The REAL Creamy Carbonara Recipe (Authentic, without cream)🍝✨
Hey pasta lovers! 👋
Confession time: I used to think carbonara was just... meh. 😬 I always found it too heavy and overwhelming with all that cream. Plus, guanciale (that fancy Italian cured pork) is not really my thing too. But then I tried the real deal - authentic Italian carbonara without a drop of cream - and OMG, I crave it a lot now!
This silky, luxurious(but doesn’t cost a lot to cook at home) dish is actually WAY easier, FASTER, and CHEAPER than the cream-loaded version most places in Singapore serve. You can whip it up in just 15 minutes, so I hope you’ll try it for yourself one day!
Why You'll Love This Recipe ❤️
Quicker than delivery: Just 15 minutes from start to finish, we love stress-free cooking
Budget-friendly: Get basic supermarket ingredients within your budget
Authentic technique: My dream for this world is that no one associates cream with carbonara EVER
Perfectly creamy: That silky texture & addictive flavours without the heaviness of cream and just simple ingredients:)
Weeknight hero: Very very doable after work and it’s sure to make the family or yourself happy!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 3 pax
Ingredients
Thick spaghetti or the authentic bucatini (or use any pasta you love)
100-150g guanciale or pancetta, diced (use thick cut/diced bacon in a pinch)
2 egg yolks + 1 whole egg, whisked
70-80g pecorino romano cheese, finely grated (but we used parmesan cheese)
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp of oil from rendering diced guanciale
Salt for pasta water
Method
Boil a pot of water: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a generous pinch of salt (but not overly much - the guanciale and cheese are already salty!).
Crisp up the guanciale: While waiting, add the diced guanciale to a cold pan, then turn to medium heat. Cook until the fat renders and the meat gets crispy. Remove from heat, let crisped guanciale rest on a plate lined with paper towels but keep all that gorgeous fat for later! (If you’re using bacon which has less fat, top up with extra virgin olive oil if there’s not enough oil after rendering)
Prep your sauce base: In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, egg yolk, and grated cheese. Add plenty of freshly ground black pepper. This is THE MOST IMPORTANT part - get this mixture ready before your pasta is done! (save the remaining egg whites for a high protein breakfast the next day)
Cook the pasta: Add pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente according to package instructions.
Make it creamy: HERE'S WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS! Add guanciale oil to the sauce base you prepared earlier and mix well. Once the pasta is done, add it to a large pan or bowl where it’s easy to toss with the sauce base. We usually have a large pan on standby because we use it to cook our meat! You want the pasta water to be transferred along with the pasta, so don’t drain your cooked pasta at all! This is super important~
The magic moment: Add the sauce mixture to the pasta and toss quickly! Don’t let it sit on top of the hot pasta, keep it moving constantly to give rise to a super creamy and silky sauce. This happens when the residual heat from the pasta + pasta water meets the cheese & eggs in the sauce mixture. The residual heat will cook the eggs just enough to create that silky sauce. If it looks too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water.
Serve immediately: Plate it up and finish with more cheese and black pepper on top if you wish! Enjoy~
Tips To Nail It Every Time 🔥
Temperature is key: Letting the pasta cool for a bit before adding the sauce mixture prevents scrambling. You want silky carbonara, not pasta with scrambled eggs! Highly recommend not to use the same pot you boiled the pasta in unless it’s well cooled.
Keep it moving: Don't stop tossing the pasta when you add the egg mixture. Constant motion = perfectly smooth sauce.
Substitutes that work: No guanciale? Pancetta works great! In a real pinch, bacon will do, though it will taste smokier than traditional carbonara (& has less fat for us to render too).
Cheese matters: Authentic carbonara uses Pecorino Romano, which has a sharper flavour than Parmesan. If you only have Parmesan, it'll still be delicious! We actually find Pecorino Romano a little too strong in taste. Buy authentic Parmesan if you can, we linked one down below!
Pre-grate your cheese: Have everything ready before you start cooking - this recipe requires you to move FAST!
Egg:Serving ratio: Give 1 egg yolk per pax you are serving. It is okay not to include egg whites at all if its confusing for you when changing the proportions in this recipe. The flavour is all in the yolks~
Creamy Carbonara Without Cream
I promise, once you try this version, you'll never go back! This carbonara takes just 15 minutes of your time, costs a fraction of the price, and tastes like something from a high-end Italian restaurant.
Plus, there's something so satisfying about creating this magical transformation from simple ingredients into a luxurious dish that feels special, even on a random Tuesday night.
Shop some of our groceries and kitchen tools for this Potato & Minced Meat Childhood Recipe:
We used homemade guanciale. Or you can buy it from Ryan’s Grocery. Pancetta can be found at Little Farms sometimes!
