If you want to serve something both easy and hearty, try this creamy spaghetti alla carbonara recipe for a rich and satisfying dinner everyone will love. Think of it as a pasta coated in a dressing made of eggs and cheese, with delectable bits of pork throughout. It’s a classic Italian meal that relies on pastas with a high surface-to-volume ratio so the eggs cook well on the noodles. This creamy carbonara recipe is ideal with spaghetti, fettuccine or linguine as a base—you can't go wrong.
Spaghetti carbonara is a Roman classic with roots in mid-20th century Italy, when cooks used bacon and eggs to create a hearty, flavorful dish. Its name, “alla carbonara,” means “in the style of the charcoal-burners,” a nod to the black pepper that recalls the forest workers’ craft.
Today, the secret to a truly creamy spaghetti carbonara is in the technique: Whisk eggs with finely grated cheese to form a smooth sauce, then toss it with hot pasta and crispy pancetta or bacon off the heat so the sauce coats each strand without scrambling. A little reserved pasta water and a generous grind of black pepper complete the silky, luscious texture.
How To Make This Creamy Spaghetti Carbonara Recipe
Start by cooking spaghetti or another long pasta until just al dente. While the pasta cooks, crisp the pancetta in a skillet over medium-low heat, then remove it to drain on paper towels.
In the same pan, sauté garlic in the rendered pancetta fat until fragrant. Reduce the heat, add cream or half-and-half, and bring it to a gentle simmer. To create a silky, creamy sauce without scrambling the eggs, temper the beaten egg yolks by slowly whisking in a bit of the warm cream mixture. Then stir the eggs back into the pan with the cream and fold in freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Add black pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes for seasoning.
Finally, toss the cooked pasta, crispy pancetta, and fresh parsley in the sauce, making sure every strand is coated. Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan for a luscious, comforting plate of creamy spaghetti carbonara.
