Creamy Bacon Carbonara

Name: Creamy Bacon Carbonara (20-Minute Pasta)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients: 6 oz smoked bacon, diced; 1/2 medium onion, diced; 2 cups heavy cream; 1 tbsp all-purpose flour; 2 tbsp water; 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 1 lb spaghetti; 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

This creamy bacon carbonara is a simplified take on the classic Italian pasta, swapping traditional eggs and cheese for a rich cream sauce with smoked bacon and onions. It comes together in just 20 minutes, making it an ideal weeknight meal.

🌍Italian-American 🏷️Creamy pasta 🏷️Carbonara 🏷️Bacon pasta 🏷️Spaghetti Weeknight dinner

🏷️

🏷️20-minute meal

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TikTok

Total

20 min

Servings

4

Difficulty

Easy

Est. Cost

$17–$28

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From TikTok

-0:00

TikTok

Ingredients

6 oz smoked bacon, diced
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 cups heavy cream
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tbsp water
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 lb spaghetti
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

8 Ingredients

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Instructions

1
In a large pan or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the diced smoked bacon and diced onions.
2
Sauté until the bacon is rendered and the onions are golden brown.
3
Pour in the heavy cream. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and water to create a slurry, then add it to the pan. Stir to combine.
4
Season generously with freshly ground black pepper and stir. Allow the sauce to simmer and thicken for a few minutes.
5
While the sauce cooks, boil the spaghetti in a separate pot of salted water until al dente. Drain well.
6
Add the cooked spaghetti and freshly chopped parsley to the cream sauce.
7
Toss everything together until the pasta is thoroughly coated in the sauce. Serve immediately.

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Dice bacon into small, even pieces so it crisps uniformly and distributes evenly throughout the sauce.
Whisk flour into the cream before adding to the pan to avoid lumps; strain through a fine sieve if lumps form.
Toss hot pasta directly into the cream sauce off heat for 1–2 minutes to help it absorb the flavor without overcooking.
Reserve 1/4 cup pasta water before draining; add it to the sauce if it's too thick.

Substitutions

Heavy cream → half-and-half or whole milk (sauce will be thinner; reduce water slightly)
Smoked bacon → pancetta or prosciutto (adjust salt, as cured meats vary)
All-purpose flour → cornstarch at 1/2 tbsp (cornstarch thickens more potently)

Storage & make-ahead

Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, adding pasta water or cream to loosen the sauce.