Truffle Udon Carbonara Recipe

Cook udon

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and salt lightly. Add fresh udon and cook according to package instructions (typically 2–4 minutes) until tender but still slightly chewy. Reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water, then drain and set udon aside in the colander.

Crisp bacon

While udon cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until fat renders and pieces are crisp but not burnt, about 6–8 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper towel–lined plate, leaving the rendered fat in the skillet.

Prepare egg-cheese mix

In a medium bowl, whisk together the 4 egg yolks, 1 cup grated Pecorino Romano, 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper, and 1 teaspoon fine sea salt until smooth and slightly thickened. Set aside at room temperature.

Sauté aromatics

In the skillet with the reserved bacon fat, reduce heat to medium-low and add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter. Add the minced shallot and cook until translucent, about 2–3 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds more until fragrant.

Deglaze and build sauce

Pour in 1 cup dashi to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in 3/4 cup heavy cream and 1 teaspoon white miso, whisking to dissolve the miso. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook 3–4 minutes until slightly reduced and slightly thickened.

Finish with truffle

Remove the pan from heat and whisk in 1 teaspoon truffle oil (or 1 teaspoon truffle paste). If using fresh shaved truffle, stir in half now and reserve some for garnish. Taste and adjust seasoning; the dashi and miso add umami, so add a pinch of salt only if needed.

Temper egg mixture

Return the sauce pan to very low heat. Add the drained udon to the pan and toss to coat in the sauce. Remove the pan from direct heat. Slowly ladle about 2 tablespoons of the hot dashi-truffle cream sauce into the egg-cheese mixture while whisking constantly to temper the yolks and raise their temperature (prevent scrambling). Repeat with another 2 tablespoons if needed until the egg mix is warm and fluid.

Combine to create carbonara emulsion

Pour the tempered egg-cheese mixture over the udon in the skillet and, off the heat, toss quickly and continuously to create a smooth, glossy emulsion coating the noodles. If the sauce seems too thick, add up to 1/2 cup reserved hot pasta water a tablespoon at a time while tossing to reach a silky consistency.

Add bacon and finish

Stir in the crisp bacon pieces, reserving a few for garnish. Heat gently for 15–20 seconds on the lowest heat just to warm through (do not boil or you'll scramble the eggs). Remove from heat. Taste and adjust with additional black pepper or a pinch of salt.

Plate and garnish

Divide the truffle udon carbonara among 3–4 warm bowls (servings below). Top each portion with extra grated Pecorino, chopped chives or mitsuba, the reserved bacon pieces, and shaved fresh truffle if available. Finish with a light drizzle of truffle oil if desired. Serve immediately.