Carbonara Pasta: How to Make Spaghetti Carbonara Recipe

Carbonara Pasta Recipe

Carbonara is a pasta recipe of Italian origin that is made with pancetta (cured pork), egg, black pepper, and hard cheese such as Parmesan cheese (Parmigiano Reggiano) or pecorino romano. Guanciale (another type of cured pork – from the cheeks) can also be used for this carbonara pasta recipe.

Table of Contents

Ingredients

  • 300 grams of Spaghetti Pasta
  • 150 grams of Pancetta or Guanciale
  • 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese or Pecorino Romano (any type of hard cheese)
  • 1 tsp  of Black Pepper
  • 3 minced garlic cloves
  • 3 medium-sized eggs
  • Salt

How to Make Carbonara Pasta

  • First, start by cooking the spaghetti pasta. Place a pot on heat and season with 1/2 tsp of salt. Allow the water to come to a boil and then add the spaghetti pasta. You can use any type of pasta you have. Cover and allow it to simmer until it is soft.
  • Next, we are going to braise the pancetta as the pasta is cooking. Place a frying pan on heat and then add the pancetta to it. If your pancetta or guanciale has enough fat no need to add more fat to the pan again; but if the guanciale has a little amount of fat, you can add 1 tbsp of butter and then fry until it is crispy and brown in color.
  • Once the guanciale turns brown, add the minced garlic and stir fry for 30 seconds. By now, your spaghetti pasta should have been cooked. Drain from the water and add the pasta to the frying pan containing the braised pancetta or guanciale.
  • Scoop about 2 cooking spoons of the liquid used for cooking the pasta and add to the frying pan containing the pasta and fried pancetta.
  • Season with 1/2 tsp of black pepper and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine and then turn off the heat.
  • Mix the grated hard cheese and 3 eggs; this serves as the carbonara sauce and makes it creamy as well. You can use just the yolk or the whole egg. I am using the whole egg in this carbonara pasta. Stir to mix completely and then pour it over the pasta in the hot pan containing the pasta and mix thoroughly to combine. Make sure the heat is turned off to avoid curdling the eggs.
  • Your homemade carbonara recipe is ready.

Variations

Instead of the cured pork, some people use chicken or chicken and shrimp to make carbonara. For vegans, mushrooms can be used.

Outside of Italy, the lardons of smoked bacon are used instead of pancetta or guanciale.

Though other types of pasta such as bucatini, fettuccine, linguine, or rigatoni can be used for this carbonara recipe, Spaghetti is the most common pasta used.