This Poor Man’s Carbonara is rich, creamy, and tastes like it came straight from a restaurant in Italy—yet it’s made with just 4 simple, budget-friendly ingredients. A dreamy pasta dish that proves delicious doesn’t have to be expensive!
Add chopped bacon to a cold skillet and cook over medium heat until crispy. Remove bacon and set aside, leaving the bacon grease in the pan.
While the bacon cooks, boil pasta in salted water according to package directions. Before draining, reserve at least 1 cup of pasta water.
In a bowl, whisk together 2 eggs, 2 egg yolks, and 1 cup Parmesan until smooth.
Turn off the heat on the bacon pan. Add the drained pasta to the warm bacon grease and toss to coat.
Add the crispy bacon back to the pan. Pour in about 1 cup reserved pasta water and the egg mixture. Toss quickly and continuously until the sauce becomes creamy and coats the pasta. (If it seems too thick, add a splash more pasta water.)
Add salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan on top.
✔ Work fast when adding the egg mixture so it turns creamy—not scrambled
✔ Fresh grated Parmesan melts best and gives the most authentic flavor
✔ Add peas, black pepper, or crushed red pepper for easy variations