Carbonara is one of my favorite comfort food pastas, but I’ve found that not everyone is comfortable with how the eggs are cooked, and some simply can’t eat eggs at all. This is a recipe I developed for those people. You still get that velvety Parmesan sauce that perfectly coats the pasta while not weighing it down. And the crispy bacon? Yes, please!
For more carbonara recipes, try our Authentic Pasta Carbonara or our American Carbonara.
Why Our Recipe
- An eggless sauce that’s still creamy and tastes like traditional carbonara.
- Quick and easy to make as it’s ready in only 15 minutes! (plus the time to boil water)
- Uses affordable and accessible ingredients.
For some reason, I have lots of friends who are a little freaked out by the thought of putting raw eggs into the pasta. While the eggs definitely get cooked by the heat of the pasta in traditional carbonara, they still get a little worried. Then there are the friends and family with egg allergies! I decided to come up with an egg-free version of spaghetti carbonara so that everyone can enjoy this delicious meal at my table.
Ingredient Notes
- Bacon: Just your standard, thin-sliced bacon will do. If you want to beef it up, you can use thick-cut bacon.
- Spaghetti: Just use from the box. Cook to al dente, tender but firm, according to the package directions.
- Butter: Combined with heavy cream to make the light, eggless sauce.
- Garlic: Freshly minced garlic provides the best flavor, but jarred minced garlic works too. Jarred just has a less sweet, slightly more bitter flavor.
- Heavy Cream: Substitute with half and half for a lighter option, though it won’t be as creamy.
- Parmesan: Freshly grated Parmesan always melts the best.
Pasta Options
Spaghetti is the traditional choice for pasta in a carbonara, however, you don’t need to feel tied to that. You could use almost any long, skinny pasta shape. Other favorites are linguine, fettuccine, and bucatini.
Sneak in a Veggie
This recipe is delicious on its own, but you could easily add in some steamed broccoli, asparagus, or spinach to add some green. Just toss them in with the pasta. This is a great use of leftover or microwaved veggies!
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Reheat in a saucepan on medium-low heat. Add a bit of water or milk and stir occasionally to keep the sauce from drying out.
Microwave portions on high in 30-second increments, until warmed through.
