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A bowl of basic pasta carbonara with a small plate of cheese and a microplane.
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5 from 2 votes

Basic Pasta Carbonara

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Servings: 3
Calories: 568kcal
Author: Teri & Jenny

Ingredients

  • ½ pound spaghetti
  • 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 2 ounces pancetta, diced
  • 1 cup grated parmesan, divided
  • 2 egg yolks, beaten
  • 1 ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
  • salt to taste

garnish

  • parmesan, grated
  • cracked black pepper
  • basil leaves, roughly torn (optional)

Instructions

  • Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add pasta, season well with salt and stir.
  • Cook pasta until al dente, 7 to 8 minutes. Drain, reserving ½ cup pasta water and gently toss with 1 teaspoon oil. Set aside.
  • Pour remaining teaspoon oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and cook pancetta until crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain all but 1 ½ tablespoon grease.
  • Reduce heat to medium-low and add cooked pasta and pasta water. Toss together.
  • In a small mixing bowl whisk together egg yolks, ⅓ cup parmesan and black pepper. Remove pasta from heat and pour yolk mixture over pasta and toss together until fully incorporated and sauce begins to thicken with the residual heat, 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Add remaining parmesan, season with salt and a little more cracked black pepper and serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 568kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 172mg | Sodium: 645mg | Potassium: 274mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 461IU | Calcium: 405mg | Iron: 2mg