Breakfast Carbonara Recipe (2024)

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Cooking Notes

Emma

This sounds like a fun meal, but I am confused as to how the eggs get cooked. I find it improbable that 4 eggs will cook in just the heat from just-boiled pasta, so are we missing a crucial step here? The kind of step that would prevent you from serving pasta with a "sauce" of uncooked scrambled eggs??

outofstate

all carbonara is breakfast carbonara

Emma

I have seen the error in my ways. I made it this weekend with great success. The cast iron did its job and the orange zest topping was especially delicious; the only change I'll make in the future is to use hot sausage. Thank you all for educating me on the marvels of carbonara!

Nick McAvoy

That the sauce is cooked this way is the definition of carbonara. Direct heat would cause the eggs to scramble, which is decidedly not what you want here. The residual heat cooks it plenty.

Plus, eggs are safe, especially if gotten from ethically raised hens.

Kantcould

True enough. But when you substitute a good Southern sagey sausage for pancetta, the palate knows it's breakfast in Rome, Georgia and not dinner in Rome, Italy.

rosemary patterson

the heat from the pasta along with the pasta water is more than enough to "cook" the eggs properly. Remember, this is a sauce not scrambled eggs. Different.

Minna

For carbonara, I heat a pyrex bowl in the oven @ 200 degrees. this adds additional heat in event pasta is not piping hot when you mix with the eggs. Works perfectly without any scrambling effect.

Gianni

Linguine should not be added in cold water, but only once it's boiling. Then cook for 6-7 minutes (or the time reported on the package) until it's al dente. Also, a true carbonara is made with yolks (1 yolk every 100g of pasta) and 1 full egg (in Rome we say it's for the saucer haha).

Patti B

Yes, eggs need to be room temp. If in a hurry, bring eggs to room temp by placing eggs (still in shell of course) in a bowl with warm water for a while.

Peter Kranzler

Eat enough breakfasts like this and you’ll increase the size of your carbonara footprint.

Patricia Garcia

a wok is also good for making carbonara

Michele

I've made pasta carbonara many times and the eggs do indeed cook in the just-cooked pasta. It helps a lot if you bring the eggs to room temperature as the recipe calls for. Enjoy!

James

"Whole wheat" pasta is not any better than regular pasta. Both are refined, highly-processed flour. For it to be healthier, it would have to be whole-grain, such as Barilla or Racconto brands (most of the everyday brands don't make a whole-grain pasta).

John

Loved this easy and delicious dish! My only note, and I realize it's completely subjective, would be to omit the orange zest. I found it a bit overpowering and thought it diminished the flavor balance between the pasta, eggs, sausage and cheese. I might have felt differently had I served it with mimosas! There are so many variations you can do, based on your own personal preferences, which makes this a very versatile recipe.

Nick McAvoy

Not using cast iron probably contributed to the eggs not cooking. Post-flame cast iron has a lot of latent heat and will have enough energy to get the job done.

kate

Amazing!! Don’t skip the topping it makes it!!My two year old wouldn’t let me have seconds as he wants another bowl later

Jeff H

Delicious, quick, and easy! I appreciated the tip on heating the linguine along with the water. It reduced the overall cooking time, and the pasta was still exactly al dente. The eggs cooked perfectly from the heat of the pasta and residual heat of the cast iron.

Susan D.

Excellent! Followed directions closely and it was delicious.

jenny in Madison

woops - didn't mean add that note...feel free to remove from approval list

jenny madison

use bacon instead. Add garlic powder and chili flake

chelsea

This is weird but I think good weird. I toasted my bread crumbs a little before mixing them and left out the parsley since I didn’t have any. Added the greens to garnish and used Parmesan (what I had) and was still very happy. The orange zest is an interesting kick and I love the idea of it being all the flavors of breakfast.

Elaina

Phenomenal. Definitely not an every morning breakfast but a surprisingly easy weekend brunch indulgence. I made fresh breadcrumbs, and reduced eggs to 3(one with just yolk only) and added a little more cheese just because, why not? This was excellent. I used a bit less zest and that helped brighten the dish without over powering it.

Cathy

Followed the instructions, expecting it to cook like regular carbonara. But because of the high volume of eggs, there wasn't enough heat in the pasta and sausage when I stirred it together off the heat. I wound up putting it back on the stove and stirred like crazy to keep it more of a sauce than scrambled egg - a little pasta water helped. Results fabulous.

KLN

Subbed bacon for sausage, and basil for parsley, otherwise made as directed. My cast iron must have been too hot as my eggs scrambled and didn’t sauce. Probably needed more pasta water too. In any event, it still tasted yummy. Perfect for a lazy snowy morning. Nap next!

Jessica

Substituted bacon for sausage, otherwise followed to the letter. Drained some of the bacon grease and added pasta and egg mixture to the hot cast iron skillet - eggs did not scramble for me. I would have added a touch more pasta water for creaminess.

Paula

We used 12 oz of pasta and next time would add an additional scallion and hot pepper flakes.Divine!

Peter Kranzler

Eat enough breakfasts like this and you’ll increase the size of your carbonara footprint.

Carolyn Zolas

A chef friend of mine says most salmonella from eggs are from dirty shells. He recommends blanching the eggs in boiling water for just a few seconds. Maybe this would help when your eggs are not room temperature?

bsj40052

Tried this without the sausage. It really needs the sausage

Dick

Room temp eggs!!!!!Nutritional analysis per serving estimated by Edaman (6 servings)371 calories; 18 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 33 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 19 grams protein; 165 milligrams cholesterol; 566 milligrams sodium

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Breakfast Carbonara Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Can carbonara be eaten for breakfast? ›

Carbonara is an Italian pasta dish from Rome made with egg, hard cheese, pancetta and pepper. It's basically pasta with bacon and eggs. In other words, it's the perfect dish for breakfast!

What is the golden rule of cooking a carbonara? ›

The golden rule to silky carbonara is to whisk your egg whites so that they're completely incorporated with the egg yolks. This will create a smooth, velvety sauce. As like any pasta dish, including carbonara, cook the pasta perfectly al dente so that it's soft but still firm, with some bite.

Which ingredient should never be used in traditional carbonara? ›

What not to put in Spaghetti Carbonara? Don't put garlic, cream, milk or butter. It is not needed. It is fine if you want to make a dish with those ingredients, but if you want to learn how to make this dish correctly, use only pecorino, eggs/egg yolks, black pepper, guanciale, and pasta water.

What does adding egg to carbonara do? ›

Beyond taste, the eggs play a major role in the formation of the silky sauce. The whites of the egg combine with the starch in the pasta water to add viscosity to the sauce while the yolk adds richness and flavor.

How does carbonara not give you food poisoning? ›

Not if you do it correctly. The boiling hot pasta is supposed to cook the egg and would kill any chance of salmonella.

Do you put raw egg in carbonara? ›

What distinguishes carbonara from other pasta dishes is its technique of combining eggs, hard cheese, cured pork, and black pepper into a rich, silky sauce. This recipe calls for raw eggs that are gently cooked by the hot sauce. If you prefer, you can use pasteurized eggs instead.

Why no garlic in carbonara? ›

Why is there no garlic in carbonara? Because it's an Italian dish, not an Italian-American dish, and Italian cooking does not use garlic as heavily as Italian-American cuisine. You can either make a carbonara, or the same dish with added garlic (just don't call *that* carbonara, it's not).

Should carbonara have cream in it? ›

And indeed, there's plenty of recipes that cheat by adding in cream. But today, we're making spaghetti carbonara properly, the authentic, traditional way. No cream. Just egg, cheese and a splash of starchy pasta cooking water.

Does carbonara use whole eggs or just yolks? ›

Traditional carbonara sauce is made with whole eggs, not just the yolks. However, some recipes do call for just yolks. In the traditional recipe, the eggs are beaten together with grated Pecorino Romano cheese, black pepper, and sometimes a bit of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

Why do people not like carbonara? ›

Some people may find the texture too heavy or slimy. Dietary restrictions: Carbonara is not a dish that can be easily modified to accommodate certain dietary restrictions. For example, it contains eggs, dairy, and often meat, making it unsuitable for vegans or those with lactose intolerance or egg allergies.

What is a good substitute for bacon in carbonara? ›

Pancetta: Pancetta is the closest alternative to guanciale. It's also an Italian cured pork product, typically made from the pork belly. Pancetta has a similar rich and savory flavor, making it a suitable replacement in Carbonara.

Does real Italian carbonara have cream? ›

Should carbonara have cream? Typically carbonara sauce is only made of eggs, bacon, parmesan, olive oil, seasoning, and sometimes, vegetables. As for cream, Italians will tell you that is a big no no.

How does Gordon Ramsay make carbonara sauce? ›

How to make Gordon Ramsay's 10-minute Carbonara
  1. 125g of spaghetti (4.41 ounces)
  2. 80g of streaky bacon or pancetta (2.82 ounces)
  3. 30g of frozen peas (1.06 ounces)
  4. Two eggs.
  5. Two mushrooms.
  6. One chili.
  7. Two garlic gloves.
  8. One and a half tablespoons of creme fraiche.
Nov 7, 2023

What kind of cheese is good in carbonara? ›

Pecorino Romano: This aged sheep's cheese is always traditionally used in the Roman pastas, and its salty, grassy, earthy flavor is absolutely delicious in carbonara. That said, if Pecorino is unavailable at your local grocery store, you can use Parmesan as a non-traditional substitute.

How do you keep carbonara from scrambling? ›

To avoid the dreaded scramble, the goal is to not let your eggs get too hot too quickly. Rather than add your eggs straight into your carbonara pan, crack them into a different bowl with the Pecorino. From there, you have a few options for how to combine the mixture with your pasta.

Is pasta OK to eat for breakfast? ›

In fact, pasta is ideal at any time of day, even for breakfast, if that's what you're craving! It's best to go for thicker, richer sauces at lunchtime and lighter versions at dinnertime. How about a small portion of pasta with Star extra virgin olive oil, a teaspoonful of grated Parmesan and stir-fried vegetables?

Is carbonara healthy or unhealthy? ›

Creamy sauces like carbonara sauce are usually made from butter, cheese, and heavy cream, all of which pile on the saturated fat and calories. A healthier option would be a lighter sauce such as the olive oil-based one in aglio olio, which is rich in good fat and cooked with fresh ingredients like garlic and chilli.

Do Italians eat egg for breakfast? ›

While the espresso starts their engines, they still need to fill their tanks in the morning. At home, Italians won't have bacon and eggs but might have cereal or a biscuit, fruit and juice. If on the run, they will tend to start their day at a local bar with espresso and a dose of starch and sugar…

Can I eat carbonara everyday? ›

It is possible to eat pasta daily and still be healthy. The key to eating pasta every day is to limit your portion size and supplement your pasta bowl with essential nutrients. The recommended portion size is two ounces of dry pasta or one cup of cooked pasta.

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