Express Spaghetti Carbonara (Printable)

Silky eggs, crispy bacon, and Parmesan blend with spaghetti for a quick, creamy Italian dish.

# What You 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 directions. Reserve 1/3 cup pasta water, then drain.
02 - Whisk together eggs, Parmesan cheese, and black pepper until smooth and combined.
03 - Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add diced bacon, and cook until crisp and golden, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat.
04 - Add the drained spaghetti to the skillet with the bacon off the heat. Quickly pour in the egg and cheese mixture, tossing vigorously. Gradually add reserved pasta water as needed to form a creamy, silky sauce coating the pasta.
05 - Plate immediately, garnishing with extra Parmesan and freshly cracked black pepper.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's genuinely faster than most takeout, and tastes infinitely better than what arrives in a box.
  • The sauce is pure simplicity—eggs and cheese create luxury without any cream in sight, which somehow feels like cheating in the best way.
  • One pan, minimal cleanup, and you'll feel like you've mastered something fundamentally Italian.
02 -
  • Temperature control is everything—if your skillet is too hot when you add the eggs, you'll get scrambled bits instead of sauce, so removing from heat before adding the pasta is non-negotiable.
  • The pasta water isn't just an afterthought; that starch is what transforms eggs and cheese into silky coating, so keep adding it until the texture is glossy and flowing.
  • Speed matters more than you'd think—carbonara rewards quick, confident movements from the moment eggs hit the pan to the moment food hits plates.
03 -
  • Room temperature eggs incorporate smoother and create a silkier sauce without any risk of scrambling during the final toss.
  • Freshly grated Parmesan melts into sauce; pre-grated cheese with anti-caking agents will clump and won't achieve that glossy finish.
  • If your sauce looks too thick, add pasta water one tablespoon at a time until you reach that silky, glossy flow that coats every strand.
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