Bacon. Onion. Garlic. Pinon nuts. Eggs. Pasta. Parmesan cheese. Oh my goodness, what a divine collection of wonderful things! They all come together quickly and easily to make my version of Pasta Carbonara, which I’m about to share with you. And bonus, I’m passing on a great way to make bacon! I know, right? Let’s get started!.
Carbonara is a classic Italian pasta dish made with eggs, cheese, and crispy pieces of bacon tossed with hot pasta. Getting the right bacon cut is key for the best texture and flavor Here are tips for cutting bacon for carbonara, plus recipe ideas
Why Bacon Cut Matters
When making carbonara, you want bacon that is cooked to be crispy but still has some chew. This helps the little bacon bits cling to the coated noodles
If the bacon is cut too thick, it can end up undercooked and fatty. Overly thin slices can burn and turn brittle.
Finding the right thickness and cutting method results in ideal crispy, flavorful bacon bits that make the carbonara special.
How to Cut Bacon for Carbonara
For carbonara, the bacon should be cut into small pieces or lardons, about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Here are a few options:
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Dice – Simply dice up bacon slices into small squares. This allows for lots of crispy bacon edge pieces.
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Chop – Coarsely chopping makes random hand-cut chunks with more variety in sizes.
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Lardons: Lardons are short steaks that are about 1/4 inch thick and 1 inch long. Slice bacon lengthwise first.
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Buy pre-cut – Look for bacon ends or pre-diced bacon to save time.
It’s very important that the bacon is cut up small enough to fry all the way through. Avoid large chunks which will be chewy.
Tips for Cooking Bacon for Carbonara
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Start with raw – Raw, uncured bacon works best. Pre-cooked bacon won’t get as crispy.
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** Fry slowly** – Cook over medium heat to render the fat and get crispy bits. Avoid high heat which can burn the bacon.
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Drain grease – Drain off excess grease as it cooks for crispiest results. The small bits can soak up a lot of fat.
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Don’t overcook – Cook just until crispy but still with a tiny bit of chew, not brittle and dried out.
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Blot grease – Before adding to the pasta, blot cooked bacon on paper towels to soak up more grease.
Carbonara Recipes Using Diced Bacon
Once you’ve got the bacon perfectly cooked and ready, it’s time to mix it into hot pasta with eggs and cheese. Here are a few recipes highlighting crispy bacon carbonara:
Classic Carbonara
- 8 ounces spaghetti
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup parmesan
- 4 ounces bacon, diced and cooked crispy
- 2 tablespoons pasta water
- Salt and pepper
Boil and drain pasta. Toss hot pasta with egg yolks, cheese, and pasta water. Mix in bacon at the end. Season with salt and pepper.
Creamy Carbonara
- 8 ounces fettuccine
- 3 egg yolks
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1/4 cup parmesan
- 4 slices bacon, chopped and cooked
- 2 tablespoons pasta water
- Chopped parsley
Boil pasta. Whisk egg yolks, cream, cheese, and parsley. Toss sauce with hot pasta and bacon pieces until creamy.
Chicken Carbonara
- 8 ounces penne
- 2 boneless chicken breasts, diced
- 3 slices bacon, chopped
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 1/4 cup parmesan
- 1/4 cup peas
- Salt and pepper
Sauté chicken and bacon. Toss with boiled pasta. Add beaten eggs and cheese and mix well. Stir in peas and season.
Seafood Carbonara
- 8 ounces linguine
- 4 ounces shrimp, tails removed
- 4 ounces scallops
- 4 slices bacon, diced
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1/4 cup parmesan
- 2 tablespoons parsley
- Lemon wedges
Cook bacon, shrimp, and scallops separately. Toss pasta with eggs and cheese. Fold in seafood and bacon, and parsley. Squeeze lemon juice on top.
More Delicious Ways to Use Bacon
Crispy, salty bacon makes everything better. Beyond carbonara, here are more recipe ideas:
- Breakfast tacos or burritos
- Bacon cheeseburgers
- Cobb salad with bacon bits
- Baked potatoes topped with bacon
- Bacon and Brussels sprouts
- Bacon jam or baked beans
- Maple bacon donuts
- Chocolate chip bacon cookies
With the right cut and cooking method, bacon adds a touch of smoky, salty goodness to anything. Follow these tips for crispy, flavorful bacon every time to take your carbonara and other recipes up a notch. Buon appetito!
Frequently Asked Questions
Should bacon be crispy for carbonara?
Yes, the bacon should be crispy and cooked through for carbonara. Chewy undercooked bacon won’t cling well to the pasta or provide as much bacon flavor.
What cut of bacon works best?
Thick-cut artisanal bacon has the most flavor, but regular sliced bacon works too. Cut it into smaller pieces before cooking. Avoid super thin bacon that burns quickly.
Can I use turkey or veggie bacon?
For the authentic flavor, pork bacon is preferred. Turkey and veggie bacons often have added sugars and don’t crisp up as well.
Can I use bacon that is already diced?
Pre-diced or chopped bacon is a convenient shortcut. Just watch closely as it can overcook quickly on the smaller pieces.
Should I use smoked or unsmoked bacon?
Either work well, so choose your favorite flavor. Smoked bacon adds even more richness.
What if my bacon turns out chewy?
Undercooked or fatty bacon can turn chewy. Next time, try dicing it smaller and cooking over lower heat longer to render the fat. Blot with paper towels.
How can I cut bacon without it sticking to the knife?
Chill the bacon for 30 minutes until slightly firm before cutting. Use a sharp, non-serrated knife. Rinse and dry knife between slices.
Final Thoughts on Cutting Bacon for Carbonara
- Dice, chop, or cut bacon into lardons around 1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces.
- Fry over medium heat until crispy but still with a little chew.
- Drain grease as it cooks and blot before adding to pasta.
- Cook just until done for the best texture and flavor.
- Add crispy bacon bits into hot pasta with egg and cheese sauce.
- Enjoy your tasty bacon carbonara!
With the right bacon cut and cooking technique, you’ll have crispy, delicious bacon ready to mix into carbonara or any recipe needing a touch of smoky saltiness.
Here’s a great bacon trick for cooking it with a minimum of shrinkage and grease splatter:
I wish I could take credit for this but I heard about this method on America’s Test Kitchen and it’s brilliant –
- Put bacon in a cold pan and add just enough water to cover it.
- Set the heat to medium-high and cook until the water is gone. This keeps the bacon from getting too small and cooks it mostly “under water,” so there is no splattering.
- Once there is no more water in the pan, let the bacon begin to brown. Then, flip it over and brown the other side. When the bacon is done, take it off the heat and spread it out on paper towels to drain.
- NOW THIS IS WHAT I DO RIGHT: Use clean kitchen scissors to cut the bacon into small pieces that are easy to eat. Then follow the steps above. This makes it easier to turn and makes sure that all the bacon fits in the pan. You can use the extra bacon to make scrambled eggs, salads, chicken dishes, or, my personal favorite, just sprinkle it on top of food and eat it.
Just wait until you try the method above. You’re going to thank me. In advance, you’re so welcome! Now, onto the recipe….
Break up 1 pound of bacon into small pieces (see above for an easy way to do this). Dice 1/2 white or yellow onion. Chop 4 cloves of garlic. 1 pound of spaghetti. 1/4 cup of pinon nuts. Whisk 3 eggs with a fork. Add 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese.
Set a large pot of salted water on the stove to begin boiling while you make the food.
Brown the bacon according to the method above. Remove the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Brown the onion in the same pan. As soon as it starts to look clear, add the garlic. Be very careful not to let it brown, especially the garlic, which turns bitter if it’s cooked too long. With a slotted spoon, remove the onion and garlic to another bowl.
Lightly brown the pinon nuts in the same pan (do we hear one-pan meal?!). Keep stirring them around so they brown evenly. Quickly remove them to the dish with garlic and onion.
By now, the pasta water has probably started boiling. Right after you add the pasta, give it a good stir to separate the noodles and get them cooking.
Once the pasta is done, scoop out about 1/2 cup of pasta water. Drain the pasta, but don’t worry about getting all the water off because it will be added to the sauce. Return the cooked pasta to the pot.
Add 1/2 of the Parmesan choose to the egg mixture and quickly pour it over the pot of noodles, stirring and lifting (use tongs or a pasta server) it quickly so that the egg/cheese mixture gets distributed over the pasta as much as possible. The heat from the pasta is cooking the egg.
If you add too much pasta water, it will ruin the dish. Instead, add just the right amount so that the starchy water can mix with the pasta, egg, and cheese and help spread everything out.
Next, add the onion/garlic/pinon nut mixture and the bacon and toss everything around until it’s pretty evenly distributed.
Serve up the pasta and sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese over the top.
It’s not likely that you’ll have any leftover Pasta Carbonara, so make extra. It tastes great the next day (or two) with just a drizzle of olive oil. Just sayin’.
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