With pasta tossed with diced bacon, grated cheese, and copious amounts of black pepper and topped with a poached egg, this Spaghetti Carbonara recipe is smooth and creamy with incredible flavor. Though simple to make, it tastes and looks like something straight from an Italian restaurant.
The Best Spaghetti Carbonara Recipe
I recently went on the trip of a lifetime to Rome and the Amalfi Coast near Naples, Italy—the center of authentic Italian pasta manufacturing. It was an incredible experience and gave me a whole new appreciation for Italian pasta and their cuisine. While there I enjoyed the best Pasta Carbonara, Cacio e Pepe, Gricia and Pasta Amatriciana.
As soon as I returned home, I knew I had to recreate one of my favorite pasta dishes from the trip – spaghetti carbonara.
Carbonara is typically made with a raw egg that cooks when it hits the hot pasta, which often makes it pasty. My spaghetti carbonara recipe is topped with a poached egg so the yolk is already warm when it tops the spaghetti. This creates a velvety sauce that blends more easily — giving it richness without binding. Rather than using Pancetta here, I used leaner center-cut bacon and also added some greens to the mix – it’s beyond delicious!
Why You’ll Love Spaghetti alla Carbonara
- Simple yet elegant. Carbonara is a simple, straightforward dish to make yet when plated, it looks like something straight from a fancy Italian restaurant.
- Creamy (without cream). Between the broth the noodles are simmered in, fresh cheese, and the egg yolk, spaghetti carbonara has a lusciously creamy texture, without adding any cream at all.
- No need to worry about raw egg. One of the toughest parts of making traditional spaghetti alla carbonara is adding the egg at the right moment, to ensure that it cooks without scrambling. Using a poached egg on top, as we do in this recipe, completely eliminates that concern.
What is Carbonara?
Spaghetti Carbonara is an Italian pasta dish made in Rome with egg, a combination of Pecorino Romano and Parmigiano-Reggiano, guanciale or bacon, and black pepper. Sounds complicated, but it’s actually quite simple to make. Although it’s creamy, it’s actually made without cream.
In traditional spaghetti alla carbonara, the egg yolk is added raw to the hot pasta and starts to cook on contact. The downside to this, unless you’re eating it immediately, is that the carbonara becomes dried out.
Carbonara Sauce
With the method of poaching the egg instead of the traditional raw egg mixture, (inspired by Crispo, my favorite Italian restaurant in NYC that sadly closed after the pandemic), there’s no need to worry if the egg is still raw and the whole bowl of pasta doesn’t get all clumped together when you are ready to eat it.
Carbonara Recipe Ingredients
Carbonara is made with just a handful of simple ingredients. Be sure to check the recipe card below for measurements.
- Spaghetti – I used Delallo spaghetti but you can also use your preferred gluten-free spaghetti.
- Bacon – Instead of traditional pancetta, I opted for center-cut bacon in this recipe, which is a lighter option. Any cured pork would work.
- Chicken broth – Be sure to use low-sodium broth.
- Baby arugula – Frisée lettuce also works.
- Italian parsley
- Salt & pepper
- Cheese – A combination of grated Parmesan like Parmigiano Reggiano and Pecorino Romano offer the classic flavor and creamy texture of this dish.
- Whole Eggs
- Poaching liquid – You’ll need cold water, white vinegar, and salt to make the poaching liquid.
How To Make Spaghetti Carbonara
Carbonara is a very simple dish to make. Here’s an overview and you can find more detailed instructions in the recipe card below.
- Cook the pasta. Cook the pasta to al dente in a pot of generously salted water. Drain, reserving some pasta water, but do not rise.
- Prepare the poaching liquid. Bring the poaching liquid to a boil then leave on low heat.
- Cook the bacon. Cook the bacon until the meat is slightly crisp. Transfer to a plate and leave the fat in the skillet.
- Cook the broth. Add the broth to the bacon fat and simmer to reduce by 1/3. Add in the arugula, parsley, salt and pepper.
- Combine the ingredients. Add the drained pasta to the broth, raise the heat to high, and toss to coat. Cook for 2 minutes then remove from the heat. Stir in the cheese and toss to coat. If the pasta needs more liquid, pour in some of the reserved pasta water. Add the chopped bacon.
- Poach the eggs. Carefully crack each egg into a small bowl and slide into barely boiling poaching liquid. Cook until the whites are set but the yolk is still runny then use a slotted spoon to transfer out of the water.
- Serve. Divide the pasta into four bowls. Place an egg on each serving of pasta and season with salt and pepper.
Tips for Success
Here are a few helpful tips to keep in mind when making this pasta dish.
- Undercook the spaghetti. Be sure to boil the pasta to just barely al dente, as it will continue cooking when you add it to the broth later. If you cook it too much, it’ll end up mushy.
- Don’t drain the bacon fat. I add the broth to the pan with the bacon fat, as that adds so much flavor to the final dish.
- Make sure the poaching liquid reaches the right temperature. For perfect poached eggs, the poaching liquid should be just barely boiling. I recommend bringing the liquid to boiling first then reducing the heat to just boiling.
- Serve hot. To get the creamy texture, stir the egg into the pasta in each individual bowl while it’s still hot.
What To Serve With Carbonara
The addition of the greens in the dish means that you don’t really need any sides to go with this spaghetti carbonara. However, a side salad is never a bad idea! A fresh salad will definitely lighten up and brighten this dinner.
Proper Storage
Spaghetti carbonara is best served immediately and once you add the egg, it does need to be enjoyed right away.
- Fridge. However, if you have leftover pasta before you add the egg, you can store it in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Reheat. To reheat, warm gently in the microwave, with an extra splash of broth if needed. Make the poached egg on the stovetop and add to the top of the reheated pasta.
More Pasta Recipes You Will Love
- Spinach Lasagna Roll Ups
- Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce
- Pasta with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe
- Pasta and Broccoli
- Angel Hair Pasta with Zucchini and Tomatoes
Spaghetti Carbonara Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 ounces dried Delallo spaghetti, or gluten-free spaghetti
- 6 slices center cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch dices
- 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups baby arugula or frisée lettuce , chopped
- 3 tbsp Italian parsley, chopped
- kosher salt and ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
- 3 tablespoons grated Pecorino Romano, preferably Locatelli
- 4 extra large eggs
Poaching liquid:
- 4 cups cold water
- 6 tbsp white vinegar
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil.
- In a deep skillet or medium pot, egg-poaching liquid to a boil over high heat, then leave on low heat.
- Heat a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high heat, cook bacon until fat renders and meat is slightly crisp, about 10 minutes. Set aside with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate, leaving the fat in the skillet.
- At the same time, add the pasta to the salted water, and add the broth to the bacon fat and simmer the broth to reduce by 1/3, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Cook the pasta until al dente, under-cooking by 2 minutes, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta but do not rinse.
- To the broth add the arugula, parsley and 1/4 teaspoon salt and black pepper.
- Add drained pasta, raise heat to high, and toss to coat with sauce.
- Finish cooking the pasta in the broth for 2 minutes, then remove from heat, stir in cheese, and toss. The spaghetti will soak up any liquid. Chop bacon and add to pasta.
- Working one at a time, carefully crack each egg into a small bowl and very gently slide into barely boiling poaching liquid. Cook until whites set but yolks are still runny, about 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, lift each egg out of the water.
- Evenly divide pasta between 4 warm bowls. Place each egg atop each bowl of pasta. Top generously with black pepper.
- Serve immediately, mixing up the pasta to spread the egg and yolk throughout the bowl.
Last Step:
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Nutrition
Sponsored by DeLallo Foods. Thanks for supporting the brands I love that make Skinnytaste possible.
DeLallo Pasta vs Grocery Store Pasta:
- Made in Italy. DeLallo Pasta comes from the town where pasta was born, a region near Naples, at the beginning of the Amalfi Coast.
- Made with just 2 ingredients – wheat and water. The wheat is a locally milled, exclusive blend of the highest quality durum wheat with a high gluten content. It’s mixed with water from the local aquifer in the Lattari Mountains. The pure water contains less calcium so it makes a more supple pasta.
- Dried slowly at low temperatures to preserve pasta’s color, texture and flavor throughout the cooking process. DeLallo pasta has a natural drying time of 18 hours compared to some other commercial brands who bake their pasta for just four hours, and use cheaper, lower protein flour.
- Extruded with bronze dies. Delallo pasta has over 200 bronze dies in different shapes to create a rougher surface that absorbs and captures the sauces. Other manufactures use Teflon and plastic dies to mass produce pasta faster, but definitely not better.
- Cooks perfectly al dente. DeLallo’s pasta is golden in color and cooks up for that signature al dente texture: a tender but firm bite with a fleck of white at its center—what we call the pasta’s soul.
- DeLallo pasta is is made following the strict guidelines of Pasta di Gragnano PGI and is produced in a legally defined territory defined by the king of Napoli two centuries ago. Only pasta in this area can note this distinction, which protects the quality of the product.
This is delicious. We add kale to the recipe. My husband even likes it with the kale
Tasty and fairly quick to prepare. I used asparagus instead of arugula because that’s what was in my fridge!
This recipe is simply delicious! We make and enjoy it often.
Very delicioso!! Something different and husband really enjoyed and I enjoyed making something different and it turning out so well!
This is one of my favorite recipes. This time I used Carba-nada egg fettuccine to cut WW points and it was great too.
Delicious! I’ve made this more than once. I use pancetta instead of bacon. I also use the spinach and arugula mix.
Never had Carbonara before. I made it and it’s amazing! I used pepper bacon and baby arugula. So swanky. I often play the “if I had a restaurant I’d serve this” game. This would be served at my imaginary restaurant for sure.
The spaghetti carbonara is definitely restaurant worthy and was truly so delicious that my husband asked this morning if we could have this same meal again tonight! Served with a simple arugula salad with basil, tomatoes and mozzarella and a glass of nice chardonnay! Love! 🙂
[The Best Spaghetti Carbonara Recipe – Skinnytaste](https://www.skinnytaste.com/spaghetti-carbonara/)
The spaghetti carbonara is definitely restaurant worthy and was truly so delicious that my husband asked this morning if we could have this same meal again tonight! Served with a simple arugula salad with basil, tomatoes and mozzarella and a glass of nice chardonnay! Love! 🙂
Love it! Family begs for it. Usually use spinach instead of arugula and add about a cup of peas.
This was a winner. Even my picky kids raved and asked me to add it to the “favorites” list. They ate theirs over whole wheat spaghetti, but I ate mine over spaghetti squash and it was soooo good! Highly recommend trying this variation!
I love spaghetti carbonara. Over the last 30 or more years, I’ve tried to make it several times, but have NEVER been successful. I didn’t have the greens called for, but I sautéed onions and bell peppers with the bacon. My husband turned up his nose at it, he didn’t like the way it looked with the poached egg on top. HOWEVER – he ate all of it and said it was good, and he’d like to have it again!
Thanks for sharing this recipe. I made it with spinach instead of arugala–a green I had on hand. I also added a few red pepper flakes. It was very good. It’s definitely a keeper that I will add to my brunch rotation.
Loved this recipe but would add garlic next time
Delallo also makes the best whole wheat pasta! I only use whole wheat pasta and my (adult) children who claim they don’t like whole wheat pasta like this kind. I order from their website and shipping is only 5 dollars and they usually add something free. Their clam sauce is also delicious!
If you click the button to compute your Personal Points, it goes to the Crockpot Picadillo recipe and not this one.
Should be fixed now. 🙂
What a tasty dish to cook. Easy to follow recipe card. This is one on our menu planner regularly. I use more cheese than recommended and also sprinkle some chili flakes on top. I’ve also used Cayenne pepper. I don’t always get in right tonight a little too much liquid and used frozen spinach which I didn’t think worked as well.
Delicious and easy to make. I make this all the time substituting spinach. It is a huge favourite in our home.
Forgot to rate it!
This was delicious! And it was also the first time I’d ever poached eggs. We are a family of adventurous eaters, so I was wondering if anyone has added red pepper flakes or garlic to this to pep up the flavor just a tad? We loved this delicious recipe, and we are pretty particular about Italian food…
Delicious! Made as directed, except I used baby spinach and straight parmesan cheese. Absolutely perfect!!!
This was insanely good – my husband said he would want it for his birthday dinner. No one could believe it was even remotely healthy.
I don’t know why I’m ever surprised the Skinny Taste recipes are so easy and delicious!! For a Saturday night in third was perfect, quick and a nice meal for my husband and I! He poached the eggs while I made the other part! So good!
Very good, especially with some hot pepper flakes.
My husband makes this dish for me fairly often because I CRAVE it. It’s light and super flavorful and is super tasty the next day as well. Def has gone in the recipe box!!!!
I loved this recipe!! To make it easier, I made the poached eggs ahead of time. I took them out after about three minutes and then immediately put them in a bowl of ice and water and then into the fridge to stop the yolk from cooking. Then, when ready to serve, I put them in a bowl of hot water for about 45 seconds. This dish is delish!!
Looking for something a little different, try this dish…you won’t be disappointed! This recipe is easy to follow and full of flavor.
Indulgent without the calories !!!!!! Really a great filling dinner.
This was amazing thank you so much for the recipe! I added a little pasta water to the chicken broth to make it a little creamier and it was awesome!!
I was inspired recently by a 7-course dinner I had at a local Italian restaurant. One of the dishes was carbonara and I was dying to make something similar. I am so glad that I stumbled upon this recipe in my search! I was a little afraid to try poaching an egg but it was SO easy. My husband said this recipe was restaurant-worthy. This will definitely be on rotation. Looking forward to lunchtime leftovers 🙂
Great!!
I made this tonight and it came out great! I’ve never poached an egg before but I think I did a pretty good job. I even found DelAllo pasta at my small local grocery store.
HI! I’m using regular spaghetti for this recipe because I can’t find the called for brand locally. Should I use 10 oz dry or 10 oz cooked? 10 oz dry seems like ALOT for 4 people, lol!
I’m looking forward to making this! We love Carbonara! I have a question regarding leftovers. We plan to make this but eat two servings at a time. Should I poach two eggs the first night then poach the other two the next night with the leftovers?
yes I think that would be best to do later.
Thank you!
This is amazing – a huge favorite in my house! I sometimes use spinach if I don’t have arugula. Recipe doesn’t specify when to add back bacon – I add it when I add the pasta.
This was so good! It will defiantly be in my weekend breakfast rotation.
This was amazing! We added some pan seared scallops for the win! Will definitely make it again, hands down!
Great!
My husband was not sure at first about the egg – but he LOVED IT!! We make many of your recipes weekly and they are always delicious! This is one that he has requested we make weekly! Thank you for providing healthy recipes along with a wide variety. – BIG FAN!
Thanks Kim!
Made this for dinner last night. Not too bad. I am not the expert chef but I managed. Very tasty and good! I made this dish with the Italian baked chicken and roasted garlic. Another crowd pleaser! Will make again.
THIS IS NOT CARBONARA!!!
car·bo·na·ra
/käːrbəˈnäːrə/
Learn to pronounce
adjective
denoting a pasta sauce typically made with cured pork, egg, and grated cheese.
This is her recipe. Why complain?
This is outstanding!! Every member of my family loved it, 5 stars — hands down the best meal I’ve cooked in awhile. 🙌🏼
Thanks Maggie!
Love it!
This is so good!! Everyone in my family loved. I didn’t actually add the egg but it was wonderful anyway! Thank you for all your amazing recipes.
This is hella good😋
Fantastic but wondering where I went wrong on recipe builder
10 oz uncooked spaghetti 30 pts
6 slices u cooked bacon 24 pts
Cheeses totaled 5pts
So ended up at 15pts a serving
It was soooo good though !!
6 slices center cut bacon is not 24 points.
This is the BEST! We love it!
Made this recipe many times! Tonight I had Basil and Garlic pork Sausage sitting in the refrigerator- used it instead of bacon and it was delish!
This is a favorite in our household! We love how light yet filling it is! Super easy to make, but tastes like a 5 star dish! Thanks for the new favorite!
Made this one for dinner last night. Anything with an egg on it is good with the 15 YO. I amped up the greens a bit more and it was still really good. Making this one again. Thanks!
This looks SO delicious!
My family really loves this recipe! Thanks for lightening this up, Gina, although it is so good, I doubt I am sticking to my portion.
Since I continue to be a failure at poaching the eggs (I wish I could be as good as the video but it is just a mess over and over), this time I whisked them together with the cheese and 1/3 cup of the boiling pasta water and then added them in as the last step after the broth/arugula/bacon. Tasted just as great.
We poach our eggs in the oven in a muffin tin. They have a weird shape to them, but it gets the job done!
We just throw in raw eggs and toss. I think that is how real carbonara is made – at least that is how my mom did it
OMG! ST rides again!! Restaurant quality that doesn’t hurt my waistline!! Thanks for making me look like a top-notch chef, Gina! We love Skinnytaste!!
*Note: added bacon pieces back in at last step since there was no instruction of when to return them.
I have been making pasta carbonara for years. This recipe was way better than the recipe I have been using. Its really really good…my husband and I finished it off in one sitting.
Very dry. No flavor. Wouldn’t eat ever again.
My family and I loved this when I made it for dinner last night! My only wish is that I could have poached all of our eggs at once (by the time I sat down my daughter had almost polished off her whole bowl!). If I put the pasta back onto the heat after adding the cheese, could I do this original style and just crack and mix the eggs right in at once or is that a bad idea? Either way, my husband said to definitely put this into the rotations. Thanks, Gina!
This recipe is fabulous. Everyone in my family loves it!
Love this recipe!! We make it all the time now. So easy and quick.
So, so good. Lighter than a typical carbonara so we weren’t left feeling bloated after but still so satisfied with how delicious it was. Poaching the eggs was so much easier than expected too. Thanks for making it possible to indulge my pasta cravings without blowing up my calorie count for the day!
Any recommendations for a substitute for Pecorino Romano? I can’t seem to find it in stores near me…
I made this tonight and got an A+ from my husband. He is always so excited when we have real pasta! It was great! Thanks Gina!
Not bacon. It’s smoked and really isn’t the flavor profile for carbonara. Guanciale is traditional, but hard to find. Pancetta is a very good substitute. Also, there are methods for combining the egg yolks and cheeses, then adding the pasta and a little of the cooking water to make a very smooth mix.
Guanciale is hard to find and pancetta will increase the calories and ww points, but of course can be used.
Amazing!
I am an avid Skinnytaster and have loved so many of your recipes, Gina! This one prompted me to comment: AMAZING! My whole family loved this recipe and we ate the whole thing in one sitting. It has so much flavor and diverges from the “usual” on a weekday night. Thanks for posting!
Thanks Maria!
Love this recipe , original or not, this was a Lenten dish so no meat was used. During the Lenten period , forty days before Easter, many Catholics in America ate no meat. During the rest of the year they refrained from eating meat on Fridays . Carbonara, lentils and pasta , beans and pasta , greens and pasta . Who had money for meat anyway? Howard Johnsons served cod fish cakes and spaghetti , most restaurants had meatless specials to accommodation the fasters. Bet some of you remember the specials.
The original recipe uses pork cheek instead of bacon. Try that too
Spaghetti Carbonara is one of my favorites! Thanks so much for doing up a skinny version. I cannot wait to to make this!
Omg. This was amazing. Added fresh garlic and feta.
SO glad you liked it
I made this recipe tonight for dinner. I have never made this before and it was absolutely wonderful! I am putting it into the rotation for sure!
Omg Gina absolutely perfect as it, a million thanks!!
Great recipe! When does the bacon go back in? I added to sauce and pasta.
Great recipe that we all enjoyed. I had to make a couple changes since my family wont eat arugula, I used spinach & some garlic. Will be making again for sure. Thanks for the pasta info, wish I had seen it sooner. I always use Delallo orzo but the last time I was at the store bought their brand, yuck. I will be sure to go back to Delallo.
This was good, but I think a little more liquid would have helped make the pasta less dry, even with the egg, it could have done with some more moisture, perhaps more broth in the onset of mixing the pasta? Also, there’s no direction on when to add the bacon? I haven’t seen your video, maybe you say it there, but it’s not in the recipe. Overall it was still really tasty, I will try it again with some tweaks. Thanks!
Hi. Do you think this would be dry if i slipped the egg?
Skipped*
My son hates eggs so I left it off his. He loved it.
Thanks!! I eat most my meals leftover (evening shift worker) so i don’t think the egg would reheat well although I’m sure it would taste great
Gina, you are a godsend with this recipe for me!!! Thank you. Two months ago I was diagnosed with Barrett’s esophagus and placed on a very restrictive eating style for the rest of my life. For instance, no acidic, tomatoes of any type or sauce, no onions or garlic, spicey spices, lowfat cheeses and milks, no fat or greasy etc. So it has really thrown me for a loop. I love to cook, but not using the above has made it extremely difficult to come up with satisfying meals that taste good. This one really helps a whole lot. I can use turkey bacon and limit the amount of cheese. I am so excited, thank you so much dear heart….. Many hugs to you. Claudia
Hi Gina, do you think turkey bacon would work alright with this?
Sure
Gina, thanks for the recommendation of the pasta. I ordered some of it from the DeLallo website. Can’t wait to make this once I get it!
Great!