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Treat yourself to rich, silky, luxurious carbonara sauce, now easier than ever! My Caronbara Sauce Recipe is here to make this decadent cream-free sauce quick and easy. Make dinner special with a sauce so rich, you won't believe how simple it all is!
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Easy Carbonara Sauce
I won't lie: I'm a sucker for a creamy, cheesy pasta sauce. But the day I was introduced to Carbonara, I was stunned. It was silky smooth, ultra creamy, and packed with incredible flavors- all without a drop of cream. I'd never had anything like it!
So you can imagine how surprised I was to learn just how easy it is to make! By using eggs as a base for the sauce instead of the classic heavy cream I'd come to expect from cheese sauces, this decadent sauce acts almost like a thin custard that beautifully coats pasta. Add in crispy bits of Pancetta and it's a sauce worthy of daydreaming about!
Ready to cook up a bowl of luxury? Then it's time to try Pasta Carbonara! And with easy ingredients and easier steps, it's less than 30 minutes away. Here comes a new weeknight favorite!
What is Carbonara?
Carbonara is a rich, creamy sauce famous for its silky texture and lack of cream! Made with oil and eggs, this dish relies on salty Pancetta and grated Pecorino cheese for flavor. Served in a warm dish, this incredible pasta sauce is uniquely smooth and rich! Feel free to add in anything you'd like once it's done, like peas, mushrooms, and more!
Carbonara Ingredients
- Olive oil
- Pancetta
- Pecorino Romano or Parmesan
- Eggs
- Salt and pepper
- Spaghetti or pasta of choice
- English peas optional
- Parsley optional
How to Make Carbonara Sauce
- In a deep pot or large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil. Chop the Pancetta and add it to the oil once it's hot, stirring often, until it's crisp and toasted. Remove, reserving the leftover oil in a separate bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and cheese.
- Cook the pasta to package instructions, reserving one cup of pasta water. Add the reserved oil back to the pot and set it to medium heat, and add in the cooked pasta. Slowly stir in the egg mixture.
- Add in the reserved pasta water very slowly to keep the sauce from getting dry, mixing very well.
- Add in the cooked pancetta and english peas if using, tossing until it's well mixed and warmed through.
- Heat up a serving bowl in the oven or with hot water, then serve with freshly ground black pepper, and enjoy!
Easy Carbonara Recipe Tips
- You want the pasta water to be nice and hot, but not boiling. If it gets too cool, feel free to reheat it in the microwave!
- Pancetta is the perfect meat for this dish, but if you can't find it, thick-cut bacon will taste delicious too! Guanciale is also a classic, amazing choice if you have access to it.
- If you can find them, local farm eggs will take this dish to a whole new level. Trust me- the difference is incredible!
- Don't reheat this recipe. Reheating egg-based sauces will turn the sauce into scrambled eggs. Instead, make sure you're making just enough for everyone and enjoy it nice and fresh!
- Make sure to serve this dish in warm bowls! It makes a big difference and keeps the sauce extra creamy and delicious.
Looking to make extra creamy carbonara? You can make this carbonara sauce with cream, if you want! Try mixing ¼th cup heavy cream into the egg and cheese mixture. The resulting sauce is extra luxurious!
Recipe for Carbonara Sauce FAQ
Carbonara sauce is a silky, creamy sauce made with eggs, oil, and Pecorino or Parmesan cheese. This remarkable sauce uses no cream to make a super creamy sauce that thickly coats pasta! Pancetta, guanciale, or bacon is used to add salty flavor, while optional add-ins like peas can be added at the end.
Carbonara has a rich flavor almost like a custard, emphasizing salty, savory Pecorino cheese and savory Pancetta. Olive oil, salt, and pepper are used to add extra flavor. Despite being made with mostly eggs, it doesn't taste like egg! Instead the eggs enhance the rich flavor of the cheese, making it creamy and delicious.
While both are pale, creamy sauces that use cheese as a flavoring, Alfredo sauce is a very heavy sauce that relies on heavy cream as a base. Carbonara doesn't use any milk or cream, and instead uses eggs as a base. The heat from the pasta and some reserved pasta water gently cooks the eggs without solidifying them, making them into a rich, custard-like sauce.
The trick about Carbonara is knowing how to heat it without overcooking the eggs! The secret is adding the egg and cheese mix to the warm pasta to start warming up the eggs, then slowly and while stirring rapidly, add in the reserved hot pasta water. Make sure the pasta water is nice and hot and stir frequently to make sure the eggs warm through without cooking hard!
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📖 Recipe
Carbonara Sauce
Equipment
- Deep pot
Ingredients
- 16 oz Spaghetti or favorite pasta
- 2 Tablespoons Salt for pasta water
- 2 Tablespoons Olive oil
- 4 ounces Pancetta diced
- 1 cup Pecorino Romano or Parmesan
- 3 Eggs
- 1 Egg yolk
- 1 cup English peas optional
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a deep pot or large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil. Chop the Pancetta and add it to the oil once it's hot, stirring often, until it's crisp and toasted. Remove, reserving the leftover oil in a separate bowl.2 Tablespoons Olive oil, 4 ounces Pancetta
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and cheese.3 Eggs, 1 Egg yolk, 1 cup Pecorino Romano
- Cook the pasta to package instructions, reserving one cup of pasta water. Add the reserved oil back to the pot and set it to medium heat, and add in the cooked pasta. Slowly add in the egg mixture, stirring constantly.16 oz Spaghetti, 2 Tablespoons Salt
- Add in the reserved pasta water very slowly to keep the sauce from getting dry, mixing very well.
- Add in the cooked pancetta and english peas if using, tossing until it's well mixed and warmed through.1 cup English peas, Pepper
- Heat up a serving bowl in the oven or with hot water, then serve with freshly ground black pepper, and enjoy!
Notes
- You want the pasta water to be nice and hot, but not boiling. If it gets too cool, feel free to reheat it in the microwave!
- Pancetta is the perfect meat for this dish, but if you can't find it, thick-cut bacon will taste delicious too!
- If you can find them, local eggs will take this dish to a whole new level. Trust me- the difference is incredible!
- Don't reheat this recipe. Reheating egg-based sauces will turn the sauce into scrambled eggs. Instead, make sure you're making just enough for everyone and enjoy it nice and fresh!
- Make sure to serve this dish in warm bowls! It makes a big difference and keeps the sauce extra creamy and delicious.
Nutrition
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