Spaghetti Carbonara (No Egg)

This simple and easy take on spaghetti carbonara is made without egg and features creamy parmesan cheese and crispy bacon.

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First, I want to start off by saying that this is not a traditional spaghetti carbonara recipe. True Italian carbonara gets its creaminess from a combination of raw egg and pasta water. It also traditionally features a high-quality cured pork, Pecorino Romano, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and black pepper. 

But we are definitely not traditional cooks. We like to put our own spin on recipes to either make them easier, quicker, or more suited to our tastes. So when we thought about how to best emulate the flavors and textures of spaghetti carbonara, our minds went straight to three simple, easy-to-find ingredients: heavy cream, parmesan cheese, and bacon. And then we created this super easy spaghetti carbonara recipe that you can make without egg!

A plate of spaghetti carbonara

Adding cream to carbonara is somewhat controversial since the dish is supposed to get its texture from egg yolks. But the idea of having barely-cooked egg yolk in my pasta sauce weirded me out a bit. Even though I’ve definitely eaten a traditional carbonara before, the thought of trying to cook an egg-based pasta sauce scared me off just a little.

So we came up with an easier, no-egg carbonara recipe that we felt confident executing. And you should feel confident making this dish at home, too! In our opinion, it tastes pretty close to the real thing.

Creamy spaghetti carbonara with bacon

Eggless Spaghetti Carbonara Recipe Ingredients

This easy spaghetti carbonara recipe with cream, no egg only requires 8 ingredients:

  • Spaghetti
  • Olive oil
  • Minced garlic
  • Heavy cream
  • Shredded parmesan cheese
  • Pasta water
  • Bacon
  • Salt and pepper

Like we mentioned earlier, this isn’t a traditional spaghetti carbonara. But it’s made with easy-to-find ingredients and it tastes just as good as your favorite Italian dish, if not better, in our opinion!

A fork twirling spaghetti carbonara

How To Make No Egg Spaghetti Carbonara

Here’s how to make our simple no egg spaghetti carbonara recipe in just a few steps (and under 30 minutes!):

  1. Dice a few strips of bacon and fry it ahead of time, making sure to drain the excess grease.
  2. Boil a pot of salted water and begin cooking the spaghetti.
  3. Sauté minced garlic in olive oil in a skillet or saucepan. Then, add heavy cream and stir in the shredded parmesan until it melts.
  4. Next, add some pasta water to the sauce to help thicken it up. Stir in most of the bacon bits (leave some for garnish), then season with salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Finally, stir the cooked spaghetti into the sauce and serve hot, topped with the remaining bacon.

Spaghetti Carbonara Serving Suggestions

This pasta recipe is super easy to whip up for a quick weeknight meal, especially if you prepare the bacon ahead of time. It’s also a great “cheat” recipe for showing off your cooking skills because it looks and tastes a lot more complex than it really is (much like our spinach tomato & olive oil pasta!).

Serve it with fresh Italian bread and dipping oils – and maybe a glass or two of white wine – and you’ve got yourself a well-rounded Italian dinner.

Storing & Reheating Leftovers

If you somehow happen to have any leftover spaghetti carbonara, you can store it in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in a frying pan over medium heat for about 5 to 10 minutes, or until warmed through. Or, you can simply microwave for about 2 minutes per serving, stirring halfway through.

A plate of spaghetti carbonara with bacon

We’d love to hear what you think of our take on spaghetti carbonara. Try our easy eggless recipe and let us know what you think in the comments, and don’t forget to rate and share if you love it!


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4.2 from 35 votes

Spaghetti Carbonara (No Egg)

This simple and easy take on spaghetti carbonara is made without egg and features creamy parmesan cheese and crispy bacon.
Servings 2 servings
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 servings spaghetti
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup shredded parmesan
  • 2 tablespoons pasta water
  • 5 strips bacon diced and fried
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 pinch black pepper

Instructions

  • Boil the pasta in a pot of salted water according to package directions.
  • While the pasta is cooking, begin preparing the sauce. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Turn heat to low and stir in the heavy cream. Then, add shredded parmesan cheese in batches, stirring constantly until melted, about 10 minutes.
  • Next, take about 2 tablespoons pasta water from the pot and add it to the sauce, stirring to incorporate. Stir in most of the bacon, leaving some out to top the dish with, and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Finally, season with salt and pepper to taste, then stir in the cooked pasta. Serve hot, topped with the remaining bacon bits.

Notes

Eggless carbonara: This spaghetti carbonara is made without egg for an easy, convenient take on the classic recipe. Made with heavy cream, parmesan, and bacon, this carbonara isn’t quite traditional – but it’s got all the creamy goodness and salty flavor of your favorite Italian dish! Don’t knock it till you try it 🙂
Serving suggestion: We love enjoying this carbonara with some fresh Italian bread and dipping oils. It also goes great with a glass of white wine!
Storing & reheating leftovers: Store leftover carbonara in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in a frying pan over medium heat for about 5 to 10 minutes, or until warmed through, or microwave for about 2 minutes, stirring halfway through.
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Author: Nicole
Calories: 803kcal
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: bacon, cheese, date night, heavy cream, parmesan, spaghetti

Nutrition

Calories: 803kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 61g | Saturated Fat: 34g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 21g | Cholesterol: 182mg | Sodium: 454mg | Potassium: 243mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1945IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 388mg | Iron: 1mg

If you have any questions regarding the information presented in this post, please refer to our Nutrition Disclaimer here.

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Join the Conversation

  1. LUZMARIE C. VEGA says:

    Thank you for the recipe. It’s easy to follow through. I would appreciate more recipes in the future.
    Great 👍

    1. Nicole Author says:

      Of course, we’re so glad you liked it!

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