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Pasta – in my humble opinion – is the best food group of them all. And when you combine it with rich cheese, salty cured meat, and *lots* of garlic, it can only get better! You'll get a taste of all of the above with this spaghetti carbonara recipe. Using fresh noodles, authentic pancetta (or guanciale), Pecorino Romano cheese, and freshly ground black pepper is the key to executing this dish flawlessly. It's the best dose of carbs that'll cheer you up after a long day and keep your dinner party guests coming back for seconds (and begging for the recipe)!
Here's how to make this easy spaghetti carbonara recipe.
Ingredients for Spaghetti Carbonara
Photo by Karolina Grabowska / PEXELS
- 14 oz spaghetti
- 7 oz cooked pancetta or guanciale, diced (can also use bacon)
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese (can also use Parmesan)
- 4 cloves garlic, freshly grated
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Salt
Directions for Spaghetti Carbonara
Photo by Lucie Liz / PEXELS
- Cook the spaghetti to package instructions until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water before draining the pasta.
- Cook the pancetta/guanciale/bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic. Cook until the meat is crispy and let sit.
- In a medium bowl, beat the eggs and mix in the cheese. Add lots of black pepper.
- Add the cooked pasta to the skillet with the meat and garlic. Remove from the heat.
- Next, quickly pour the egg and cheese mixture over the pasta, tossing quickly to ensure the eggs don't scramble. The residual heat from the pasta will cook the eggs just enough to create a creamy sauce. If it turns out too thick, add some of the reserved pasta water until you reach the desired consistency.
- Top with more cheese and black pepper and serve!
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Lead photo by Antonius Ferret / PEXELS.
