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A creamy, comforting Italian-American classic. Rich egg and cheese sauce coats perfectly cooked pasta, studded with salty pancetta and sweet green peas. A restaurant-quality meal ready in under 30 minutes.
Cook the Pasta
Render the Pancetta
Prepare the Sauce Base
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A creamy, comforting Italian-American classic. Rich egg and cheese sauce coats perfectly cooked pasta, studded with salty pancetta and sweet green peas. A restaurant-quality meal ready in under 30 minutes.
This italian_american recipe takes 25 minutes to prepare and yields 4 servings. At 959.19 calories per serving with 35.2g of protein, it's a moderately challenging recipe perfect for lunch or dinner.
Create the Creamy Sauce
Serve Immediately
Use 6 oz of thick-cut bacon, chopped, if pancetta is unavailable. You can also use guanciale for a more authentic Roman flavor.
Omit the pancetta. Sauté 8 oz of sliced cremini mushrooms in 2 tbsp of olive oil and use them as the base.
While spaghetti is classic, this sauce works beautifully with other shapes like fettuccine, bucatini, or rigatoni which have ridges to catch the sauce.
Use a 50/50 blend of Pecorino Romano and Parmigiano-Reggiano for a slightly nuttier, less salty flavor.
The combination of eggs and pancetta provides a significant amount of high-quality protein, which is essential for muscle repair, growth, and overall body function.
The complex carbohydrates in the spaghetti provide a steady source of energy, making this a satisfying and fueling meal.
Eggs and pork are excellent sources of B vitamins, particularly B12 and B6, which are crucial for energy metabolism and brain health.
The key is to work entirely off the heat. Once the pasta and pancetta are combined, remove the pan from the stove. Temper the egg mixture by slowly whisking in a little hot pasta water before adding it to the pasta. Then, toss everything vigorously. The residual heat is enough to cook the sauce without turning it into scrambled eggs.
This is a delicious Italian-American version. Traditional Roman Carbonara is made with only guanciale, eggs, Pecorino Romano, black pepper, and pasta water. The addition of cream and peas is a popular variation in the United States that makes the sauce richer and adds a touch of sweetness.
Yes. For a vegetarian alternative, omit the pancetta and sauté 8 oz of sliced mushrooms or diced zucchini in olive oil with the garlic. You'll miss the salty pork flavor, so you may need to adjust the seasoning with a bit more salt at the end.
Spaghetti is the classic choice, but any long pasta like bucatini or fettuccine works well. Short, tubular pasta like rigatoni or penne is also excellent as the hollows and ridges trap the creamy sauce.
Pasta Carbonara is an indulgent dish, high in calories, fat, and sodium from the pancetta and cheese. While it provides protein from eggs and pork, and carbohydrates for energy, it should be enjoyed in moderation as part of a balanced diet.
A typical serving of this Pasta Carbonara with Peas contains approximately 800-950 calories, depending on the exact ingredients and portion size. The majority of calories come from the pasta, pancetta, cheese, and cream.