Description
This Creamy Pasta Carbonara recipe offers a luscious blend of flavors with crispy bacon, a silky egg-based sauce, fresh garlic, and a bright lemon twist. Perfectly cooked pasta is combined with a rich, creamy sauce thickened by tempering eggs with pasta water, resulting in a classic Italian dish with a refreshing citrus note and garnished with fresh chives for added color and flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 1 16-ounce package pasta
Bacon and Aromatics
- 8 slices thick cut bacon, sliced into thin strips
- 4 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
Sauce
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 lemon, juiced and zested
- 1/4 – 1/2 cup chopped fresh chives
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Cook pasta in salted water following package instructions until al dente. Before draining, reserve 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water for the sauce.
- Prepare Bacon and Garlic: Heat a large skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add thin strips of bacon and sauté until slightly crispy, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds, then turn off the heat.
- Mix Egg Sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, salt, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Temper the egg mixture by gradually whisking in the reserved hot pasta water to prevent scrambling.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Add the cooked pasta and egg mixture to the pan with the bacon. Stir thoroughly, letting the eggs gently cook from the residual heat and coat the pasta, thickening the sauce.
- Adjust Consistency and Flavor: Add more reserved pasta water if the sauce is too thick. Season with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle chopped fresh chives over the pasta and serve immediately while warm and creamy.
Notes
- Tempering the eggs is crucial to avoid scrambling and achieve a smooth, creamy sauce.
- Use freshly grated lemon zest and juice for a bright, fresh flavor contrast to the rich bacon.
- Reserve pasta water contains starch that helps achieve the silky texture of the sauce.
- Serve immediately as carbonara sauces tend to thicken further upon standing.
- Substitute pasta with gluten-free options if necessary.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: Creamy Pasta Carbonara, Italian pasta recipe, bacon pasta, egg-based pasta sauce, quick pasta dinner
