This bucatini carbonara recipe is the personification of comfort food. It’s lightly creamy and so flavorful that your taste buds are going to be doing the ‘cha-cha’ in your mouth.
I love this bucatini carbonara meal. LOVE. It’s one of the few times where I will eat a long noodle instead of a pasta like penne or ziti. I’ve tried making it with a more meaty pasta but it just doesn’t taste the same to me. I need the long thick bucatini noodles so the cheese and egg mixture can wrap easily around the pasta strands.
If you are not familiar with bucatini, it is a thick, hollow, spaghetti-like pasta; sort of like a thin straw. I prefer it over spaghetti because I like the thick strands and find it more satisfying to eat.
What is Carbonara?
Carbonara is a pasta dish that originated in Rome. It is typically made with spaghetti, hard cheese like parmesan or reggiano, pancetta (or guanciale in Italy), eggs and black pepper.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Olive oil – I use cold pressed extra virgin olive oil. I love the peppery taste and think it brings a lot of flavor to any dish.
- Onion – I use Vidalia onions because I love their taste but you can use yellow onion or shallots.
- Pancetta – I use thinly sliced pancetta here but have also used chunk pancetta in the past. I like both equally.
- Garlic – For the past few years, I’ve been using garlic paste more and more. I love being able to squeeze some paste in what I’m cooking without having to deal with chopping garlic. It’s quick and easy and truthfully, no one knows the difference. The only thing that may be remarkable is there aren’t noticeable chunks of garlic floating around. If you love chopping garlic, one teaspoon of garlic paste = One clove of garlic.
- Eggs – I use free-range organic large eggs.
- Pasta – I use bucatini but if you can’t find it, spaghetti is a good option. I find angel hair pasta too fragile to keep its length and shape as you’re tossing it with the other ingredients.
- Parmesan cheese – I like to grate my own. Once you taste freshly grated cheese, you’ll never go back to pre-grated cheese. You can use reggiano or any other hard cheese.
- Peas – I usually use fresh peas that I find at either Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s. But if you can’t find them, frozen peas will work fine.
Helpful tips
- When cooking your pasta, cook until just al dente. When draining the pasta, don’t run cold water over it as you need it to be hot when you add the egg and cheese mixture. The heat from the pasta cooks the eggs and melts the cheese.
- Cook the onions until they are slightly browned before adding the pancetta. Since you are going to continue cooking them together long enough to crisp the pancetta, you don’t want your onions to be overcooked.
- One of the tricks to making good carbonara is timing. You have to make sure the onions, pancetta, and peas are ready at the same time as the pasta. That way, when you mix everything together, they cook the eggs and cheese properly.
- When cooking fresh peas, use just enough water to almost cover the peas. Bring to a boil and promptly drain. If cooking frozen peas, also use just enough water to cover them, bring the water to a boil, add the peas and cook for 3 minutes.
How to make Bucatini Carbonara
Pre-step
Fill a stockpot with enough water to boil one pound of pasta. Add salt and bring the water to a boil.
Step one
While the water is heating, put a sauté pan on medium and add oil once the pan reaches full heat.
Chop an onion in small chunks and chop the pancetta. (A)
Step two
Add the onion to the sauté pan and sauté for 7 minutes.
Step three
Add pancetta and sauté for another 7 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute
Step four
Meanwhile, cook the peas. See helpful tips.
Step five
Gather eggs and parmesan cheese. (B)
Step six
Add eggs and cheese into mixing bowl. (C)
Step seven
Whisk the ingredients together. (D)
Step eight
By now the onions and pancetta should be done.
Step nine
The pasta should be done at this point. Drain and place in a large bowl. Add egg and cheese mixture and mix until for at least a minute to cook the eggs. Add the onion mixture, peas and mix everything thoroughly but gently so you don’t break the pasta.
Step ten
Transfer to a serving bowl.
Doesn’t that look delicious?
Time to plate this bucatini carbonara.
Let’s have a closer look at this delicious dish.
And another view.
I hope you enjoyed this bucatini carbonara recipe. Christopher and I really enjoy not only eating the carbonara fresh, but as leftovers as well.
Other popular Pasta recipes on Dishes Delish:
Please feel free to leave me a comment, what’s your favorite pasta dish?
And as always, may all your dishes be delish!
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Bucatini Carbonara
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion (medium, chopped)
- 6 ounces pancetta (chopped whether you buy thin sliced or chunked)
- 3 teaspoons garlic paste (or 3 cloves garlic, minced)
- 1 cup peas (I use fresh, but you can also use frozen)(cooked)
- 1 pound bucatini pasta
- Salt for pasta water
- 3 eggs
- 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
Time everything to be finished cooking by the time the pasta is done
- Fill medium sized stockpot 1/2 way with water, salt it and set to boil. Once the water has come to a boil, add pasta and cook for 11 minutes or until done
- Cook one cup of frozen peas, set aside
- Heat a sauté pan on medium heat and add olive oil and onion. Sauté for 7 minutes
- Add pancetta and sauté for 7 minutes before adding garlic and cook for an additional minute
- As the pasta is cooking, crack the eggs into a mixing bowl and add parmesan. Whisk until combined
- Drain cooked pasta - DO NOT run cold water over it, place in large mixing bowl and add the egg mixture and immediately mix the egg with the pasta
- Add the pancetta/onion mixture and the peas and mix it with the pasta
- Place in a serving bowl
- Serve
- Smile
- Enjoy
Notes
- When cooking your pasta, cook until just al dente. When draining the pasta, don't run cold water over it as you need it to be hot when you add the egg and cheese mixture. The heat from the pasta cooks the eggs and melts the cheese.
- Cook the onions until they are slightly browned before adding the pancetta. Since you are going to continue cooking them together long enough to crisp the pancetta, you don't want your onions to be overcooked.
- One of the tricks to making good carbonara is timing. You have to make sure the onions, pancetta, and peas are ready at the same time as the pasta. That way, when you mix everything together, they cook the eggs and cheese properly.
- When cooking fresh peas, use just enough water to almost cover the peas. Bring to a boil and promptly drain. If cooking frozen peas, also use just enough water to cover them, bring the water to a boil, add the peas and cook for 3 minutes.
Nutrition
Originally published in July of 2016.
Oh my, you never fail to crack me up! Well, that and make me drool. The drool part is a given. This pasta looks to die for!
Karly,
Thanks so much! That made my day. It is a yummy dish. One of my favorites.
Elaine
Sometimes the simple recipes are the best..Looks great 🙂
Stephanie,
Thanks. So true about simple recipes!
I have never made carbonara before – your version looks SO good! I’ll have to try it!
I love, love, love carbonara. Try it Allison, I think you will like it!
I love how this pasta comes with artichokes, not sure if this is available in the UK but I’m a huge fan of artichokes and this sounds up my street!
I love this pasta, it’s made with artichoke flour and some Semolina flour. But the taste of the artichoke is nice and the angel hair is so soft and delicious!! Thanks for commenting Diana!
I love just about anything with artichokes in it and this recipe looks delicious!!
Kathryn!
Thank you!!
Delicious I can have it for my dinner.
Swathi,
It is super delicious!! Thanks for commenting!
I need to make this!! It looks like it has a ton of flavor!
Mindy,
Indeed it does, if I say so myself. 😉
I have to try this for sure. I have never made carbonara at home but will do it soon. 🙂
Deepika,
It is super easy. That’s what I love about the dish, easy but looks ‘hard’ and it tastes really good!
That pasta sounds amazing! I don’t think I’ve ever seen it here… I’ll keep looking for it!
Hi Sarah,
You can use any pasta, I just love using the artichoke pasta for that dish for some reason. I’ve made it with penne as well and it’s just as good.
I love carbonara! It looks so pretty with the peas! Lovely pics, too!
Thank you Christina!
This looks so delicious! Light and healthy! Great recipe!
Thanks so much Joyce!
This is a dinner that everyone loves, children and adults:)
Yay! Thanks Ilona. I hope you enjoy it.
Such a sensational recipe! Made this for dinner and it’s easily become a new family favorite!
That’s so nice to hear, Sara. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
We love eating bucatini, it’s such a great noodle to use! This was so tasty and flavorful!
Thanks Suzy. I agree, it’s meatier than Spaghetti and more satisfying to me. I’m glad you enjoyed it!
You can’t go wrong with a good pasta dish! The simplicity of this dish is perfect!
Thank you Tisha. I appreciate it.
After having a long tiring day, this bucatini carbonara is perfect to have! Really looks super delicious that it made me want to have it now!
Hehe. Thanks Dennis! I appreciate it.
I love all the step by step tips for this dish and like you say, timing is key in getting this dish right! Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome! Thank you for your kind comment!
Very well illustrated post with step by step recipe instruction. Love it!
Thank you Sophie! I appreciate it.
This is one of my favorites for sure! It looks so delicious and dead easy to make too, perfect for a weeknight meal
Thanks Carrie! And yes, it’s fast and easy and fun to eat!
What a great pasta dish and the photos are fantastic. Thanks for sharing this recipe again.
Thank you Jessica! I appreciate it.
I share your love for bucatini, which I think is seriously underused! And carbonara, what can possibly go wrong when you combine both? This is a fantastic recipe! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks so much Paula! I appreciate it.
I’m the same way…very rarely do I like long pasta but I always make an exception when it comes to carbonara! This looks and sounds fantastic! Such a comforting dish for the fall evenings.
Thank you Tammy! People usually think I’m crazy that I prefer pasta with a bite.
I loooove pasta carbonara! It’s so easy to make and perfect for a comfort meal treat! I think I’ll make it tonight for dinner!)
Thanks Veronika! Enjoy, it’s so yummy!
Anything pasta is our all time favorite so this carbonara will definitely become our favorite. I have put this recipe down in my meal plan for the week.
Hehe. Thanks Gunjan! I appreciate it.
I haven’t come across a pasta that I don’t like! This is simple but so delicious! Love all the information you have shared here
Thank you Jo! I appreciate it.
Nothing beats a good pasta recipe, especially a classic like a carbonara. I hadn’t made it in a while, but you inspired me. So delicious!! Thanks!
Thanks Aline! I agree, there is something so comforting.