Spaghetti carbonara, Italian delicacy transforming a handful of humble ingredients into a creamy and tasty masterpiece, being now enjoyed all across the world. This iconic pasta relies on nothing but eggs, cheese, pancetta and pepper, creating simple but comforting combination of flavours. Thanks to a step-by-step photo guide from Hana’s Recipes, you can prepare spaghetti carbonara easily from your home kitchen! We wish you the best of luck!
Spaghetti carbonara: Its modern twists thanks to high popularity
Despite its origin in Rome, spaghetti carbonara has spread worldwide, certainly for its simple preparation as well as the utilisation of widely available, yet flavourful ingredients that combine ideally together. Although the majority of people likes to stick to the traditional recipe, there are also those who enjoy mixing things up and creating new variations of classics. Here are some twists for the spaghetti carbonara:
- Spicy carbonara: Widely popular around the world. Besides the original ingredients, there is a spicy addition, either in the form of chilli flakes or freshly diced chilli peppers. If you wish to prepare spaghetti carbonara in this way, the choice for the chilli addition is completely up to your preference. You may also incorporate spicy sausages or a few drops of hot sauce into the egg mixture for more powerful flavours.
- Vegetable carbonara: Although the Italian classic does not originally involve vegetables, many people tend to add specific types for extra nutritious pasta meal, such as mushrooms, spinach, asparagus or peas. They can be either substituted for the pancetta / bacon or added anyways for more diverse flavours. Smoked paprika is often used as well.
- Seafood carbonara: What is also widely implemented within carbonara variations is the seafood, for instance shrimps, crabs or scallops. If you have decided to go for such a variation, do not forget to also add white wine, lemon or special fish spices to enhance the natural seafood flavours in the spaghetti carbonara. Fresh parsley is a great idea to incorporate within this variation too.
- Pasta alternatives: When we say carbonara, we immediately picture spaghetti as the pasta type to utilise. However, you can easily use other types too. These days, people have a tendency to choose healthier pasta, such as the whole grain, gluten free, even spiralled vegetables like zucchini or sweet potatoes. Do not be afraid to experiment, as it seems anything is possible to try out nowadays.
There are many more variations we could potentially mention, however firstly, it is necessary for each chef to master the original recipe, then play with it further. Therefore, take a look at the photo recipe for the Italian classic below and prepare such pasta in the way it was always made! Good luck and have fun!
Needed ingredients
- 40 g of bacon,
- 40 g of grated Parmesan or Grana Padano (any other cheese type is also fine),
- 2 eggs,
- 160 g of raw spaghetti,
- 2 pieces of garlic,
- Ground black pepper,
- Parsley (optional but a great decoration at the end)
Spaghetti carbonara: Classic Italian preparation
1
At first, prepare the ingredients. Peel the garlic and cut the bacon into small cubes. In a bowl, mix 2 whole eggs with grated Parmesan, using a fork. If you prefer another cheese type, do not hesitate to replace.
2
Next, boil the spaghetti. Place the bacon in a pan and heat it slowly to extract as much fat as possible. Gradually increase the temperature.
3
After about 5 minutes, add 2 cloves of garlic (crushed with a knife). Do not press. It is enough to add the garlic as a whole like shown in the picture. It still releases its flavour into the bacon fat.
4
When the spaghetti is cooked, add it directly to the pan without rinsing. It will hiss a bit, so be careful. At the same time, add a few tablespoons of pasta water, in which the spaghetti was cooked before.
5
Remove from the heat. This is the right time to add the egg-cheese mixture. Stir continuously in the pan, away from the direct heat source for about 2-3 minutes. Then serve immediately!
And you’re done! Enjoy your spaghetti carbonara from the comfort of your home!
In a mood for any more Italian recipes? Hana’s Recipes portal recommends trying out the past blog posts for Italian meatballs, spaghetti bolognese as well as lasagne bolognese. And of course, the dessert never hurt anyone before, therefore take a look onto the Italian tiramisu recipe too! Bon appetite!
Spaghetti carbonara: Similar classic videorecipe for the comparison
FAQ: Do I need cream to make spaghetti carbonara?
This is quite a common worry people tend to have. As it could have been noticed before, classic recipe for spaghetti carbonara does not include any cream. That is because the creaminess of the sauce poured onto spaghetti comes from the utilised eggs and cheese. Although it is not necessary, one of the modern twists in the carbonara recipe does suggest the use of cream, so if you wish to include it, you sure can! The choice is yours as always!
