Classic Spaghetti Carbonara

A timeless Italian dish featuring spaghetti tossed with crispy bacon, eggs, Parmesan cheese, and black pepper for a rich, creamy sauce. Served with a quick Caesar salad and garlic bread.

• Prep: 10 min
• Cook: 15 min
• Total: 25 min
• Servings: 4
• Cuisine: Italian
• Difficulty: Easy
• Cost: $2.83/serving

Dietary

• Nut-Free
• Soy-Free
• Low-Sugar
• High-Protein

Tags

• comfort food
• quick
• savory

Ingredients

• 8 ounce spaghetti
• 6 slice bacon (diced)
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 0.75 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 clove garlic (minced)
• 1 teaspoon black pepper (freshly cracked)
• 0.25 cup pasta water (reserved)
• 1 package Caesar salad kit
• 4 slice garlic bread (store-bought)

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add spaghetti and cook according to package directions until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Before draining, reserve 1/4 cup of the starchy pasta water.
2. While spaghetti cooks, cook diced bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy, about 7-10 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving about 1 tablespoon of fat in the skillet. Add minced garlic to the skillet and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, then remove the skillet from heat.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together large eggs, egg yolks, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, and black pepper.
4. Drain the cooked spaghetti and immediately add it to the skillet with the bacon fat and garlic. Toss well. Pour the egg and cheese mixture over the hot spaghetti, tossing quickly and continuously with tongs to coat, creating a creamy sauce. If the sauce seems too thick, add a tablespoon or two of the reserved pasta water.
5. Stir in the crispy bacon. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. (Note: bacon and Parmesan are salty, so usually no extra salt is needed).
6. While preparing the Carbonara, prepare the Caesar salad kit according to package directions and warm the store-bought garlic bread in the oven or toaster oven.
7. Serve immediately, garnished with remaining grated Parmesan cheese and freshly cracked black pepper. Serve with Caesar salad and garlic bread.

Notes

The key to creamy carbonara is to toss quickly once the eggs hit the hot pasta; this cooks the eggs gently without scrambling. Leftovers are best consumed immediately but can be gently reheated if extra liquid is added.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 720
• Protein: 34.5 g
• Carbohydrates: 54.3 g
• Fat: 42.1 g
• Fiber: 4.1 g
• Sodium: 1250 mg
• Saturated Fat: 18.5 g
• Sugar: 3.2 g
• Cholesterol: 300 mg