• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Your Top Source of Filipino Recipes
About
Cooking Schools
Contact
Facebook
Instagram
Pinterest
YouTube

Panlasang Pinoy

Your Top Source of Filipino Recipes

  • New? Start Here
  • All Recipes
  • Course
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Appetizers
    • Dessert
    • Dinner
  • Ingredient
    • Chicken
    • Pork
    • Beef
    • Turkey
    • Vegetable
    • Fish
    • Rice
    • Egg
    • Tofu
    • Noodles
  • Type
    • Adobo
    • Bread
    • Fried Chicken
    • Sinigang
    • Kilawin
    • Ginataan
    • Kaldereta
Home Recipes Pasta Recipes

How to Make Carbonara Sauce

Carbonara sauce is used in pasta dishes and is creamy, thick and somewhat meaty. When added to any kind of pasta, that dish is called carbonara pasta. The recipe for this winning sauce is surprisingly simple, which means anyone can learn how to make carbonara sauce at home. Although the authentic version is made using…

SharesFacebookPinTweet
By: Vanjo Merano 6 Comments Updated: 8/31/18

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Carbonara sauce is used in pasta dishes and is creamy, thick and somewhat meaty. When added to any kind of pasta, that dish is called carbonara pasta. The recipe for this winning sauce is surprisingly simple, which means anyone can learn how to make carbonara sauce at home. Although the authentic version is made using cream, others prefer to make it without.

how-to-make-carbonara-sauce

What is Carbonara Sauce Made of?

There are two ingredients in carbonara sauce that remain unchanged: cheese and pancetta or prosciutto. Pancetta and prosciutto are similar to ham but are cured in different ways. They are both made from pork and can be used interchangeably. In addition to cheese and cured pork, other common ingredients include eggs and cream. Lactose intolerant people can learn how to make carbonara sauce without the cream.

Health Benefits of Carbonara Sauce

Because carbonara sauce contains a lot of dairy โ€“ cheese and cream โ€“ it provides plenty of calcium and magnesium. These nutrients are needed to maintain healthy teeth, as well as bone and muscle. Dairy is also rich in protein, phosphorus and B vitamins.

The second main ingredient, pancetta or prosciutto, are pork products. This means they have high levels of nutrients similar to dairy and iron. When the nutritional content of dairy and ham is combined, it can be beneficial for people with joint, bone and muscle conditions like arthritis and osteoporosis. Carbonara sauce does, however, have high fat, some saturated and some unsaturated.

How to Make Carbonara Sauce with Dairy

For a great-tasting carbonara sauce, you will need:

  • 1 pound cooked pasta
  • 4 ounces of pancetta or prosciutto
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 2 whole eggs
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley (optional)

Step 1:

Heat the olive oil in a pot and sautรฉ garlic for 1 minute. Add the pancetta or prosciutto and sautรฉ until lightly browned.

Step 2:

Add hot, cooked pasta into the pot and mix well.

Step 3:

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and cheese. Pour this cheese mixture into the pot with pasta. Stir, making sure pasta is coated with the carbonara sauce. If itโ€™s too thick, add a little water and mix until it reaches the right consistency. Sprinkle parsley on top and serve.

How to Make Carbonara Sauce Tips and Tricks

While carbonara sauce can be prepared separately, it is better to make with pasta simultaneously. Hot pasta cooks the eggs even without heat from the stove plate. Make sure you combine ingredients off heat. When mixing cheese with eggs, stir vigorously to make sure that the mixture doesnโ€™t produce lumps. Cook pasta the same time you make the sauce, otherwise it will be too cold to achieve the desired effect.

Carbonara sauce and pasta go hand in hand. When cooked properly, they make a delicious and nutritious combination. Learn how to cook carbonara sauce with pasta together for best results. Garnish the dish with your choice of herbs and spices for personalized flavor.

Vanjo Merano

Vanjo Merano is the creator of PanlasangPinoy.com. His goal is to introduce Filipino Food and Filipino Cuisine to the rest of the world. This blog was the first step that he took.

Read more...

Related Posts

  • Chicken Carbonara
  • Tonkatsu Sauce
  • Spaghetti Carbonara Recipe
SharesFacebookPinTweet

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Have a question? Submit your question or comment below.

Recipe Rating




  1. rosalie garcia says

    Posted on 6/22/16 at 6:32 pm

    hi..may I know what is pancetta prosciutto, means.?

    Reply Please

    Reply
    • Vanjo Merano says

      Posted on 6/23/16 at 8:24 am

      Prosciutto is an Italian dry cured ham. Check out this article for more information

      Reply
  2. Lynnet Sarvida says

    Posted on 3/30/15 at 2:04 am

    I used to eat carbonara with my sister, she’s the one who cooked it for me, now that i have found this recipe, its my turn to cook carbonara for her. Big thanks to Panlasang Pinoy for sharing. God Bless!

    Reply
  3. nathalie rachel says

    Posted on 12/22/14 at 4:55 am

    Hi!
    I have been following your awesome easy-to-do recipes on youtube… and here I am finally… I would like to thank you.. I love cooking and your videos had and still helping me to do better.. ๐Ÿ™‚

    More power and God bless you always.. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  4. erlinda g. hernandez says

    Posted on 8/19/14 at 7:45 am

    Great recipes! More power

    Reply
  5. Angelita Iguchi says

    Posted on 8/19/14 at 5:03 am

    What is pancetta or prosciutto means?

    Reply

sidebar

bio

Welcome!

As a huge fan of Filipino food, it is my goal to teach people how to cook it using the simplest way possible. Prepare your taste buds for an ultimate showdown of delectable Filipino dishes! Read more…

Facebook
Instagram
Pinterest
YouTube

Reader Favorites

Chicken Adobo Panlasang Pinoy

Filipino Chicken Adobo Recipe

Leche Flan Recipe

kare kare beef tripe

Kare-Kare Recipe (Beef Tripe)

Pork Sinigang

Sinigang

Receive new recipes by email!

Seasonal

Beef Morcon Recipe

Arroz Valenciana

lechon belly roll recipe

Lechon Belly Roll

Christmas Macaroni Salad

How to Make Macaroni Salad for the Holidays

As Seen In:

good housekeeping
parents
serious eats
livestrong
kitchn
sheknows
Facebook
Instagram
Pinterest
YouTube
About
Meet Vanjo
New? Start Here
Browse Recipes
Explore
Ingredient 101
Philippines
Cooking Schools
Privacy Policy
Disclaimers
Contact
© 2025 Panlasang Pinoy
Site Credits
Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled
Back to Top
Back to Top