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This creamy carbonara recipe is my go-to easy dinner, it’s good enough for a mid-week treat, or for a dinner party! It’s the meal I most often to go when we have guests coming over and I don’t really want to cook – so I keep it simple with this quick, easy and delicious carbonara.

Whilst the sauce is not made in the traditional way (original carbonara sauce is just cheese and eggs), the addition of cream in this recipe makes it easier to cook and means it keeps better for leftovers or if you’re not ready to serve it right away.

The most important step in this recipe is to remember to KEEP the pasta water – do not drain the water away once the pasta is cooked, as you need the water to form the sauce.

I tend to get my pancetta from Aldi as they sell it diced at a great price, and would usually serve this with either a garlic baguette, garlic dough balls, or on it’s own!

How to make easy, creamy carbonara – step by step

Scroll down for the ingredient list and printable recipe card

1. Bring a large saucepan of water to boil

2. Whilst the water is heating up, to a cup or jar, add 100ml single cream, 3 tbsp heaped parmigiano-reggiano cheese, pepper and 2x egg yolks

3. Mix this until its combined, then set aside

4. Then, add the dried spaghetti to the now boiling water

5. Then, heat another saucepan and add diced pancetta (or bacon) – cook this whilst the spaghetti is cooking

6. Cook the pancetta/bacon until its crispy. In this time – the spaghetti may now be fully cooked, once it’s cooked, turn the heat off but leave the spaghetti in the pan (DO NOT DRAIN AWAY THE WATER – this step is really important).

7. Then, add the spaghetti into the pancetta pan – bringing with it some pasta water

8. Then pour in the cream/cheese/egg mixture

9. Stir quickly to combine it all – if the mixture is dry add in some spoons of the pasta water until the sauce is smooth and glossy – then it’s ready to serve!