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+ servings
Bowl of spaghetti carbonara with a fork

Easy Carbonara Sauce

Julia Frey of Vikalinka
A step by step recipe for an easy and delicious, no cream Carbonara sauce. 
4.86 from 27 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Main
Cuisine Italian
Servings 6
Calories 461 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 100 g / 3.5 oz pancetta or guanciale, finely chopped
  • 80 g / ½ cup Parmesan cheese or Pecorino Romano
  • 4 eggs large
  • 450 g /1 lbs spaghetti
  • 1 garlic clove peeled and crushed
  • 1 tbsp butter optional
  • salt
  • black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Cook the spaghetti according to package instructions in large pot filled with salted water. 
    Hand adding spaghetti to boiling water
  • While the spaghetti is cooking, cook the chopped pancetta or bacon in a large pan with 1 or 2 whole cloves of garlic and 1 tbsp of butter until the fat is rendered, then discard the garlic. If using bacon, discard all by 1 -2 tablespoons of fat. 
    Wooden spatula mixing bacon in pan
  • In a small bowl mix 1 whole egg and 3 egg yolks (reserve the whites for another use or freeze them) and freshly grated parmesan cheese until blended. 
    Bowl with cheese and eggs beside spaghetti
  • Once the pasta is cooked, drain it while reserving ½ cup of pasta water. Add the pasta directly to the pan with pancetta and about half of the reserved pasta water. Stir to allow the pasta to be coated with the sauce, then take the pan off the heat. 
    Tongs adding pasta to bacon
  • Pour the egg and Parmesan mixture into the spaghetti while tossing it with a pair of tongs the entire time. Toss quickly not to let the eggs to curdle. Then taste and season with more salt if needed and pepper as well as more grated parmesan if desired. You might want to add the rest of the reserved pasta water to make it saucier. 
    Egg mixture poured over pasta

Video

Notes

Omit butter if using bacon for this recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 461kcalCarbohydrates: 57gProtein: 20gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 134mgSodium: 774mgPotassium: 254mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 320IUCalcium: 190mgIron: 1.7mg
Keyword carbonara sauce
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