Easy, Quick, and Delicious Penne Carbonara!
This easy and quick Penne Carbonara is sooo delicious and will have your family craving for more!
Equipment
- Large skillet
- large pot for cooking the pasta
Ingredients
- 1 lb penne pasta cooked according to package directions to al dente; I have allowed for 10 minutes in this recipe but please adjust according to your package directions
- 5 slices bacon diced
- 8 cloves garlic minced; I usually go heavy on the garlic but please adjust to your tastes
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup parmesan cheese freshly grated, plus additional for garnish
- ¼ ts salt plus additional to taste
- ½ ts black pepper plus additional to taste
- Italian parsley optional garnish
- olive oil optional - this is if you prefer to use olive oil instead of bacon fat to sauté your garlic
Instructions
- Cook your diced bacon in a large skillet on medium high heat. Fry the bacon a bit until slightly crispy. You want a little bit of crispiness but don't overdo this part. This may take between 3-5 minutes. Stir often.
- Once the bacon is slightly crispy, remove all but about 2-3 tablespoons of the bacon fat. (If you are using olive oil instead of the bacon fat, please remove all of the bacon fat at this time or use another skillet). Lower the heat to medium low heat, then add the garlic. Once done, add garlic and sauté for around 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to let the garlic burn. Turn off the heat, then set the skillet aside for now.
- Place eggs and parmesan cheese in a small bowl. Whisk well until both ingredients are well incorporated. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, cook your penne in a large pot of boiling water according to package directions to al dente. Just prior to draining, reserve a cup of the pasta water. Drain penne.
- Add the penne to the skillet which has the garlic and bacon. Allow this to cool about a minute, and then add the whisked egg and parmesan cheese to the skillet. Stir well to incorporate, and add a little reserved pasta water (only if needed) to loosen up the pasta. You are aiming for a smooth and silky sauce, with no scrambled eggs in sight. Add ¼ ts salt and ½ ts black pepper. Stir to combine, taste, and add additional seasoning if so desired.
- Serve! Garnish with Italian parsley, fresh grindings of black pepper, and additional parmesan cheese if desired. Mangia!
Notes
I use the bacon fat to sauté the garlic in this recipe. However, you could sub 1 tablespoon of olive oil if you prefer.
You may not need to add any of the reserved pasta water. First be sure to incorporate the egg and parmesan cheese. If the penne is not silky and smooth, add a little reserved pasta water at a time until you achieve the silky sauce you are after.
To avoid scrambled eggs, you do want the skillet and contents to cool off a bit, but not so much that it is too cold and the eggs won't cook. I recommend allow around a minute to cool off (remove from the heat).
Enjoy this most delicious of pasta dishes with your family!!
Nutrition
Calories: 537kcalCarbohydrates: 87gProtein: 24gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 132mgSodium: 402mgPotassium: 335mgFiber: 4gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 277IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 202mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!