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side view shot of tongs holding up some creamy carbonara
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4.51 from 1541 votes

Creamy Carbonara

This Creamy Carbonara recipe is a plate of heavenly, creamy pasta. Silky spaghetti with crispy pancetta in a super creamy and cheesy sauce. Simply delicious and so easy to make at home.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: carbonara, italian food, pasta
Servings: 4
Calories: 721kcal

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces spaghetti uncooked
  • 6 ounce pancetta chopped
  • 2 cups half and half
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1 ½ cups Parmesan cheese freshly grated, plus more for garnish
  • 1 teaspoon pepper freshly ground
  • 4 tablespoon basil chopped

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
  • Add the pancetta to a large skillet and saute over medium-low heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer the pancetta to a bowl using a slotted spoon.
  • Add the half and half to the skillet and bring to a simmer. Whisk the egg yolks into the sauce. Whisk in the Parmesan cheese. Stir in the black pepper. Taste for salt and season if needed. I find no salt is needed since the cheese adds plenty of saltiness.
  • Add the cooked spaghetti, bacon and basil to the skillet and toss well to combine. 
  • Garnish with more Parmesan cheese if desired and serve immediately.

Video

Notes

  1. Half and Half: Half and half has 12 percent fat content. Heavy cream can also be used. It is also called heavy whipping cream because it's whipping cream with a milk fat content between 36 and 40 percent. 
  2. Leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Make sure to refrigerate within two hours of cooking.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 721kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Cholesterol: 190mg | Sodium: 939mg | Potassium: 411mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1000IU | Vitamin C: 1.6mg | Calcium: 599mg | Iron: 1.7mg