What kind of pasta is used in Carbonara?

Pasta carbonara is most commonly made with spaghetti, but any pasta will work in this recipe. I prefer to use a long pasta shape because it's more like spaghetti, and I love using bucatini as an alternative to spaghetti. But, you can use whatever pasta you have on hand, even if it's not long. Just be sure to follow the package directions for al dente when cooking.

Should carbonara have cream?

Absolutely not. Carbonara sauce is creamy because of the tempered eggs used to make the sauce. There should be no cream or butter in the recipe. Traditionally, carbonara has parmesan or pecorino cheese in the sauce, but this recipe does not include it.

Does pasta carbonara have raw eggs?

Yes. Pasta carbonara is made with raw eggs which are tempered with hot pasta sauce. This cooks the egg and brings it to a safe temperature while preventing the egg from scrambling or clumping in the sauce.

Why is my carbonara not creamy?

This is a common problem with carbonara, and you can fix it by maintaining the right temperature during the cooking process. You want to keep the pasta and bacon warm while you're tempering the eggs with hot pasta water. Once the eggs are tempered, they still need to be heated when they're added to the pasta. Cook the tossed pasta over medium-heat, and stir frequently until the sauce thickens.

Creamy Pasta Carbonara Recipe (Dairy Free!)

Ingredients

Scale

1 16-ounce package pasta
8 slices thick cut bacon, sliced into thin strips
4 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
4 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 lemon, juiced and zested
1/4 – 1/2 cup chopped fresh chives

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions for al dente. Before straining, reserve 1/3 – 1/2 cup of the cooking water for the sauce.
Heat a large skillet or frying pan to medium-high, and bacon and sauté, until slightly crispy, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic. Sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds, and turn off the heat.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, salt, lemon juice and zest. Temper the eggs by whisking the reserved pasta water into them while still hot.
Add the pasta and egg mixture to the pan with the bacon. Stir everything together and allow the eggs to coat the pasta. As it starts to heat, the sauce should start to thicken.
Add additional pasta water, if needed. Adjust seasoning with salt & pepper, to taste.
Garnish with chives and serve immediately.

Category: Mains
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 bowl
Calories: 309
Sugar: 2.4 g
Sodium: 378.5 mg
Fat: 7.4 g
Saturated Fat: 2.3 g
Carbohydrates: 45.4 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 14.7 g
Cholesterol: 104.4 mg

Keywords: dairy free, egg, bacon, creamy carbonara recipe, creamy carbonara, carbonara sauce, spaghetti carbonara recipe, how to make carbonara sauce, easy carbonara recipe, carbonara recipe no cream, spaghetti carbonara recipe