Spaghetti Carbonara with Pancetta

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-12 · Updated 2026-05-12

A perfectly balanced half-sized serving of classic Italian spaghetti carbonara with crisp pancetta and creamy egg sauce. This Italian-inspired pasta recipe, ready in about 15 minutes, pairs spaghetti, pancetta, diced, large egg yolks for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 520 calories and feeds 1, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 4 oz spaghetti
• 2 oz pancetta, diced
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly cracked
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp olive oil

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add 4 oz spaghetti and cook for 8 minutes until al dente, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.
2. Step 2: While pasta cooks, heat 1 tsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add 2 oz diced pancetta and cook for 4-5 minutes until crispy and golden, then remove from heat.
3. Step 3: In a bowl, whisk 2 large egg yolks with 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper, and 1/4 tsp salt.
4. Step 4: Add drained spaghetti to the pancetta skillet off heat. Quickly pour egg mixture over pasta, tossing vigorously while adding reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time until sauce thickens and coats pasta without scrambling eggs.
5. Step 5: Serve immediately topped with extra Parmesan and black pepper.