This silky carbonara without cream proves that eggs, parmesan and starchy pasta water are all you need for a restaurant-worthy sauce. Crisp bacon, garlic and plenty of black pepper turn simple spaghetti into a comforting 20-minute dinner. If you love quick pasta nights, try our Baked Pasta with Bacon, Spinach and Cherry Tomatoes and Pasta with Roasted Vegetable Sauce.
Ingredients
- 200 g (7 oz) spaghetti
- 200 g (7 oz) bacon or pancetta
- 3 egg yolks
- 70 g (2.5 oz) parmesan
- 2 garlic cloves
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Dice the bacon and mince the garlic; fry together until crisp and golden.
- Boil the spaghetti in salted water for 2 minutes less than the package says.
- Add the pasta to the bacon with a ladle of pasta water; toss and heat through for literally a minute.
- For the sauce, mix the yolks with the grated parmesan and black pepper.
- Turn off the heat, add the egg sauce to the pasta, and toss very quickly.
Tips
- Keep the heat off when you add the egg sauce so it turns silky instead of scrambling.
- Reserve extra pasta water to loosen the sauce until it coats every strand.
- For classic technique tips, see the carbonara guidance at Serious Eats.
Nutrition (per 100 g): 300.3 kcal | Protein 14.8 g | Fat 11.3 g | Carbs 33.3 g