Weeknight Pasta Carbonara

We’re in a real phase over here.

A ‘regular’ phase.

Some parents may know it as the ‘plain’ phase, the ‘simple’ phase, or perhaps the ‘buttered pasta’ phase.

I went through it myself as a selective young eater, and now I’m witnessing history repeat itself in my 3, almost 4 year old daughter.

To be clear. This was not a recipe created to indulge her whims. It’s also not about sneaking in ‘healthy’ ingredients.

It’s simply a recipe that works for my whole family. One that doesn’t require short order cooking or making a separate meal. One that didn’t even require setting aside ‘regular’ pasta while we enjoyed ours with a long-simmered bolognese.

It’s the holy grail of family meals, guys. 20 minutes. Everyone is eating the exact same thing. On a flipping weeknight, no less!

Carbonara for mayor!

I was intimidated by carbonara for a long time. First separating the egg yolks, then making sure they didn’t get too hot and scramble instead of transform into a luxurious silky sauce.

Well, dammit, I’ve wasted a lot of years worrying for nothing.

This method uses whole eggs, which yay! no separating eggs and no fretting over what to do with the egg whites. The eggs add more oomph and body than a simple buttered pasta would have, along with all the good stuff in eggs that make one feel full and satisfied.

I’m sharing this recipe using bacon, which is closer to traditional carbonara, but you can absolutely make a vegetarian version – and it’s even easier! Simply leave out the bacon, and sauté the minced garlic in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. The rest of the steps are identical.

Add some spring peas or spinach, or anything you damn well please.

If you have selective pre-schoolers though, you may want to set aside some ‘regular’ first.

Erin

Weeknight Pasta Carbonara

Print recipe

Ingredients

• 454g pasta (noodle of choice!)
• 4 slices bacon
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 3 Large eggs
• 1 cup finely grated parmesan cheese (plus more for garnish)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1.	Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a generous tablespoon of salt. Cook pasta shape according to package directions.
2.	Meanwhile, in a skillet over medium heat cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon and set aside. To same skillet, add garlic and sauté for a minute until softened.
3.	In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, parmesan cheese and salt.
4.	Once the pasta is cooked, strain and reserve 1.5 cups of pasta water. Add the cooked pasta directly into the pan with the bacon fat and garlic and toss to coat the noodles. Remove pan from heat.
5.	Add eggs and parmesan mixture to pasta while stirring. Add pasta water, a few tablespoons at a time, until desired creamy consistency is achieved. Add salt and pepper to taste.
6.	Crumble or chop bacon pieces. Toss half with the pasta and sprinkle the other half on top. Serve right away.