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Easy Creamy Pasta Carbonara

This creamy carbonara uses simple ingredients and easy techniques to help busy moms get that classic Italian flavor right at home.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian, Italian American
Keyword: bacon pasta recipe, carbonara pasta, carbonara recipe, classic carbonara recipe, easy pasta carbonara recipe, Easy Pasta Recipe, pasta, pasta carbonara, pasta carbonara recipe
Servings: 4 Servings
Author: Alyssa Rivers

Ingredients

  • 1 pound spaghetti noodles
  • 1 pound diced pancetta or thick-cut bacon or guanciale if you can find it
  • 1 large egg
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 2 cups freshly grated Romano cheese
  • 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 cup pasta water

Instructions

  • Off the heat, add 1 pound diced pancetta to a 14-inch large skillet, then heat over medium-low heat and cook for 10-12 minutes, until the fat turns translucent and crispy. Remove the pancetta from the skillet with a slotted spoon and reserve on a paper towel-lined plate. Leave the fat in the skillet.
  • Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add 1 pound spaghetti noodles and cook according to the directions until the pasta is al dente.
  • Add the 1 large egg, 3 egg yolks, 2 cups freshly grated Romano cheese, and 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper to a medium bowl and mix until it forms a thick paste.
  • Just before the pasta is finished cooking, take about ½ cup of pasta water and slowly add it to the egg mixture, whisking as it is added to avoid scrambling the eggs.
  • Heat the skillet with the pancetta fat in it over medium heat and add about 1 cup of pasta water to it before transferring the cooked spaghetti noodles right from the pot to the skillet. Cook for about 1-2 minutes, until the noodles are coated in the water and fat and the water has reduced to about ½ cup and looks like a sauce.
  • Turn off the heat and immediately add the egg mixture to the pasta, stirring well the entire time to avoid scrambling the eggs. If the egg mixture doesn’t thicken up, you can turn the heat back on to low and heat it for 5-10 seconds at a time while you continue to mix the noodles with the sauce until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
  • Toss the reserved pancetta with the noodles and sauce and serve immediately with additional cracked black pepper.

Notes

Updated April 14, 2025

Nutrition

Calories: 1149kcal | Carbohydrates: 89g | Protein: 49g | Fat: 65g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 26g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 314mg | Sodium: 1383mg | Potassium: 565mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 510IU | Calcium: 592mg | Iron: 3mg

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