Express Spaghetti Carbonara

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 7 oz dried spaghetti

→ Sauce

02 - 2 large eggs

03 - 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

04 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ Bacon

05 - 3.5 oz bacon or pancetta, diced

→ To Serve

06 - Extra Parmesan, for garnish

07 - Freshly cracked black pepper

# Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1/3 cup pasta water, then drain.

02 - In a bowl, whisk together eggs, Parmesan, and black pepper until smooth and combined.

03 - Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced bacon and cook until golden and crispy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat.

04 - Add drained pasta to the skillet with bacon off the heat. Quickly pour in egg-Parmesan mixture. Toss vigorously, gradually adding reserved pasta water until sauce is silky and coats the spaghetti.

05 - Plate immediately and garnish with additional Parmesan and freshly cracked black pepper.

# Expert Tips:

01 -

It's ready in twenty minutes flat, which means weeknight dinner that doesn't taste rushed.
You only dirty one skillet and one bowl, so cleanup won't feel like punishment.
The sauce is silky and rich without any cream—just eggs, cheese, and timing working together.

02 -

The off-the-heat rule is non-negotiable—if your skillet is hot when you add the eggs, they'll scramble into chunks instead of turning into sauce, and there's no fixing that once it happens.
The pasta water is not optional filler; its starch is what makes the whole thing work, transforming egg and cheese into something that coats every strand instead of just sitting in a puddle.

03 -

Grate your Parmesan fresh right before you make this—pre-grated loses its texture and can get clumpy in the heat.
If you're nervous about the eggs, whisk in an extra tablespoon or two of pasta water into the egg mixture before tossing; it gives you a tiny bit more margin for error without changing the final result.