Description
A rich, creamy, and tangy one-pot carbonara featuring crispy pancetta, silky egg sauce, and quick-pickled red onions for a bold flavor profile that rivals restaurant quality.
Ingredients
Scale
- 400g (14 oz) Spaghetti or Rigatoni
- 200g (7 oz) Pancetta, diced
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1 whole egg
- 100g (3.5 oz) Pecorino Romano, finely grated
- 1 tablespoon Black Pepper, freshly cracked
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup Quick-Pickled Red Onions
- 1 tablespoon Unsalted Butter
- Salt, for pasta water
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the 3 egg yolks, 1 whole egg, finely grated Pecorino Romano, and black pepper until a thick, smooth paste forms. Set aside.
- Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced pancetta and cook until edges are crispy and golden brown (5-7 minutes). Remove pancetta with a slotted spoon, leaving rendered fat in the pan.
- Reduce heat to low. Add minced garlic to the hot fat and stir for 60 seconds until fragrant but not browned. Add butter if the pan looks dry.
- While pancetta cooks, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of starchy pasta water 2 minutes before draining.
- Transfer cooked pasta directly into the skillet with the garlic and pancetta fat. Toss to coat. Remove skillet from heat entirely.
- Pour the egg and cheese mixture over the hot pasta. Add a splash of reserved pasta water. Toss vigorously and continuously until a creamy sauce forms. Add more pasta water if too thick.
- Stir in the crispy pancetta. Taste and adjust seasoning. Top with quick-pickled red onions and serve immediately.
Notes
Remove the pan from heat before adding the egg mixture to prevent scrambling. Use the residual heat from the pasta to gently cook the eggs. Quick-pickled red onions are made by soaking thinly sliced red onions in warm water, vinegar, sugar, and salt for 10 minutes. Leftovers can be stored for up to 2 days but may require added liquid when reheating.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 900
- Fat: 35
- Saturated Fat: 15
- Carbohydrates: 60
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 25
Keywords: carbonara, Gordon Ramsay, one-pot pasta, pancetta, quick-pickled onions, creamy pasta, Italian recipe, weeknight dinner