Name: 30-Minute Spaghetti Carbonara
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 Servings
Cuisine: Italian

OnlineCook Verified

April 29, 2025

9 Ingredients

EASY

This creamy, crowd-pleasing Italian classic is made with staples you may well have on hand, so it’s a perfect weeknight meal when you’re too hangry to run to the store. For perfect results, quickly toss the hot spaghetti (plus a splash of the cooking water) with the other ingredients; the heat of the pasta cooks the eggs just enough to create a silky, luxurious sauce. You can go with thick-cut pepper bacon, Italian pancetta (uncured rolled bacon) if you’re a traditionalist, or regular thick-cut bacon plus a good grind of pepper. The recipe, which makes 7 cups, is a Yummly original created by Ivy Manning.

From the Cook

1/2

30-Minute Spaghetti Carbonara

OnlineCook Verified

Ingredients

Servings

WarningMilk and 5 other allergens identified

Instructions

Bring 4 qt. hot tap water and 1 1/2 Tbsp. salt to a boil in a covered 6- to 8-qt. pot. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add bacon and cook, stirring frequently, until crispy, 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and remove pan from heat; the hot bacon fat will cook the garlic.

In a large bowl, whisk eggs to blend. Add Parmesan and parsley and whisk together. Set aside.

When the water comes to a boil, add spaghetti and cook, stirring occasionally, until barely tender to bite (al dente), 8-9 minutes. Scoop out and reserve 1/2 cup cooking water. Drain pasta and return to pot.

Add bacon, garlic, and bacon drippings to spaghetti along with half of the reserved pasta cooking water, and toss with tongs to coat. Whisk the remaining reserved pasta cooking water into the egg-cheese mixture. Pour over pasta and toss to coat. Season with the remaining 1/2 tsp. salt, if you like. If you didn’t use pepper bacon, also add freshly ground pepper to the pasta and toss again. Serve immediately.

Smart Nutrition

My Calorie Intake

Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

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Tips & Tricks (5)

Silky Sauce Technique 🥚
Remove the pan from heat before adding eggs to prevent scrambling, creating a creamy emulsified sauce by quickly tossing hot pasta with the egg mixture.
Pasta Water Magic 💧
Reserve 1 cup of starchy pasta water before draining; a few tablespoons can help adjust sauce consistency and help the eggs smoothly coat the spaghetta.
Bacon Crisp Perfection 🥓
Render bacon slowly over medium-low heat to achieve maximum crispness and extract the most flavor, which will infuse directly into the sauce.
Cheese Grating Hack 🧀
Use freshly grated Parmesan and grate it just before adding to the dish for maximum melting potential and most vibrant flavor.
Temperature Timing 🌡️
Work quickly when combining hot pasta with eggs to create a smooth sauce; the residual heat should cook the eggs without scrambling them.