Years ago, I made Spaghetti Carbonara for dinner on a whim. I’d never tasted it before and was a little wary about mixing raw eggs into hot pasta, but I put on my apron and dove right in. A classic dish created in Rome, it’s also known as “bacon and egg pasta” since bacon or pancetta is part of the equation. What drew me to this pasta, was the simplicity of the recipe and that it was made with ingredients almost always in my kitchen.
I splurged and used pancetta this time instead of bacon. But there is almost always bacon in my freezer, which makes this a terrific last minute dinner. The pancetta was sautéed with onion, then the pan was deglazed with some white wine. I often use vermouth when white wine is called for in a recipe. An open bottle can sit in the fridge since it’s fortified. It may not be perfect for a dry martini due to the oxidation process, but in cooking, it’s great in a pinch.
To make this easy pasta, just cook the spaghetti until al dente, or slightly firm to the bite. Drain and toss with the bacon of your choice, then quickly mix in a mixture of whisked eggs and cheeses. Make sure this tossing takes place in a bowl and not a hot pan. The result should be a creamy pasta sauce, not scrambled eggs. The eggs do get cooked in the process, but if you’re serving to the very young, elderly or immune suppressed, I’d recommend using pasteurized eggs.
My husband, a truly picky eater, loved this dish from his first bite. Bacon and eggs are part of his weekend breakfast routine, so taking this traditional pairing into a weekday supper wasn’t too much of a risk. But I always hold my breath when I go off the beaten path. Thank goodness, this spaghetti carbonara was a hit and now part of our Weekday Supper rotation. I hope you’ll give it a try.
- 6 ounces pancetta diced
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 3 eggs
- ¾ cup Parmesan
- ⅓ cup Romano
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
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Cook pancetta in a saucepan over medium heat for about 2 minutes.
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Add onion and continue cooking till onion is golden, about 10 minutes.
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Add wine and cook till reduced by half.
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Cook spaghetti in well-salted water till done.
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While pasta is cooking, whisk together eggs, cheeses, pepper, and salt.
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Drain pasta and add to pancetta and onion mixture. Toss well over medium heat, till well mixed. Remove from heat and add egg mixture, tossing to combine.
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Serve immediately.
Recipe adapted from Gourmet
I also love these easy pasta dishes. You might too!
Sausage, Pepper, Mushroom Fettucine
Straw and Hay Pasta
Penne with Spicy Tomato Cream Sauce
Weekday Supper recipes are great for when life gets busy! It’s easy to find them. Search the #WeekdaySupper hashtag across social media or click here for more on our Sunday Supper website. Also check out the Weekday Supper Pinterest board for plenty more ideas and inspiration.
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This looks so comforting! Is it weird that I want it at 7:30AM?
We love love carbonara here. One of our favorite comfort foods for sure! This looks incredible, Liz!
I refused to even try carbonara until last year, thinking the eggs were totally raw. I’ve been missing out! Now it’s the only thing I order when we go out. Your version looks awesome!
This looks delicious! My family would love it!
This is absolute perfection Liz. I could eat the whole batch all by my lonesome.
This looks and sounds so delicious!
My family would love this!