Express Spaghetti Carbonara (Print Version)

Silky spaghetti tossed with crispy bacon and Parmesan for a satisfying, quick Italian meal.

# 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

# How to Prepare:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti until al dente following package instructions. Reserve 1/3 cup pasta water, then drain.
02 - Whisk eggs, grated Parmesan, and black pepper together in a mixing bowl until fully combined.
03 - Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced bacon and cook until golden and crispy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove skillet from heat.
04 - Add drained spaghetti to the skillet off the heat. Pour egg and Parmesan mixture over pasta and toss vigorously, gradually adding reserved pasta water to form a silky, creamy sauce coating the noodles.
05 - Plate immediately, garnishing with extra Parmesan and freshly cracked black pepper.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you've been cooking all day, but you'll be eating in twenty minutes flat.
  • One skillet, minimal cleanup, and somehow it feels fancy enough for company.
02 -
  • Work quickly after the eggs hit the pan—this isn't a step to dawdle on, or you'll end up with scrambled eggs instead of a silky sauce.
  • Off-heat tossing is non-negotiable; the residual warmth from the pasta and bacon fat cooks the eggs gently and evenly.
03 -
  • A small clove of minced garlic fried with the bacon before you cook it adds wonderful depth—just fish it out before tossing the pasta.
  • Pecorino Romano is more authentic than Parmesan if you want to taste the difference; it's sharper and brings more character to the sauce.
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