The ultimate makeover: Spaghetti carbonara
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The ultimate makeover: Spaghetti carbonara

Italian comfort food without the calories, this recipe is rich and creamy, yet just one third of the fat

Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 4

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 15 mins

Cook time

Cook 20 mins

Method

  1. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil with a pinch of salt. Then get everything ready. Grate the cheese and beat the eggs in a bowl with a little pepper. Cook the peas in boiling water for 2-3 mins, drain and set aside.
  2. Cook the spaghetti to al dente following pack instructions. While the spaghetti is cooking, heat the oil in a large, deep frying or sauté pan. Fry the bacon for several mins until it starts to go crisp. Stir in the garlic and cook briefly until pale brown. Tip in the peas and if the spaghetti isn't quite ready, keep warm over a very low heat.
  3. When the pasta is done, take the pan with the bacon in off the heat. Lift the spaghetti out of its pan with a pair of tongs and drop it into the frying pan with the garlic, bacon and peas. Mix most of the cheese into the eggs, keeping back a handful of cheese for sprinkling over each serving. Quickly pour in the eggs and cheese, lifting and stirring with the tongs so everything mixes well and the spaghetti gets coated. Ladle in some more of the pasta water, enough to coat the spaghetti and create a bit of sauce in the pan.
  4. Spoon or twirl the pasta into shallow serving bowls using a long pronged fork. Serve immediately with a sprinkling of the reserved cheese, some snipped chives and a grating of black pepper.

Per serving

527 kcalories, protein 29.7g, carbohydrate 70g, fat 16.1 g, saturated fat 6.3g, fibre 5.2g, sugar 4.4g, salt 1.63 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, September 2011.

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Latest comments and suggestions

Results 1-20

  • Binder photo Annette

    2011-08-25 17:29:39.116476

    Annette rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    We left out the garlic and used cheddar instead of parmesan so the kids would eat it.... I might add a few chopped mushrooms next time too! Really nice and tasty, will definitely be making this again.

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  • Binder photo LoveLifeToday

    2011-08-29 19:29:50.986276

    LoveLifeToday rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    Really yummy! I added mushrooms like the lady above suggested and it worked really well. The only criticism I have, is that because the egg is not cooked, it was not really hot, so it became cold quite quickly. Other than that, lovely recipe.

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  • Binder photo avalina1

    2011-08-30 19:16:48.967344

    avalina1 rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I left out the peas, but it all worked perfectly. It tasted great and was very easy to make!

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  • Binder photo Spela

    2011-09-02 09:23:49.613598

    Spela rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Left out the peas - no need really! Best carbonara I ever had!

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  • Binder photo Elle

    2011-09-03 18:43:00.729631

    Elle rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I made this for my husband and 13 year old son, as I have been searching for simple but healthy recipes and they both love pasta. This is great, very simple and quick and they both said it was delicious! I am looking forward to making a veggie option for myself, substituting the ham with mushrooms and a good strong vegetarian cheese as it is difficult to find a really good vegetarian parmesan in the supermarkets near me. Definitely a winner!

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  • Binder photo Julie Anne

    2011-11-08 22:49:59.94975

    Julie Anne rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Made it exactly as the recipe said but with a little bit more bacon. Tastes exactly how you'd expect - like light, healthy carbonara! I would definitely make it again, maybe with slightly less spaghetti next time because there was an awful lot of it. It barely fit in the pan!

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  • Binder photo sister8x

    2012-01-10 20:23:28.777233

    sister8x commented on this recipe

    All we changed was pecorino cheese instead of parmesan and smoked back bacon. We will definitely cook this dish again possibly leaving out the peas. Delicious, and very easy to do.

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  • Binder photo sister8x

    2012-01-10 22:27:38.744451

    sister8x rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • Binder photo Caz

    2012-01-16 18:54:20.440088

    Caz commented on this recipe

    This was delicious much preferred it to carbonara made with cream. I replaced the peas with mushrooms.

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  • Binder photo Caz

    2012-01-16 18:54:32.814245

    Caz rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    This was delicious much preferred it to carbonara made with cream. I replaced the peas with mushrooms.

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  • Binder photo Caz

    2012-01-16 18:54:35.162124

    Caz commented on this recipe

    This was delicious much preferred it to carbonara made with cream. I replaced the peas with mushrooms.

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  • Binder photo lizleicester

    2012-02-13 21:48:07.670161

    lizleicester rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    I thought this was delicious but the cream was missed by the rest of the family to the extent that they added it as a topping which somewhat defeated the "Ultimate Makeover" aim!

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  • Binder photo Jen

    2012-02-28 18:52:20.070604

    Jen rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Have made this twice now and the pasta man in the house gives it his approval even though he has said in the past that he doesn't like pasta without 'a sauce'! I made this with cubetti de pancetta pieces instead of bacon and it was delicious. You definitely need to add a good slosh of the pasta water at the end to bring it all together.

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  • Binder photo Jen

    2012-02-28 18:53:38.730526

    Jen commented on this recipe

    Plus - I halved the recipe for us two but still used two eggs and think it needed them.

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  • Binder photo Kirsten

    2012-02-29 12:31:28.53543

    Kirsten rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Loved this, better than the recipie I tried with cream. Used mushrooms instead of peas.

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  • Binder photo cakeanyone?

    2012-03-28 19:47:29.494774

    cakeanyone? rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    Good, quick, simple recipe. Used gammon instead of bacon just because I had some leftover and added some mushrooms too. Needs a good lot of seasoning and I was naughty and added a good splosh of double cream too (100 ml perhaps)!

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  • Binder photo DEStheCHEF

    2012-05-17 18:05:40.039235

    DEStheCHEF rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    i made this without the bacon and used peas and asparagus tips for a loudly spring version

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  • Binder photo Nikki in NZ

    2012-05-26 06:51:36.361685

    Nikki in NZ commented on this recipe

    My daughter who is 9 made fresh spaghetti to go with this recipe, it was time consuming but worth all her effort the taste was yummy!

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  • Binder photo Jeannie

    2012-07-15 10:35:47.77459

    Jeannie rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Leave out the peas, add a little left over cooked chicken in small chunks and some mushrooms. Serve with a salad. Lovely - everyone I have made this for loves it, and wont be going back to using cream.

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  • Binder photo The West

    2012-07-16 19:41:17.143763

    The West commented on this recipe

    Added mushrooms and used parsley instead of chives, as that is all we had - delicious! Even our 6 year old enjoyed it.

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Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 4

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 15 mins

Cook time

Cook 20 mins

Ingredients

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Per serving

527 kcalories, protein 29.7g, carbohydrate 70g, fat 16.1 g, saturated fat 6.3g, fibre 5.2g, sugar 4.4g, salt 1.63 g

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