15-Minute Creamy Carbonara (Print Version)

Silky pasta with crispy pancetta and rich Parmesan, prepared swiftly with creamy sauce.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 7 oz spaghetti or linguine

→ Sauce

02 - 2 large eggs
03 - ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
04 - 3½ tbsp heavy cream (optional)
05 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
06 - Pinch of salt

→ Meats

07 - 2.5 oz diced pancetta or guanciale

→ Garnish

08 - Extra Parmesan cheese, for serving
09 - Chopped fresh parsley (optional)

# How To Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta.
02 - Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced pancetta and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp. Remove from heat.
03 - In a bowl, whisk together eggs, Parmesan cheese, heavy cream (if using), salt, and freshly ground black pepper until smooth.
04 - Add the hot drained pasta to the skillet with pancetta and toss to combine.
05 - Remove the skillet from heat. Quickly pour in the egg-Parmesan mixture and toss vigorously to coat the pasta. Gradually add reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a creamy, glossy sauce.
06 - Plate immediately and garnish with extra Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent an hour in the kitchen, but you'll be eating in less time than it takes to watch a sitcom.
  • The sauce clings to every strand of pasta in a way that feels almost indulgent, yet the ingredient list is shockingly short.
  • You can make this on a weeknight without planning ahead, and it still impresses anyone you serve it to.
02 -
  • Take the skillet off the heat before adding the eggs, or you'll end up with scrambled eggs instead of silky sauce, I learned that the hard way.
  • The pasta water is not optional, that starchy liquid is what turns the egg and cheese into a glossy, cohesive sauce that actually sticks.
  • Move quickly once the pasta is drained, because the residual heat is what gently cooks the eggs without curdling them.
03 -
  • Use a large skillet instead of a small one, it gives you more surface area to toss the pasta without making a mess.
  • If the sauce feels too thick, add pasta water one tablespoon at a time, it loosens everything up without diluting the flavor.
  • Taste before you add extra salt, the pancetta and Parmesan are already salty and you don't want to overdo it.
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