Creamy Pancetta Carbonara
This Creamy Pancetta Carbonara is the ultimate comfort food. It’s packed full of flavor and intensely rich, and still really easy to prepare!
So I’m back from sabbatical. I took about a month off (though not intentionally) to make a 2,000 mile move! PS – if you live in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Oregon or Washington, I waved from the car!
But now that I’m settled in I’m excited to get back to work and show you some incredible recipes I’ve been sitting on for a few weeks and have been DYING to share!
Starting with this incredibly delicious and creamy pancetta carbonara.
It’s pretty painless to make – nothing more than boiling some noodles and frying some pancetta.
And believe it or not, this recipe doesn’t have any salt in it. None. And I promise it isn’t bland!
The quality of your ingredients matters, and if you ever see a recipe that calls for only one clove of garlic (gasp), know that it means you really need two or more to get that nice, strong garlic flavor.
Have you made carbonara before? Did it turn into a chunky mess?
One of my biggest tips with this recipe is to toss the pasta and egg yolks in a separate bowl. It helps the eggs cook slowly instead of turning into a pile of chalky, pasty, overcooked egg yolks.
Trust me, I’ve been there. I make these mistakes (over and over) in testing so that I can make sure you receive the best instructions I can give you.
So what’s been cookin’ in your kitchen this month? I want to hear what I missed!
Until next time. X
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Creamy Pancetta Carbonara
Creamy Pancetta Carbonara
This Creamy Pancetta Carbonara is the ultimate comfort food. It’s packed full of flavor and intensely rich, and still really easy to prepare!
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 8 hearty servings 1x
Ingredients
- 12 oz bucatini
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 lb (8 oz) pancetta, sliced 1/4″ thick and diced into cubes
- 1/2 red onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/4 cup fresh parmesan cheese, grated
- 8 large egg yolks
- 4 Tbsp chopped Italian parsley
Instructions
- In a large pot of boiling water, cook the pasta until al dente.
- Reserve 1/3 cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside.
- Place the olive oil in a large skillet set to medium high heat.
- Sauté the pancetta 5-10 minutes, or until the fat has rendered and the pancetta is browned.
- Add the onions and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Stir in the heavy cream and reduce to a simmer.
- Cook until thickened, about 2 minutes, then remove from heat.
- In a large mixing bowl, place the cooked pasta, reserved pasta water and heavy cream mixture.
- With a pair of tongs, toss until the pasta is fully coated.
- Add the parmesan cheese, then half of the egg yolks.
- Toss vigorously, then add the rest of the egg yolks.
- Continue tossing until the sauce emulsifies and thickens, with no yellow streaks remaining. It should resemble a dense, creamy mixture.
- Stir in the chopped italian parsley and enjoy with a tasty side salad!
Notes
Tools
- large pot
- large skillet
- large mixing bowl
- tongs
Everyone’s tastes are different. The parmesan cheese and garlic add enough flavor that salt and pepper is not needed, but taste the finished carbonara before serving and add salt and freshly cracked pepper if desired.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
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