This pasta carbonara with cream and bacon is an easy weeknight meal. It's creamy, uses fresh parmesan cheese, and is so delicious.
Lots of people go to dinner on Valentine’s Day. Josh and I don’t do that. Crowds, crazy reservations, special menus? It can be fun, but we wind up preferring to make dinner at home.
And for some reason, more times than not… this creamy pasta carbonara winds up on the menu. Pasta seems romantic for some reason. Maybe it’s the whole Lady and the Tramp thing?
Seems silly, because pasta is not the most easy food to eat, especially when you’re on a date. But still... there it is. That warm pasta with the creamy sauce on a cozy February day.
Now a true spaghetti carbonara may only use eggs, but I love the creaminess that the cream gives the dish. It coats the pasta perfectly.
And I cannot stress the wonder of freshly grated parmesan cheese. So sharp and perfect. It’s so easy to get a wedge and grate it as you need to. We always have one in our house. (And then save the rinds to use in soups!)
Ingredients
- Spaghetti or Angel Hair Pasta - Spaghetti is a perfect pasta for this dish. If you'd like a slightly thinner pasta, angel hair pasta is a great option.
- Bacon - We use bacon because we typically always have some around! If you want to get fancy, you can use pancetta.
- Egg - We like to use high quality, cage free eggs. Pasture raised is even better!
- Heavy Cream - While pasta carbonara doesn't typically use cream, I do like the extra creaminess the cream brings to the dish.
- Parmesan Cheese - We keep a wedge of fresh parmesan cheese in our refrigerator and grate is as needed. I cannot recommend this enough. I will never buy the tubs of parmesan again. Well.. I guess never say never, but the fresh stuff is just SO good.
- Dried Oregano - Oregano is one of my absolute favorite spices, and it gives this pasta carbonara a little extra flavor.
- Salt and pepper - salt and pepper is integral to any dish! You may not need much salt, because the bacon already adds a nice bit of saltiness.
How to customize
The spaghetti carbonara is so easy to customize! You can top with fresh herbs like parsley, oregano, or thyme.
For a little spice, you can add a little Calabrian chile paste, red pepper flakes, or a pinch of ground cayenne pepper.
You could also top with some sauteed mushrooms, sauteed zucchini or asparagus.
What to serve with the pasta carbonara
We usually eat the pasta carbonara on its own. Big bowls of it.
However, it's also delicious served alongside air fryer panko chicken, arugula salad, or air fryer cheesy garlic bread. These spicy Calabrian shrimp or air fryer pesto shrimp would also be delicious served on top of or on the side of the pasta carbonara.
Recipe notes
- Total cook time of this meal may depend on what type of pasta you use. Angel hair pasta will cook more quickly than regular spaghetti.
- This is not a traditional pasta carbonara, as this version uses cream and bacon.
How to make spaghetti carbonara with cream
First, start the water boiling for pasta.
While the water starts to boil, cut bacon into bite-sized pieces and cook.
Shred your fresh parmesan cheese! You can do this using a grater or even. food processor (with grating attachment).
Crack the egg into a bowl, add the heavy cream, and then whisk together.
Cook the pasta, drain, then add the egg mixture and mix together. Add the cheese and oregano and stir.
Plate, top the spaghetti carbonara with the cooked bacon and more cheese if you like. Season with salt and pepper and enjoy.
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Spaghetti Carbonara with Cream
Ingredients
- ½ pound spaghetti or angel hair pasta
- 3 slices bacon
- 1 egg
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 2 teaspoon dried oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Start by boiling water for pasta. Salt the water.
- While water starts to boil, cut bacon into small pieces and cook through. (This can be done in a pan on the stove or in the microwave).
- Once water is boiling, add pasta to the water and make sure to mix so the pasta separates and does not end up stuck together.
- Prepare the sauce by cracking the egg into a bowl. Add the heavy cream and lightly beat together with a fork.
- Once the pasta is cooked, drain and return to the pot. Add the cream/egg mixture and stir so the pasta is coated in the sauce. Add the cheese, oregano, and then salt and pepper to taste and combine.
- Divide the pasta into two bowls and top with the cooked bacon (and more grated parmesan if desired!)
Notes
- Total cook time of this meal may depend on what type of pasta you use. Angel hair pasta will cook more quickly than regular spaghetti.
- This is not a traditional pasta carbonara, as this version uses cream and bacon.
Nutrition
If nutrition info is shown, values are based on an online calculator and are estimates. Please verify using your own data.
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