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The Boat Shed Kitchen

Creamy Bacon Carbonara with Garlic

This Creamy Bacon Carbonara with Garlic delivers a velvety, cheesy pasta dish made the traditional Italian way—with eggs, Parmesan, bacon, and garlic. Simple pantry staples come together in under 30 minutes for an indulgent yet easy meal.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 600
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 10 slices bacon
  • 8½ cups water 2L for pasta, 120ml for bacon
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 lb spaghetti or linguine
  • 1¼ cups finely grated parmesan cheese
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
  • Chopped fresh parsley optional

Method
 

  1. Cook bacon with 120ml water over medium-high for 6–7 mins, then medium-low for 6–8 mins until crispy.
  2. Drain and reserve 15g bacon fat.
  3. In same pan, sauté garlic in 5g bacon fat for 30 seconds. Set aside.
  4. Whisk eggs, yolk, Parmesan, pepper, and 15g bacon fat in a bowl.
  5. Boil pasta in salted water. Reserve 240ml pasta water.
  6. Toss hot pasta with egg mixture, slowly adding 120ml pasta water.
  7. Mix in bacon and garlic. Let rest 2–4 mins, tossing occasionally.
  8. See full steps with tips & photos → https://theboatshedcafe.com/creamy-bacon-carbonara-with-garlic/

Notes

  • Make sure the pasta is hot when mixing with eggs to cook them gently and create the creamy texture.
  • Avoid scrambling the eggs by stirring constantly and not adding too much heat.
  • Add more pasta water if the sauce thickens too much while resting.