Linguini Carbonara Recipe

Cook pasta

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add a large pinch of kosher salt (about 1 tablespoon). Add 12 oz linguini and cook until just al dente according to package directions (typically 9–11 minutes). Reserve 1 cup of the starchy cooking water, then drain the pasta and set aside.

Keep the reserved cooking water warm near the stove for finishing the sauce.

Cook bacon

While the pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until fat renders and bacon is crisp and golden, about 6–8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer most of the bacon to a paper towel–lined plate, leaving about 1–2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the pan.

Sauté mushrooms and ham

Reduce heat to medium-low and add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon unsalted butter to the bacon fat in the skillet. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook without moving too much until they begin to brown, about 4–5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant. Add the diced cooked ham and the reserved cooked bacon pieces, stirring to combine and warming through, about 1–2 minutes. Season lightly with freshly ground black pepper (to taste). Remove skillet from heat and set aside briefly.

Prepare egg-cheese mixture

In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 whole eggs, 1 egg yolk, and 1 cup grated Parmesan (and 1/4 cup Pecorino if using) until smooth and slightly thickened. Add a generous pinch of freshly ground black pepper.

Temper eggs (optional but recommended)

To prevent scrambling, temper the egg mixture: stir 2–3 tablespoons of the reserved hot pasta water into the eggs to raise their temperature gradually.

Combine pasta and sauce

Return the skillet with the mushroom-ham-bacon mixture to very low heat. Add the drained linguini to the skillet and toss to coat in the fats. Remove the skillet from direct heat. Quickly pour the tempered egg-cheese mixture over the hot pasta, tossing continuously (or using tongs) so the residual heat thickens the eggs into a silky sauce rather than scrambling. Add reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time as needed to reach a glossy, creamy consistency—use about 1/4 to 1/2 cup, saving the remainder.

Adjust and serve

If the sauce seems dry or too thick, add up to 1/2 cup more reserved pasta water until desired creaminess is reached. Taste and season with additional black pepper and a small pinch of kosher salt if needed (Parmesan and bacon are salty, so taste before adding salt). Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley and an extra tablespoon of grated Parmesan over each serving. Serve immediately while hot.