Authentic pasta carbonara is easy to make and full of flavor! Featuring plenty of savory bacon, a cheesy egg sauce, and tender spaghetti, itโs a hearty weeknight meal that is sure to satisfy all pasta lovers.
What is pasta carbonara, you may ask? Itโs spaghetti prepared with a special sauce and pan-fried meat. Pasta carbonara was first seen in the Rome region of Italy. No one knows the exact story behind the origination of the dish, but we do know the location of where the dish comes from. The word carbonara in Italian has links to charcoal, and many people believe that the dish was first made by coal miners. However it came to be, the popularity of the dish increased across Italy and spread throughout the world after World War II. Itโs traditionally made with spaghetti, pancetta, eggs, and cheese.
Pasta Options:
Any kind of pasta can be used in this dish, as carbonara refers to the sauce itself. Many times you will see spaghetti-type pasta used to make this dish, but other pasta shapes can be used as well! Here are some ideas:
- Angel hair
- Bucatini
- Egg noodles
- Fettuccine
- Linguine
No matter what type of pasta you choose, be sure to cook it al dente!
Cheese Options:
If you canโt find any pecorino romano cheese, you can replace it with:
- Parmigiano Reggiano
- Parmesan
- Asiago
- Grana Padano
Can I Make This Dish If Iโm Allergic To Eggs?
There are a lot of eggs in authentic pasta carbonara. Check out our recipe for eggless spaghetti carbonara if youโre allergic to eggs or simply donโt want to use them!
Does Authentic Carbonara Have Cream?
One of the defining features of this dish is the creamy sauce. Donโt be fooled: authentic carbonara pasta does not include any added cream or milk! The thick and velvety texture of the sauce comes from the eggs.
What Meat Is Traditionally Used In Authentic Pasta Carbonara?
The most authentic pasta carbonara is made with guanciale, which is an Italian cured meat. If you canโt find it in the supermarket, you can also use pancetta or pancetta affumicata. You can also simply use bacon!
Troubleshooting: Why Is My Carbonara Goopy?
If you end up with a goopy carbonara, you probably added too many many egg whites. You can fix this by adding more cheese. Make sure to add it one tablespoon at a time, as you donโt want to overdo it on the cheese either! If you do, simply add a bit of pasta water (water drained from cooked pasta) to fix it.
Storage and Reheating Instructions:
You can store any leftover authentic carbonara pasta in an airtight container in the fridge. It will keep for up to 4 days. Itโs best to reheat pasta carbonara over the stove rather than in the microwave. Toss your pasta in a skillet over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes until heated through. If the pasta appears dry, add olive oil 1 teaspoon at a time until you get the consistency and texture youโre after.
If you like this recipe, you may be interested in these other delicious pasta recipes:
Looks so good girls
Easy and delicious
I really love all your recipes. Been following you since pandemic. Your recipes are my life savior.
I made this for dinner tonight for the first time ever!!! Was so simple, yet elegant! I added mushrooms, red peppers, shallots, and served with scallops and homemade sourdough bread! Thank you for sharing the yumminess!! ๐คค
Excellent and easy recipe! Iโve made this several times and itโs always delicious!
I just made this Authentic Style Pasta Carbonara, and it’s delicious plus so easy to make! I’m looking forward to making this for family and friends, as they’re getting accustomed to me making the best dishes because of Rachel, The Stay At Home Chef! Thank you for another wonderful recipe!
I haven’t had a recipe yet from your site that we didn’t love. Your French bread would be wonderful with this recipe to make garlic bread. We LOVE your pasta Pomodoro. Heck, we love all your recipes. Best diner rolls ever, the spicy Thai pasta salad, the brownies…skillet rolls! this is my favourite site ever.
This is a wonderful dish! So easy! Great for a weekday meal. Thanks so much for sharing itโs my now go to for fast meals that taste amazing
This is my go to recipe for pasta carbonara. It was wonderful comfort food and so easy to fix!