Pasta Carbonara

Article By: Krissy Downey

Fans laud this creamy, rich carbonara recipe because it’s so darn easy, saying it’s some of the best carbonara they’ve ever had. It’s brought to you from Chef Andrew Zimmern of North End Caffe in Manhattan Beach, CA, whose culinary talents have been showcased on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, Chopped and Guy’s Grocery Games. Read on to learn more. 

What Is Pasta Carbonara?

Pasta carbonara is an Italian dish consisting of spaghetti coated in a silky, rich sauce typically made from eggs, Parmesan or Pecorino, guanciale and black pepper. Rome, Italy is known for four classic pasta dishes (among a collection of other culinary delights): cacio e pepe, amatriciana, gricia and carbonara. Italy is a country with a centuries-old culinary tradition, but pasta carbonara is a relatively new dish. While the exact origins are debated by food historians, most people agree that carbonara rose to popularity just following World War II. Carbonara has been around for less than one hundred years, but it has quickly become a staple; you will find it on most menus in Rome and other cities throughout Italy and the United States.

What Are the Ingredients for Carbonara?

A traditional carbonara recipe has just five ingredients- well, six if you count the pasta water:

• Eggs

• Pecorino or Parmesan cheese

• Spaghetti

• Guanciale (cured pork jowl, a cut from the pig’s cheek)

• Black pepper

• Pasta water

Authentic carbonara follows a strict formula, but many American chefs take things to the next level with the addition of extras like cream, garlic and wine. Spaghetti is usually the go-to choice for carbonara, but it is also wonderful with linguine, mezze rigatoni, or really any other hearty pasta shape. These variations may stray from a traditional Italian carbonara, but we love to see chefs take something classic and make it their own. There’s room for all kinds of carbonara recipes at our table.

Should I Use Bacon, Pancetta or Guanciale In Pasta Carbonara?

A traditional spaghetti carbonara uses guanciale, a rich, salty, kind of funky cut of cured pork jowl. We love guanciale, but it does give a very strong flavor, and it isn’t always as easy to find as bacon or pancetta. You really can’t go wrong here- bacon gives a little smokiness, whereas pancetta gives that same deep pork flavor without the smoky taste. Purists will argue that it must be guanciale, but whatever you like best works perfectly.

How To Make Easy, Creamy Pasta Carbonara

Chef Andrew Zimmern’s creamy carbonara recipe packs tons of flavor and comes together in under an hour.

Slowly render the pork: First, he crisps pancetta over low heat, rendering out all the delicious fat.

Add some extra flavor: Then he adds garlic, wine, cream, and black pepper, giving the sauce a rich thickness and depth of flavor.

Know when the sauce is thickened: He cooks it until the sauce is thickened, coating the back of a spoon.

Add al dente pasta: Chef Zimmern then adds linguine that has been cooked about one minute less than the package instructions, finishing the cooking process in the cream sauce.

Gradually mix in the eggs: After that, he removes the pan from the heat and adds the essential carbonara ingredients: eggs and pecorino cheese. However, he doesn’t just dump in those ingredients. He slowly adds in the cheese and the egg whites, then gently stirs in the egg yolk. This helps ensure that the sauce stays creamy and avoids any unwanted scrambled egg situation.