Quick Pasta alla Carbonara with Peas and Bacon

This Pasta alla Carbonara with Peas and Bacon a favorite quick, easy and inexpensive comfort food that's ready in less than 30 minutes.

5 from 2 votes

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Course: pasta

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: bacon, carbonara, cheese, easy, eggs, Giada, guanciale, Italian, linguini, pancetta, pasta, peas, simple

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 30

Servings: servings

Calories: 1105kcal

Bring a large pot of water up to a boil. Add the bacon to a large skillet at room temperature and bring it up to medium heat. Sauté the bacon for about 2-3 minutes or until it starts to render out, then add in the garlic clove and black pepper.
Continue to cook until the bacon becomes crisp and the garlic is light golden brown. Remove the garlic clove if you desire (I leave it in).
Add about about a tablespoon of salt to the boiling water, then add the pasta and give it a stir. Cook the pasta according to package directions, but remove it one minute before the recommended time to ensure it stays al dente.
While the pasta cooks, whisk together the eggs and grated cheese in a medium bowl.
Right before the pasta is done, scoop out a few cups of pasta water, then drain the pasta noodles and add it to the pan with the bacon. Place the pan over medium-high heat and toss the pasta around in the bacon fat for about 1-2 minutes.
Add a splash of hot reserved pasta water to the egg mixture and whisk, then add the hot pasta to the bowl and toss quickly so the eggs don't scramble. Continue mixing until the heat of the pasta forms a rich, thick sauce.
Add the peas and continue tossing until everything is combined. Thin it out with more pasta water or thicken it up with more cheese as needed, then taste and adjust seasoning.
Transfer the pasta to plates, then sprinkle parsley, extra parmesan and black pepper on top. Serve immediately.

Cook the pasta in as little water as you can. This will make a starchier pasta water which will help create a creamy texture.
Do not drain the bacon on paper towels. You need the bacon grease for the sauce.
Make sure your eggs and peas are room temperature so that they don't prohibit the sauce from cooking.
Whisk in a splash hot pasta water to the egg and cheese mixture before adding the pasta to temper the eggs and avoid them scrambling.
If your sauce isn't thickening up, it's probably not hot enough. Place the mixing bowl over top of the pot of hot pasta water and use the steam to create a double boiler. The gentle heat will warm the pasta enough to help form the sauce.
Frozen peas are blanched before freezing, so you don't need to cook them first before adding to the pasta. But if you prefer them more cooked, add them to the boiling water with the pasta one minute before draining.
Don't over salt the pasta cooking water or it could cause the final dish to be too salty due to the salty bacon and cheese.
For even more flavor, add some fresh chives, mint leaves or lemon zest right before serving.