Quick and Easy Creamy Carbonara (No Egg)

Get this eggless yet deliciously rich and creamy, easy Carbonara recipe that is done in no time at all! Perfect for a quick dinner for people on the go!

I’ve learned to cook this easy Carbonara recipe after I finished college and moved away from home to work in the big city (Manila).

Living away from home for the first time (yes, we, in the Philippines, stay with our parents as long as we can 😉) taught me a lot of things and made me realize that I really like to cook.

But I usually did not have the time nor the energy left after working the whole day to do some serious cooking, so I leaned on the quick and easy recipes to save me from eating out or having to survive on fast foods.

After all these years, it is still one of my favorite pasta dishes to prepare. It is very easy and requires really the most basic ingredients. The most important is the bacon which gives the sauce it savory-rich flavor.

I would suggest investing a bit more on bacon if you want to make a really good Carbonara. Once you find the brand that works for you, stick to it.

What I do usually is to look for bacon that has equal lean parts and fatty parts. If you are not able to one, then get two of each and mix.

Why is this important? You need the oil from frying the bacon for flavoring so a good part of fats is needed.

However, too many fats and the bacon shrinks to almost nothing once fried leaving too less meat for the pasta itself.

My sisters who now have husbands and even friends and former colleagues have asked me for this recipe, so I guess it is worth sharing.

What is in Carbonara Sauce?

Carbonara is an Italian pasta dish that is originally comprised of Pancetta or Guanciale ( kinds of Italian bacon), egg yolks, hard cheese, plenty of freshly ground black pepper and of course the pasta.

This recipe, however, does not use egg yolks but rather cream and milk as a substitute to make it creamy.  I also use ordinary bacon or smoked bacon on some occasion.

Which cheese is best for Carbonara?

Pecorino Romano is the cheese that is normally used for traditional Carbonara. It is a hard, salty Italian cheese, made out of sheep’s milk.

Parmesan cheese is also a popular choice and what I usually use since it is more easily accessible.

What pasta to use for Carbonara?

Spaghetti is the usual pasta of choice for Carbonara but fettuccine, linguine or even penne pasta can also be used.

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Quick and Easy Carbonara

Here is another quick and easy recipe for people who are always on the go. Try this Easy Carbonara that is creamy and cheesy with bacon bits.

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Italian

Keyword easy carbonara

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 567 kcal

Author Bebs

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound uncooked pasta - spaghetti, fettuccini or linguine
• 8.45 fluid ounces all-purpose cream or heavy whipping cream
• 8.45 fluid ounces milk (fresh or evaporated)
• 1/2 pound bacon - cut into pieces
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 can champignon mushrooms - sliced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon garlic - minced
• 1 medium onion - chopped
• 2 teaspoon salt - adjust as needed
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

1. Brown bacon in cooking oil and then set aside both the bacon and oil.
2. In a deep pan, sauté garlic and onion in butter until tender. Add the mushrooms and cook until a bit brown. Add milk and cream and let cook until thick stirring constantly. Add bacon with the oil. Add parmesan cheese and salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
3. Pour into cooked noodles of your choice and mix. You may add more parmesan cheese on top and freshly grated pepper before serving.

Recipe Notes

When seasoning the sauce with salt, take into consideration the pasta that will be added later on. When you think it has the already the desired saltiness, just add a bit more salt (1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon) to the sauce to avoid bland tasting carbonara. 

Nutrition Facts

Quick and Easy Carbonara

Amount Per Serving

Calories 567 Calories from Fat 369

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 41g 63%

Saturated Fat 18g 90%

Cholesterol 99mg 33%

Sodium 1162mg 48%

Potassium 272mg 8%

Total Carbohydrates 34g 11%

Dietary Fiber 1g 4%

Sugars 3g

Protein 13g 26%

Vitamin A 16.9%

Vitamin C 2.5%

Calcium 14%

Iron 4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.