Creamy Pasta Carbonara Beef Bacon (Printable)

Smooth carbonara sauce with tender pasta and crispy beef bacon for a satisfying meal.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz spaghetti or fettuccine

→ Beef Bacon Mixture

02 - 7 oz beef bacon, cut into small strips
03 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Creamy Carbonara Sauce

04 - 3 large egg yolks
05 - 1 large whole egg
06 - ½ cup heavy cream
07 - ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
08 - 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
09 - ½ teaspoon sea salt

→ Garnish

10 - Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
11 - Extra Parmesan cheese

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti or fettuccine until al dente following package instructions. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add beef bacon strips and sauté until crispy and golden, approximately 5–7 minutes. Remove from heat and leave bacon and rendered fat in the pan.
03 - Whisk together egg yolks, whole egg, heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, black pepper, and sea salt in a bowl until smooth.
04 - Add the drained pasta to the skillet with the beef bacon. Toss thoroughly to coat the pasta evenly with the bacon fat.
05 - Remove skillet from heat. Immediately pour the egg and cream mixture over the pasta, tossing quickly to avoid curdling. Gradually add reserved pasta water, tossing until a creamy sauce forms that clings to the pasta.
06 - Plate the pasta and garnish with additional Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes, so you can have a luxurious dinner on the table even after a long day.
  • The beef bacon adds a deeper, smokier flavor than pancetta, and it crisps up beautifully in the pan.
  • The creamy sauce clings to every strand of pasta without feeling heavy or overly complicated.
02 -
  • Always remove the skillet from the heat before adding the egg mixture, or you will end up with scrambled eggs instead of a silky sauce.
  • The reserved pasta water is your secret weapon, it loosens the sauce and helps it coat the pasta without breaking.
03 -
  • Use the best Parmesan you can find, the flavor really shines through in this dish.
  • Toss the pasta off the heat and work quickly, the residual warmth is all you need to cook the eggs gently into a creamy sauce.

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