Smoked Gouda Spaghetti alla Carbonara
For our December Owner Appreciation Days, we put together this delicious carbonara recipe! It strays a little from the classic version by adding smoked gouda cheese, but trust us - it's even better. This recipe works well with bacon or pancetta, and for a vegetarian version substitute with vegan bacon! We recommend Thrilling Foods brand which has the same texture and flavor as the real thing. This recipe is quick and easy, but also extremely decadent and comforting. Enjoy!
Ingredients
Smoked bacon
4 ounces
OR
Vegan bacon
4 ounces
Eggs
2
Egg yolks
2
Smoked gouda, shredded
1 cup
Parmesan, shredded
1/2 cup
Salt and pepper
To taste
Spaghetti pasta
12 ounces
Reserved pasta water
1 cup
Olive oil
1 tablespoon
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories per serving: 742
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook until al dente, about 12 minutes.
- Finely dice the bacon.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, Gouda, Parmesan, and 1 teaspoon black pepper.
- When the pasta has 5 minutes left, heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and starting to crisp, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
- It is very important to reduce the heat! If the temperature is too high, the eggs will begin to scramble when they are added in.
- Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of water.
- Slowly whisk in 1/4 cup of the pasta water into the egg mixture.
- Add the drained pasta into the pan with the bacon. Toss with tongs to incorporate.
- Add egg mixture and toss with tongs until the pasta is well coated. Add additional pasta water 1/4 cup at a time until you reach the desired consistency (we used 1/2 cup).
- Season with additional salt and pepper, and top with additional Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.