This post brought to you by Hillshire Farm
This easy recipe for homemade Spaghetti Carbonara is a budget friendly 20-minute meal that won't break the bank. It's a creamy and a delicious way to use leftover ham or deli ham in an unexpected way. Add a mixed green salad and garlic bread and it's a homestyle feast.
Easy Spaghetti Carbonara Recipe
What is spaghetti carbonara? Spaghetti Carbonara is a classic pasta dish typically made using pancetta, an Italian bacon. In this dish, Hillshire Farm lunchmeat works perfectly. It's packed with flavor and easy to find. To make it, chopped ham is sautéed in olive oil until crispy, then tossed with al dente spaghetti that's dressed with a robust Parmigiana Reggiano and egg-based cheese sauce. It's a pasta dish packed with flavor that will satisfy hungry tummies and keep your grocery budget on track.
How to Make the Best Spaghetti Carbonara Recipe Using Ham
As a mom, I'm always looking for budget friendly ingredients to serve to my boys and this Black Forest Ham is made with no artificial flavors or preservatives making it a winning choice. I always have lunch meat like ham, chicken and turkey in my fridge for school lunches and snacking. It was a natural progression for me to find additional uses for those ingredients and that's how this tasty pasta dish was born.
- Ingredients you'll need to make homemade Spaghetti Carbonara: One pound spaghetti, olive oil, chopped ham, pancetta or bacon, minced garlic, red pepper flakes, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, 2 large eggs plus 2 large egg yolks, onion powder, reserved pasta water and chopped fresh Italian parsley for garnishing.
- In place of ham you can of course use pancetta or bacon instead. ½ pound of either should work beautifully.
- You can use only grated Parmesan cheese to make the creamy sauce, if you prefer.
- It's important to reserve some of the cooking liquid from cooking the spaghetti to thin the sauce and assist in cooking the eggs once mixing the dish together.
- Carbonara is best made and eaten immediately. That said, if you do have leftovers they will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in the microwave.
- Another spaghetti recipe you may like to try is my recipe for Southern style Baked Pizza Spaghetti that features all of the same flavors you might enjoy on a loaded up supreme pizza.
Spaghetti Carbonara Recipe with a Twist
This Spaghetti Carbonara easily serves 6 depending on the appetites of those you're feeding, of course. Add a simple tomato cucumber salad and some garlic bread and dinner is ready in less than 20 minutes. Top it with freshly grated Parmigiana-Reggiano cheese at the table just before serving and your family will feel like they're dining at an Italian restaurant at home. That's a combination for mealtime success in my kitchen. Original post sponsored by Hillshire Farm.
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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Hillshire Brands Company. The opinions and text are all mine.
Spaghetti Carbonara
Ingredients
- 1 lb dry spaghetti
- 2 tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 9 oz 9-oz package Hillshire Farm® Black Forest Ham, chopped OR ½ lb bacon or Pancetta
- 2 medium garlic cloves minced
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 cup grated Parmigiana Reggiano cheese plus additional for garnishing
- 2 large eggs plus 2 egg yolks
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- Reserve ½-1 cup pasta water
- Chopped fresh Italian parsley
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in salted water per the package directions until al dente.
- Meanwhile, drizzle a large skillet with olive oil. Add the chopped ham. Cook over medium-high for 3-5 minutes or until browned and sightly crispy.
- Add garlic, sauté for 1 minute. Add red pepper flakes if using, or black pepper to taste. Remove skillet from heat and set aside.
- Drain pasta, reserve 1 cup water. If skillet has cooled return to stovetop on warm. Add pasta to skillet and mix until coated with oil.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the cheese, eggs and onion powder.
- Quickly mix the cheese mixture into the hot spaghetti and ham. Add hot pasta water in small amounts until sauce is your desired consistency.
- Mix in parsley and serve immediately garnished with additional Parmigiana-Reggiano cheese.
Notes
- In place of ham you can of course, use pancetta or bacon instead. ½ lb of either should work beautifully.
- You can use grated Parmesan if you prefer, for the sauce.
- It's important to reserve some of the cooking liquid to thin the sauce and assist in cooking the eggs once mixing the dish together.
- Carbonara is best made and eaten immediately.
Nutrition
My name is Melissa and I'm the Creator of Melissa's Southern Style Kitchen. Cooking, baking, developing recipes and kitchen tips is my passion. I love sharing my dishes and connecting with people through the food that I create.
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Jonathan T
I made this tonight and the family thought it was excellent. I add some caramelized onions left over from last night so I added them. Thank you!
Melissa
Sounds wonderful, thanks so much!
Kristi
I made this tonight and it was really good. I substituted packaged sliced ham for the deli ham because that’s what I had on hand but I think I’ll try to have the deli ham for when I try it next time. I think that would be able to spread better throughout the noodles rather than sliced ham chopped into small pieces. Thanks for the recipe.