15-Minute Creamy Carbonara (Printable)

Quick Italian pasta featuring creamy sauce, crispy pancetta, and Parmesan in 15 minutes.

# 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 - A small 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:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook spaghetti until al dente according to package directions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain.
02 - Heat a large skillet over medium heat and cook diced pancetta for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally until crisp. Remove from heat.
03 - Whisk together eggs, grated Parmesan, heavy cream (if using), salt, and black pepper until smooth in a mixing bowl.
04 - Add hot, drained pasta to the skillet with pancetta and toss to combine evenly.
05 - Remove skillet from heat and immediately pour egg-Parmesan mixture over pasta, tossing vigorously to coat. Add reserved pasta water gradually until sauce is creamy and glossy.
06 - Plate immediately and garnish with extra Parmesan and fresh parsley if preferred.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than ordering takeout, and tastes like something you'd wait an hour for at a restaurant.
  • The sauce clings to every strand of pasta without feeling heavy or greasy.
  • You probably already have most of these ingredients sitting in your fridge right now.
02 -
  • The skillet must be off the heat when you add the eggs, or you'll end up with scrambled egg bits instead of a silky sauce.
  • Toss fast and don't stop moving the pasta once the eggs go in, the residual heat does the cooking.
  • If the sauce looks too thick, add more pasta water one tablespoon at a time until it loosens up.
03 -
  • Use the hottest pasta possible when mixing with the eggs, the heat is what cooks the sauce without scrambling it.
  • If you can find guanciale instead of pancetta, grab it, the flavor is richer and a little funkier in the best way.
  • Always grate your own Parmesan, the pre-grated stuff has anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting smoothly.
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