Easy Pasta Carbonara

Name: Easy Pasta Carbonara Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 8 pieces of thick cut bacon; 2 tablespoons minced garlic; 2 large eggs, at room temperature; 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese; 16 oz angel hair pasta

Jump to Recipe

You can make this Easy Pasta Carbonara with just 5 ingredients and 15 minutes! This Italian comfort food recipe is full of bacon and smothered in a cheese & egg sauce that will have you craving it time and again!

fork picking up pasta carbonara with bacon

There’s really not much not to love about a good carbonara recipe-with bacon as the star of the show and a scant 5 ingredients it’s almost unfair to other pasta dishes. Add on that your entire meal will take 15 minutes to get on the table and you can see why this is a must-have recipe in any cook’s menu plan!

scooping up pasta carbonara with bacon from large skillet

What is Carbonara?

Pasta carbonara is an Italian pasta dish that originated near Rome. It usually features a creamy sauce that’s made with pancetta, garlic, heavy cream, cheese, and eggs. The eggs in the sauce are cooked when it is combined with hot pasta and a portion of the cooking water.

Ingredients

I use bacon for my Pasta Carbonara instead of pancetta but you can use either. This easy carbonara recipe only has five ingredients!

bacon
garlic
eggs
Parmesan cheese
pasta

Step by step

Cook pasta according to package directions, reserving the water it cooked in.
While the pasta is cooking combine eggs and cheese in a small bowl and set aside.
Chop bacon into 1/4 inch pieces and cook in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until brown.
Reduce heat to low and add garlic to the pan. Cook for one minute.
Remove from heat and add pasta and 1/2 cup of the reserved water.
Quickly stir in egg and cheese mixture and continue to stir until egg mixture thickens-the residual heat from the pasta will cook the egg but you have to move quickly so that you don’t end up with scrambled eggs!
You may add additional reserved water if your sauce is too thick.

I like to serve this pasta with Homemade Texas Toast or Homemade Garlic Bread.

mixing egg & cheese with hot pasta to make carbonara

Tips for best results

Make sure the reserved water is still very hot when you add it to the pasta to ensure the eggs are cooked. If it has cooled you may rewarm it in the microwave.
For the best results use freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

pasta carbonara with bacon in white bowl

FAQs

What is the best pasta to use for carbonara?

I like to serve my carbonara with angel hair pasta because it cooks up quickly and makes this dish even faster to get on the table. You can use spaghetti or any type of pasta you wish, just make sure to reserve some of the water you cook the pasta in.

How do I reheat leftovers?

Pasta Carbonara is best reheated on the stove, not the microwave which can leave it dried out. Simply put the cold pasta in a skillet and toss over medium heat about 5 minutes or until heated through. If the pasta appears too dry, add one teaspoon of olive oil at a time while tossing over the heat until it is no longer dry.
If you can’t reheat on the stovetop see our article on 4 ways to reheat carbonara for other options along with tips and tricks for keeping it from drying out.

How do you avoid scrambled eggs in carbonara?

The key is threefold: first, use room temperature eggs, second, be sure to remove the pan from heat before adding the pasta water and egg and finally, move quickly tossing the egg in the pasta mixture so it cooks and coats the pasta without scrambling together.

Do you put cream in carbonara?

No! The creaminess of the pasta comes from the egg and cheese, no cream required.

You might also like these other easy pasta dishes:

If you’ve tried this recipe please comment and rate it below, I love hearing from you!