This traditional spaghetti carbonara features crispy bacon bits and tender spaghetti noodles in a rich and creamy Parmesan egg sauce. Ready in minutes and goes well with any meal!
Ready to fall in love with a bowl of pasta? You haven’t lived until you’ve tried your hand at spaghetti carbonara at home!
We’re keeping it so simple today with this easy bacon version that uses simple everyday ingredients and will only take 30 minutes to pull together.
And y’all, it’s a bowl full of pasta MAGIC! You’ve got the classic creamy egg sauce with rich Parmesan, crispy bacon, and lots of fresh parsley coating every inch of tender spaghetti noodles.
Yeah, you won’t be able to resist diving face-first into this one!
This Spaghetti Carbonara features…
- Tender spaghetti noodles in a rich and creamy Parmesan egg sauce
- Crispy bacon bits and lots of fresh parsley
- Ready in 30 minutes with only 6 ingredients
Making the Spaghetti Carbonara
(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)
Ingredients You Will Need
- Eggs
- Parmesan cheese
- Bacon
- Garlic
- Spaghetti
- Parsley
Choosing Your Pasta
Traditionally, spaghetti carbonara is made with spaghetti noodles, but this recipe will work great with a variety of pasta shapes. You can also use…
- Bucatini
- Angel hair
- Penne
- Shells
Tips for Perfect Carbonara
- Cook spaghetti to al dente – the pasta will continue to cook later in the sauce so make sure not to overcook during the boiling step.
- Reserve pasta cooking water – the pasta water is one of the main ingredients in the sauce and helps make it creamy.
- Use freshly-grated Parmesan – freshly-grated cheese melts much better than pre-grated in the sauce for this carbonara.
- Beat eggs well before tossing with pasta – this will help the eggs form into a sauce once added to the pasta without any unwanted chunks.
- Serve carbonara immediately after assembly – carbonara unfortunately does not store well due to the egg sauce. We recommend serving immediately for best results.
Recipe Variations
Try these ideas for a different twist on this carbonara.
- Skip the meat – leave out the bacon or replace it with a vegetable for a meat-free carbonara.
- Add vegetables – try adding sauteed mushrooms, spinach, sweet pepper, or broccoli to carbonara.
- Swap cheeses – although Parmesan cheese is traditional in carbonara, this recipe will also work with asiago or cheddar.
What To Serve with Carbonara
This carbonara pairs well with a variety of dishes! We love it alongside stuffed chicken, a big green salad, garlic bread, or sautéed vegetables.
You can definitely serve this carbonara on its own as well! It makes a great simple dinner or lunch.
Trust me, this carbonara is going to quickly become the most-requested pasta dish in your house! The crispy bacon paired with the creamy Parmesan sauce and tender noodles is a thing of pure magic.
Just between you and me, you’ll definitely be eating this one straight from the pot.
Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram with #wholeandheavenlyoven.
Watch this carbonara made step-by-step on Google web stories.
More easy pasta dishes to make next!
Bacon Spaghetti Carbonara
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Ingredients
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
- 6 slices bacon, diced into 1/4-inch cubes
- 3 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 12 oz spaghetti
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Additional grated Parmesan for topping
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks, egg, and Parmesan until completely smooth. Set aside for a moment.
- In a Dutch oven or large skillet over medium heat, cook diced bacon until crispy, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and sauté 1 additional minute until fragrant. Drain grease from pan and discard.
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until just barely al-dente. Reserve 1-1/2 cups pasta cooking water and drain pasta.
- Add pasta and 1/2 cup reserved pasta water to bacon mixture. Cook over medium heat 2-3 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and allow to cool 2 minutes.
- Whisk 1/4 cup pasta water into egg yolks until smooth. Fold egg sauce into hot pasta mixture, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until a creamy sauce forms and coats pasta. (drizzle in additional pasta water if needed to loosen sauce)
- Stir parsley into carbonara and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve carbonara immediately while hot with additional Parmesan grated on top. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
This post was updated with new recipe adjustments and photos on 1/5/24.
Mary Frances says
These photos are so bright and vibrant! I don’t care what this is, it looks GOOD.
Ok maybe I care a little. Me and bacon and parsley area like *this* And only 20 min?? Sign.me.up.
Sarah says
Aww thanks for the sweet photo love, Mary Frances! You’re too kind. 😀 Happy Friday, girly!
Joanne says
I mean, you can’t really just save carbonara for later so OBVIOUSLY you had to have it for second breakfast. That’s a no brainer.
Sarah says
That’s exactly what I figure! Carbonara waits for NO ONE! 😀
Amber @ Dessert Now, Dinner Later! says
This is on my list of recipes to make! I have waited way too long to try it and your pictures are so enticing!
Sarah says
Thanks for the photo love, Amber!!
Chelsea @Gal on a Mission says
My mouth is starting to water! This spaghetti carbonara looks fantastic, Sarah! Perfect weeknight meal.
Sarah says
Thank you so much Chelsea!! 🙂