Simply delicious Spaghetti Carbonara recipe. The best Carbonara recipe becomes velvety and creamy thanks to Parmesan cheese, eggs and pasta cooking water. With few ingredients and little time, you can whip up this restaurant quality dish at home.
This post is sponsored by Paradise Island Cheese featuring their delicious and easy to use newly refreshed packaging Shredded Parmesan. My Kitchen Love only supports brands we love and cook with at home.
This has to be one of the best pantry staples meal around. Pasta, cheese, and eggs … it truly makes dinner a joy.
We used local brand, Paradise Island Cheese new Shredded Parmesan cheese (well same great product, new look on the outside).
I know what you’re thinking. Shreds? For the best Carbonara recipe? Yep, they are the perfect cheese to use to speed up the prep AND they melt perfectly in this dish.
Let’s not forget that Paradise Island Cheese is made with 100% Canadian milk and no modified milk ingredients – supporting local is always good and when I can buy West Coast products it’s even better.
Paradise Island Cheese offers a wide range of hard and semi-soft cheeses so any cheese needs you have, be sure to check them out.
Should you put cream in Carbonara?
No, no, nope! The creaminess comes from the eggs, pasta water, and Parmesan cheese.
What is needed most is a good whisk and quality parmesan cheese that will naturally melt into the egg sauce.
How do you stop Carbonara from scrambling?
I can’t stress this part enough, tempering the eggs (combining the raw cold eggs with the hot liquids) is a slow and steady process. Too much hot liquid will result in a scrambled Carbonara sauce.
Why eggs in Carbonara?
The eggs bind the flavours and ingredients together. The fat from the pork (bacon, pancetta or prosciutto will all work in this recipe), the salty pasta cooking water, and creamy prosciutto get melted into the eggs.
The eggs get cooked from the heat of the pasta water and pork.
Substitutions / Variations:
The main substitution is for the pork. Pancetta or thinly sliced prosciutto will also work well.
The melting aspects of the Parmesan cheese is key to great a velvety smooth texture.
Only have spaghettini? Or another long pasta noodle; they will also work well here.
Other pasta recipe we can’t get enough of:
Simply delicious Spaghetti Carbonara recipe that becomes velvety and creamy thanks to eggs and pasta cooking water. With few ingredients and little time, you can whip up this restaurant quality dish at home.
- 170 grams Paradise Island Cheese Shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 lbs spaghetti pasta
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 lbs thick cut bacon, sliced into 1/2" pieces
- 1/2-1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, optional
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Cook spaghetti in salted water to al dente (usually 10 minutes), reserving 1 cup of pasta cooking water before draining.
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Meanwhile, cook bacon pieces until crispy, reserving 1-2 tbsp of fat.
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In a medium bowl whisk together eggs, Parmesan, and pepper. Once combined, slowly whisk in fat from bacon 1 tbsp at a time. Then slowly add in pasta cooking water (while whisking continuously) until a smooth sauce is formed. Quickly toss spaghetti in sauce.
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Add crispy bacon and toss again.
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Top with parsley if desired and serve immediately.
Enjoy! xo
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