Express Spaghetti Carbonara (Printable)

Silky eggs, crispy bacon, and Parmesan combine with al dente spaghetti for a creamy, quick Italian dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 7 oz dried spaghetti

→ Sauce

02 - 2 large eggs
03 - 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
04 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ Bacon

05 - 3.5 oz diced bacon or pancetta

→ To Serve

06 - Extra Parmesan cheese for garnish
07 - Freshly cracked black pepper

# Method:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti until al dente following package instructions. Reserve 1/3 cup pasta water, then drain the pasta.
02 - In a bowl, whisk together eggs, Parmesan, and black pepper until smooth and combined.
03 - Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced bacon and cook until golden and crispy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat.
04 - Off the heat, add drained spaghetti to the skillet with bacon. Immediately pour in the egg and Parmesan mixture. Toss vigorously, adding reserved pasta water gradually until a creamy sauce coats the pasta evenly.
05 - Dish out the pasta immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan and freshly cracked black pepper.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours cooking when you actually spent fifteen minutes.
  • You only use one pan and a bowl, which means minimal cleanup and maximum flavor.
  • The magic of turning raw egg into silky sauce feels like a small kitchen miracle every single time.
02 -
  • The skillet must be off the heat when you add the eggs, or they'll scramble into little flakes instead of turning into sauce—this is the secret that separates creamy from ruined.
  • Pasta water is your best friend here because the starch in it is what transforms the eggs into something silky and clinging; add it slowly and taste as you go.
03 -
  • Have everything prepped and ready before you start cooking—mise en place sounds fancy but really just means you're not scrambling for ingredients when things move fast.
  • If your sauce seems too thick when you're tossing, add pasta water one tablespoon at a time; if it seems too thin, stop adding water and keep tossing—the emulsion will tighten as it cools slightly.
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