Authentic pasta carbonara is easy to make and full of flavor! Featuring plenty of savory bacon, a cheesy egg sauce, and tender spaghetti, it’s a hearty weeknight meal that is sure to satisfy all pasta lovers.
What is pasta carbonara, you may ask? It’s 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. It’s 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 can’t find any pecorino romano cheese, you can replace it with:
- Parmigiano Reggiano
- Parmesan
- Asiago
- Grana Padano
Can I Make This Dish If I’m Allergic To Eggs?
There are a lot of eggs in authentic pasta carbonara. Check out our recipe for eggless spaghetti carbonara if you’re allergic to eggs or simply don’t want to use them!
Does Authentic Carbonara Have Cream?
One of the defining features of this dish is the creamy sauce. Don’t 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 can’t 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 don’t 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. It’s 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 you’re after.
If you like this recipe, you may be interested in these other delicious pasta recipes:
This is exactly the way my sister makes it. She lived in Italy and learned to make this simple and wonderful dish there. Most people/restaurants here add cream, a real no-no. Thanks, Rachel.
Yum! 😀 I added a giid dash of crushed garlic (we are garlic mad here,) and some coconut milk and a teeny bit of lemongrass..delish!
I love your site and recipes!! My daughter and I loved this one!! Next I’m trying the eggless version!!
Amazing! New family favorite
I made this for my family of 3 tonight and it was delicious! Great, easy recipe.
It was delicious and so easy.
What about using cubed ham pieces from a ham steak?
I can’t wait to try it!
this is part of our monthly rotation, very good thank you
For the first time ever, mine did not turn out and was super dry🥺
I don’t know what I did wrong.