipe
Spaghetti alla Carbonara is one of the most famous dishes from Rome – quick pasta with a creamy sauce made from eggs, cheese and bacon. Italians often eat it as a quick weekday lunch because it literally takes just a few minutes to make. There is no cream here – the sauce is made only from eggs and cheese, so the dish is filling but not as heavy as a baked pasta.
Carbonara is the essence of Roman cooking: a few simple ingredients turn into a silky, intensely cheesy sauce that coats the pasta. Its hallmark is that the creaminess comes solely from eggs and cheese, without a drop of cream, while the salty, smoky bacon adds deep umami. It’s a dish that really shows how important proportions and temperature are, rather than complicated techniques.
Chef's tips
The most important thing is to combine the pasta with the eggs away from direct heat – add the hot spaghetti to the bowl with the egg and cheese mixture and mix quickly until the sauce thickens but the eggs don’t scramble. Fry the bacon over medium heat until golden and crisp but not burnt – burnt fat will ruin the flavour of the whole dish. Always reserve some pasta cooking water so you can loosen the sauce if needed instead of adding more fat.
How to serve
Serve immediately after cooking, with an extra sprinkle of Pecorino and freshly ground black pepper – carbonara does not like waiting. It pairs beautifully with a dry white wine such as Frascati, or simply chilled water with a slice of lemon when you’re making a quick after‑work dinner. It’s ideal for evenings when you come home late and want something substantial on the table in under half an hour.
Ingredients
- pasta - 400 g
- smoked bacon or pancetta preferably in a block, not thin slices - 150 g
- eggs at room temperature - 3 piece
- egg yolk for a creamier sauce - 1 piece
- Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese finely grated - 70 g
- ground black pepper freshly ground, to taste
- salt for the pasta water; the sauce usually doesn’t need extra salt
Preparation
- Bring a large pot of water to the boil and lightly salt it. Add the spaghetti and cook according to the package instructions until it is slightly firm in the centre.
- Meanwhile, cut the bacon into small cubes or thin strips.
- Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the bacon and fry for 5–7 minutes until the fat renders and the pieces are golden and slightly crispy. Do not add any extra fat.
- Crack 3 eggs into a bowl and add 1 egg yolk. Add the grated cheese and a generous pinch of freshly ground black pepper. Mix with a fork or whisk until you get a thick, smooth mixture.
- When the pasta is cooked, reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain the rest.
- Immediately transfer the pasta to the pan with the hot bacon. Toss for about 30 seconds over the heat turned off or very low so the pasta is coated in the bacon fat.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Wait about 30 seconds for the temperature to drop slightly, then pour in the egg and cheese mixture. Stir vigorously with tongs or a fork for about 1–2 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the pasta. If the sauce is too thick, add a little hot pasta water until it is creamy and smooth.
- Finally, season with more freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately, sprinkling a little extra grated cheese on top.
Storage
Carbonara is best eaten fresh, but if you have leftovers, cool them quickly and store in the fridge in an airtight container. Reheat gently in a pan with a splash of water so the pasta loosens, knowing the eggs may set a bit more and the sauce will be less creamy than freshly made.
