Silky Creamy Carbonara

Finding a creamy, restaurant-quality pasta dish that doesn’t require a culinary degree can feel impossible. After all, most carbonara recipes seem intimidating with their warnings about scrambled eggs and precise timing, and things get even trickier when you’re trying to feed hungry family members who are expecting something amazing.

Luckily, this creamy carbonara recipe checks all the boxes: it’s rich yet approachable, simple enough for weeknight dinners, and forgiving enough that you won’t stress about getting every step perfect.

What Kind of Bacon Should I Use?

For carbonara, you’ll want to use thick-cut bacon rather than thin slices since it holds up better during cooking and gives you nice, meaty pieces throughout the pasta. Regular bacon works perfectly fine, but if you can find pancetta or guanciale at your grocery store, those are traditional Italian options that will give you an even more authentic flavor. The key is to cook whatever bacon you choose until it’s crispy and renders out plenty of fat – that rendered fat is what helps create the creamy sauce when mixed with the eggs and cheese. Don’t worry too much about the exact type though, as long as it’s good quality bacon, your carbonara will turn out delicious.

Options for Substitutions

While carbonara is a classic that’s best kept traditional, there are a few swaps you can make if needed:

• Spaghetti: You can use other long pasta like linguine, fettuccine, or even bucatini. The key is having enough surface area for the creamy sauce to cling to.
• Bacon: Traditional carbonara uses guanciale or pancetta, but bacon works great too. If you want to get closer to authentic, try pancetta – it has a cleaner pork flavor without the smokiness.
• Parmigiano Reggiano: This cheese is really important for authentic carbonara flavor, so try not to substitute it. If you absolutely must, use Pecorino Romano (which is actually more traditional) or a good quality aged Parmesan.
• Heavy cream: Many purists skip cream entirely in carbonara, relying just on eggs and pasta water for creaminess. You can omit it and use an extra egg yolk instead.
• Whole eggs: For an even richer sauce, try using 3-4 egg yolks instead of whole eggs. This creates a silkier texture and reduces the risk of scrambling.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making carbonara is adding the egg mixture to pasta that’s too hot, which will scramble your eggs instead of creating that silky, creamy sauce you’re after – always let the pasta cool for about 30 seconds after draining before mixing.

Another common error is not saving enough pasta water, so make sure to reserve at least a full cup of that starchy cooking liquid before draining, as it’s essential for bringing the sauce together and achieving the right consistency.

Don’t rush the bacon cooking process either – render it slowly over medium heat to get it perfectly crispy while creating plenty of flavorful fat to toss with your pasta.

Finally, work quickly once you start combining everything and keep tossing constantly off the heat, adding pasta water a little at a time until you get that glossy, coating consistency that makes carbonara so special.

What to Serve With Creamy Carbonara?

Carbonara is already pretty rich and satisfying on its own, so I like to keep the sides simple and fresh. A crisp Caesar salad or mixed greens with a light lemon vinaigrette helps cut through all that creamy, cheesy goodness. Garlic bread is always a crowd-pleaser too, especially if you want something to help scoop up any extra sauce from the bowl. For a more authentic Italian approach, try serving it with some sautéed spinach or roasted asparagus – the vegetables add a nice balance to the bacon and cheese.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: Carbonara is best enjoyed fresh, but leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. The creamy sauce might look a bit separated when cold, but don’t worry – that’s totally normal with egg-based sauces.

Freeze: I don’t recommend freezing carbonara since the egg and cream sauce doesn’t freeze well and can become grainy when thawed. It’s really one of those dishes that’s meant to be enjoyed right away for the best texture and flavor.

Reheat: To warm up leftover carbonara, add a splash of heavy cream or pasta water to a pan over low heat. Gently toss the pasta until it’s warmed through and the sauce comes back together. Avoid high heat or the microwave, as this can make the eggs scramble and ruin that silky texture.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3600-3900
• Protein: 140-155 g
• Fat: 190-210 g
• Carbohydrates: 320-340 g

Ingredients

For the pasta:

• 1 lb spaghetti
• Salted water, for boiling

For the bacon and garlic:

• 1 lb bacon
• 5 to 6 garlic cloves

For the creamy sauce:

• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp heavy cream
• 5 oz finely grated parmigiano reggiano cheese (divided)
• Black pepper, to taste

Step 1: Cook the Spaghetti

• 1 lb spaghetti
• salted water, for boiling

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions until al dente.

Do not drain the pasta once it is cooked, as you’ll use the pasta water later in the recipe.

I like to occasionally stir the pasta while it boils to prevent it from sticking together.

Step 2: Cook the Bacon

• 1 lb bacon

While the pasta is boiling, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until it is cooked through and slightly crispy.

Once cooked, remove the bacon from the skillet, transfer to a plate lined with paper towels, and crumble it into bite-sized pieces.

Carefully drain all but about 3-4 tablespoons of the bacon grease from the skillet for use in the next step.

Step 3: Sauté the Garlic

• 5 to 6 garlic cloves

Return the skillet with bacon grease to the stovetop and reduce the heat to low.

Add the garlic, either minced or thinly sliced, and sauté until it becomes golden brown and fragrant, being careful not to burn it.

Using low heat here helps release the garlic’s flavor into the fat, making the sauce richer.

Step 4: Prepare the Egg and Cheese Mixture

• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp heavy cream
• black pepper, to taste
• about 2.5 oz finely grated parmigiano reggiano cheese
• hot pasta water (from Step 1)

In a bowl, beat together the eggs, heavy cream, and a generous amount of black pepper.

Stir in about half of the grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.

Add a ladle or two of the hot pasta water from the pot to the mixture and stir well.

This tempers the egg mixture and prevents the eggs from scrambling—one of my favorite pasta tricks for a creamy sauce.

Step 5: Combine Pasta and Sauce

• cooked spaghetti (from Step 1)
• garlic sautéed in bacon fat (from Step 3)
• crumbled bacon (from Step 2)
• egg, cream, and cheese mixture (from Step 4)
• remaining grated parmigiano reggiano cheese

Using tongs, transfer the cooked spaghetti directly from the pot to the skillet with the garlic.

Add the crumbled bacon from Step 2, the egg and cheese mixture from Step 4, and the remaining grated cheese.

Toss everything together over low heat until evenly combined and the sauce is creamy.

If the pasta seems a bit dry, add a little more hot pasta water or a splash of heavy cream to adjust the consistency.

Step 6: Serve and Garnish

Serve the pasta immediately while it’s hot and creamy.

Garnish with additional black pepper and extra grated cheese to taste.

For a richer flavor, I like to add a final sprinkling of fresh cheese right before serving.

Silky Creamy Carbonara

Delicious Silky Creamy Carbonara recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 3750 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the pasta:

• 1 lb spaghetti
• salted water, for boiling

For the bacon and garlic:

• 1 lb bacon
• 5 to 6 garlic cloves

For the creamy sauce:

• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp heavy cream
• 5 oz finely grated parmigiano reggiano cheese (divided)
• black pepper, to taste

Instructions

 

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions until al dente. Do not drain the pasta once it is cooked, as you'll use the pasta water later in the recipe. I like to occasionally stir the pasta while it boils to prevent it from sticking together.
• While the pasta is boiling, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until it is cooked through and slightly crispy. Once cooked, remove the bacon from the skillet, transfer to a plate lined with paper towels, and crumble it into bite-sized pieces. Carefully drain all but about 3-4 tablespoons of the bacon grease from the skillet for use in the next step.
• Return the skillet with bacon grease to the stovetop and reduce the heat to low. Add the garlic, either minced or thinly sliced, and sauté until it becomes golden brown and fragrant, being careful not to burn it. Using low heat here helps release the garlic’s flavor into the fat, making the sauce richer.
• In a bowl, beat together the eggs, heavy cream, and a generous amount of black pepper. Stir in about half of the grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Add a ladle or two of the hot pasta water from the pot to the mixture and stir well. This tempers the egg mixture and prevents the eggs from scrambling—one of my favorite pasta tricks for a creamy sauce.
• Using tongs, transfer the cooked spaghetti directly from the pot to the skillet with the garlic. Add the crumbled bacon from Step 2, the egg and cheese mixture from Step 4, and the remaining grated cheese. Toss everything together over low heat until evenly combined and the sauce is creamy. If the pasta seems a bit dry, add a little more hot pasta water or a splash of heavy cream to adjust the consistency.
• Serve the pasta immediately while it’s hot and creamy. Garnish with additional black pepper and extra grated cheese to taste. For a richer flavor, I like to add a final sprinkling of fresh cheese right before serving.