Best 15-Minute Creamy Carbonara (Printable)

Silky pasta with crispy pancetta and rich Parmesan, ready in 15 minutes for a quick Italian indulgence.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 7 oz spaghetti or linguine

→ Sauce

02 - 2 large eggs
03 - ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
04 - 3½ tbsp heavy cream (optional)
05 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
06 - 1 small pinch salt

→ Meats

07 - 2.5 oz diced pancetta or guanciale

→ Garnish

08 - Extra Parmesan cheese
09 - Fresh chopped parsley (optional)

# How To Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta cooking water, then drain.
02 - Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced pancetta and cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp. Remove from heat.
03 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, Parmesan, heavy cream (if using), salt, and plenty of freshly ground black pepper until smooth.
04 - Add the hot, drained pasta to the skillet with pancetta and toss to combine.
05 - Remove skillet from heat. Immediately pour in egg-Parmesan mixture, tossing vigorously to coat pasta. Gradually add reserved pasta water as needed until sauce is creamy and glossy.
06 - Transfer to plates and top with extra Parmesan and fresh parsley if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent an hour in the kitchen, but youll be eating in fifteen minutes.
  • The sauce clings to every strand of pasta without a drop of flour or butter.
  • Crispy pancetta adds little bursts of salty richness that make each bite feel indulgent.
  • You only need a handful of ingredients, most of which you probably already have.
02 -
  • Take the skillet off the heat before adding the egg mixture, or youll end up with scrambled eggs instead of a silky sauce.
  • Reserve more pasta water than you think youll need, because adding it gradually is the only way to control the sauces consistency.
  • Work quickly once the pasta is drained, the residual heat is what gently cooks the eggs without curdling them.
03 -
  • Use a large skillet so the pasta has room to move when you toss it, this prevents clumping and ensures even coating.
  • Grate the Parmesan on the finest side of your grater so it melts seamlessly into the sauce.
  • If the sauce tightens up too much, a quick splash of warm pasta water will bring it back to life.
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