A simple, creamy pasta dish, Macaroni Carbonara will satisfy your comfort food cravings as well as your need for fancy-shmancy food that's typically only served at restaurants.
Don't be afraid of the egg that's included, as it will be cooked. It can be a bit tricky to get it just right. You don't want it to cook in clumps (like scrambled eggs). You also don't want it raw.
If done right, your carbonara will turn out nice and creamy with no egg clumps.
The trick is to warm the mixture slowly once the egg is added. Let me guide you through this process.
You Will Need
4 slices bacon
2 cups macaroni (uncooked)
2 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoon garlic (minced)
½ cup parmesan cheese (grated)
¼ cup milk or cream
2 eggs (beaten)
½ teaspoon salt (more to taste)
½ teaspoon black pepper (more to taste)
Making Macaroni Carbonara
You will start by cooking your macaroni (or pasta of choice) according to the package directions in a medium-sized sauce pan.
As the pasta is cooking, you will cook the bacon in a skillet until browned and crispy. After removing the bacon from the pan, you will drain all but about 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat.
With the skillet on low-medium heat, you will cook the garlic in the bacon fat for about 5 minutes or until beginning to brown.
As the garlic is cooking, beat the eggs in a small bowl and add salt, black pepper, and parmesan cheese. Beat the egg mixture again until the ingredients are incorporated nicely together.
When the pasta is done, drain all of the water. Turn off heat and let the pasta cool uncovered for about 5 minutes. Add egg mixture and stir thoroughly.
Turn heat to low and cover for about 10 minutes, stirring after the first 5 minutes. Sauce should be creamy, and egg should be cooked and not overly runny.
Add butter and milk and stir together until butter is melted and mixture is warmed (still on low heat).
Turn heat off, crumble in bacon, and serve right away.
More pasta dishes you will love:
Tortellini Al Forno (with bacon, of course!)
Broccoli Cheddar Pasta (with chicken)
Homemade Hamburger Help (or Cheeseburger Casserole)
📋 Recipe
Macaroni Carbonara
Ingredients
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions in medium sauce pan.
- Meanwhile, cook bacon in a skillet until browned and crispy. Drain all but about 1 tablespoon of bacon fat.
- With skillet on low-medium heat, cook garlic in bacon fat for about 5 minutes or until beginning to brown.
- Meanwhile, beat the eggs in a small bowl and add salt, black pepper, and parmesan cheese. Blend again until incorporated.
- When pasta is done, drain all water. Turn off heat and let cool uncovered for about 5 minutes.
- Add egg mixture and stir thoroughly.
- Turn heat to low and cover for about 10 minutes, stirring after the first 5 minutes. (Sauce should be creamy, and egg should be cooked and not overly runny.)
- Add butter and milk and stir together until butter is melted and mixture is warmed (still on low heat).
- Turn heat off, crumble in bacon, and serve right away.
Nutrition
Don't Forget to Pin For Later!
Bill Neill says
Good recipe but omitted instructions for adding milk and butter.
Sally says
Thanks for the heads up, Bill! I'll fix it right away!
R says
As well as the adding the fried garlic. Only bacon is mentioned not the garlic 🙂 thanks for this no fail recipe, the cooling down really works well without risk