Express Spaghetti Carbonara (Printable Version)

Silky eggs, crispy bacon, and Parmesan blend seamlessly with spaghetti for a creamy, fast-cooked Italian favorite.

# 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

# Steps:

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

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's faster than ordering takeout, yet tastes like a Roman trattoria made it.
  • No cream means no guilt, just pure egg-and-cheese luxury that feels indulgent anyway.
  • Works perfectly for two people or scales up when friends show up hungry.
02 -
  • Timing is everything—the skillet must be off the heat when you add eggs, or they'll scramble into rubbery bits instead of silky sauce.
  • Pasta water is not optional; that starch is what lets the eggs coat each strand without breaking into curds.
03 -
  • Warm your bowl or plates before serving; cold ceramics will cool the pasta too quickly and dull the sauce.
  • If you're cooking for more than two people, make two batches separately rather than trying to scale up—the ratios get harder to manage in a larger pan.
Return