Classic Spaghetti Carbonara

Name: Classic Spaghetti Carbonara
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: European, Italian, Mediterranean
Ingredients: 1 lb spaghetti; 4 large eggs + 2 egg yolks (the extra yolks make it richer); 1 cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano (plus more for serving); 8 oz pancetta or bacon, diced; Freshly cracked black pepper (use a lot); Salt for pasta water; 1 tbsp olive oil (optional, if bacon is lean)

Instructions

Prep:10minCook:15min

I put off making carbonara for way too long because I thought I'd mess it up. Turns out, with the right temperature and a little pasta water, it's actually hard to screw up.

Updated at: Fri, 20 Feb 2026 21:43:27 GMT