Spaghetti carbonara is a humble Italian dish with a comforting taste and magnificent texture. But despite the simple recipe, so many things can go wrong when making your carbonara sauce. Even professional chefs are not immune from criticisms when preparing the dish. If you want to avoid such a situation, turn to this guide and follow this easy carbonara recipe.
Egg yolks are the primary ingredient of a classic carbonara. They lend richness and offer a silky texture. However, yolks can easily curdle, becoming a scrambled egg rather than a heavenly pasta sauce. How to avoid this pitfall? You’ll be surprised to know the solution has been sitting on your countertop all along – a jar of Lady’s Choice Real Mayonnaise. Curious to try this version?
How to Cook Creamy Carbonara Sauce With Mayonnaise
A short disclaimer: the goal here is not to recreate traditional carbonara but to replicate the taste using readily available items. Some of these carbonara sauce ingredients may be a little out of the box. But trust the process, and you’ll soon wonder why you haven’t thought of this trick before.
This carbonara sauce calls for bacon instead of traditional guanciale (cured pork jowl) to cut the cost. And to side with the naysayers of cream in carbonara, you don’t have to add any as it will only make the dish too heavy. In just 20 minutes, your special (and effortless) carbonara pasta recipe will be ready!
Ingredients
- 3 liters water
- salt, to taste
- 250 g spaghetti
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
- ½ cup chopped bacon
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped finely
- ¼ cup Lady's Choice Real Mayonnaise
- 3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
- freshly ground black pepper
Method
- Boil water in a pot and add salt to season. Cook spaghetti until al dente, about 8 minutes.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat oil in a pan. Fry bacon until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Remove from heat.
- Stir in Lady’s Choice Real Mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, and pepper.
- Add hot spaghetti and toss until coated. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
Ways to Spruce Up Your Carbonara
Carbonara sauce is perfect the way it is, especially if done right. Serve it with garlic bread, and it’s a guaranteed hit. But there’s no harm in adding more ingredients to the party for some novelty. Perhaps you’ve been racking your brain to get your kids to eat more veggies. Whatever the reason, these tips can set your carbonara apart from other moms’.
Something green, but not peas
Avoid the sirens of the pasta police by saying no to peas in carbonara. Instead, opt for chopped spinach. Put the raw spinach in a colander and drain your pasta over it. You can also throw in mint leaves, flat-leaf parsley, or leeks as garnish. These veggies bring some freshness to your dish without stealing its spotlight.
Anchovies
Since guanciale in traditional carbonara has a more savory taste than bacon, adding anchovies can bring the punch. Add a small amount of the jarred or tinned variety and ditch the salt. Brighten the flavors with a squeeze of calamansi.
Longganisa
Do you have leftover longganisa after preparing a silog meal for breakfast? Fry ‘em up to add a Pinoy twist to your carbonara. Swap the bacon with crumbled longganisa de recado for a savory profile. You can also use the hamonado version if your family prefers their pasta on the sweeter side.
Artichoke
For health-conscious moms, use artichoke as a substitute for bacon. Slice the canned vegetable, then pan-fry them with garlic. Use this if you want more earthy flavors to complement the creaminess of your dish.
Think of this carbonara sauce recipe as your blank canvas. You are the boss of your sauce – play with the ingredients! You can even include Christmas ham for a festive version or smoked duck ham if you’re feeling fancy. A little bit of nutmeg or cinnamon can elevate the flavor, too. Enjoy!
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