Jamie Oliver’s Favourite Pasta Carbonara Recipe
When you need a meal that is incredibly comforting but incredibly fast, this Easy Carbonara from Jamie Oliver’s Keep Cooking and Carry On is the ultimate go-to recipe. The beauty of this classic Italian-inspired dish is that the rich, silky sauce takes exactly the same amount of time to prepare as it takes to boil your dried pasta. Relying on just a handful of simple pantry and fridge staples—smoked streaky bacon, fresh free-range eggs, and sharp Parmesan cheese—you can whip up a deeply satisfying dinner without needing any heavy cream.
The secret to the luxurious texture lies in emulsifying the beaten eggs and grated cheese with the starchy pasta cooking water off the heat, creating a glossy coating that clings perfectly to every single strand of spaghetti. It is a foolproof, 10-minute masterpiece perfect for any busy weeknight!
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Jamie Oliver’s Favourite Pasta Carbonara Recipe
Course: DinnerCuisine: Italian-InspiredDifficulty: Easy2
servings6
minutes13
minutes280
kcalIngredients
150g dried spaghetti (or pasta shape of your choice)
2 rashers of higher-welfare smoked streaky bacon
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
A really good pinch of black pepper
2 free-range eggs
30g Parmesan cheese, plus extra for grating
Directions
- Boil the Pasta: Cook the spaghetti in a large pan of boiling salted water according to the packet instructions.
- Crisp the Bacon: Slice the bacon and place it in a non-stick frying pan on a medium heat with half a tablespoon of olive oil and a really good pinch of black pepper. Leave it to get super-golden and crispy, tossing occasionally, then turn off the heat.
- Mix the Egg Base: Meanwhile, beat the free-range eggs in a small bowl, then finely grate in the 30g of Parmesan cheese and mix well.
- Combine Pasta and Bacon: Once the pasta is cooked, use tongs to transfer it straight from the water into the frying pan, tossing it well with the crispy bacon and its rendered fat.
- Create the Sauce: Pour the Parmesan and egg mixture into the pan. Keep everything moving constantly, loosening the sauce with splashes of the reserved pasta cooking water until you achieve a silky, glossy consistency. (Crucial: Make sure the pan isn’t too hot and is off the direct heat, otherwise the eggs will scramble!)
- Serve: Plate up the pasta immediately, and finish with an extra grating of fresh Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- Cheese Substitutions: If you do not have Parmesan on hand, Jamie’s top tip is to substitute it with a sharp, mature Cheddar cheese for a delicious twist!
- Egg-Free Option: If you have run out of eggs, do not worry. Simply tossing the hot pasta and bacon with the starchy pasta water and a good handful of cheese will still create a wonderful, emulsified sauce.
- Scaling: These amounts serve 2 people perfectly, but the recipe is incredibly easy to scale up or down. A good rule of thumb is to use about 75g of dried pasta per person.
