Spaghetti Carbonara with Pancetta and Parmesan

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

A classic Italian pasta dish made with half the usual portion, featuring eggs, pancetta, and Parmesan for a rich, silky sauce. This Italian-inspired pasta recipe, ready in about 20 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 550 calories and feeds 2, 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.

Prep: 10 min Cook: 10 min Serves 2 Italian cuisine 550 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 4 oz spaghetti and cook for 8 minutes until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain pasta.
  2. Step 2: While pasta cooks, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add 3 oz diced pancetta and 1 smashed garlic clove, cooking for 4-5 minutes until pancetta is crisp and garlic is fragrant. Remove garlic and discard.
  3. Step 3: In a bowl, whisk together 2 large egg yolks, 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and 1/2 tsp salt.
  4. Step 4: Add hot drained spaghetti to the skillet with pancetta off heat. Quickly pour egg mixture over pasta, tossing vigorously to create a creamy sauce, adding reserved pasta water in 1 tbsp increments until sauce coats pasta smoothly.
  5. Step 5: Serve immediately with extra Parmesan and black pepper.

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