Fettuccine Carbonnaise

By
Linda Larsen
Linda Larsen
Linda Larsen is a journalist, quick-cooking and slow-cooking expert, and accomplished cookbook author with over 30 years of experience in testing and developing recipes.
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Updated on 02/10/23
Fettuccine Carbonnaise

 

Mariha-kitchen/Getty Images
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 20 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Yield: 4 portions
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
437 Calories
22g Fat
38g Carbs
19g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 437
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 22g 29%
Saturated Fat 6g 32%
Cholesterol 212mg 71%
Sodium 604mg 26%
Total Carbohydrate 38g 14%
Dietary Fiber 2g 5%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 19g
Vitamin C 0mg 2%
Calcium 165mg 13%
Iron 3mg 14%
Potassium 263mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

We wanted to make spaghetti carbonara but were out of spaghetti and cream. Then we started casting around for some substitutions that might work. You can make carbonara without cream, but we love the added richness and smoothness that cream adds to the recipe.

We love the substantial strands of Fettuccine. This long pasta combines well with creamy sauces and really holds onto them, which is what we had in mind.  We decided to use this instead of spaghetti.

But what to use in place of cream? We had skim milk (no thanks), yogurt (no), sour cream, and... mayonnaise! It was an unusual idea, but it just might work. After all, mayonnaise is made with oil, eggs, and lemon juice; three ingredients that are delicious with pasta.

It worked! Adding a bit of mayonnaise (along with the skim milk and eggs) to the pasta produced a rich and creamy sauce with a slight tang. Some minced garlic and lots of bacon packed in more flavor, and Parmesan cheese added the finishing touch. 

We do have another pasta recipe with a slightly unusual ingredient: cream cheese in tomato sauce. We might try that in place of cream next! 

Serve this wonderful dish with a glass of white wine, a green salad, garlic toast, and some cooked carrots or baby peas. All you need now is a checked tablecloth and some fat candles in wine glasses; even though an Italian would probably blanch at this recipe.

Ingredients

  • 8 slices bacon

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 pound fettuccine

  • 4 large eggs

  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise

  • 3 tablespoons milk

  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Cook the bacon until crisp and browned in a large pan over medium heat. Remove bacon from pan, place on paper towels to drain, then crumble. Drain most of the fat from the pan. Add the garlic to the pan and cook for about 30 seconds. 

  3. Scrape the garlic and bacon fat remaining in the pan into a small bowl. 

  4. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add salt to flavor, then add the pasta. Stir. Cook until the pasta is just al dente, stirring occasionally.

  5. Meanwhile, add the eggs, mayonnaise, milk, salt, and pepper to the bacon in the small bowl and beat well with a wire whisk until blended and smooth.

  6. When the pasta is cooked, drain, reserving 1/3 cup cooking water. Return the pasta to the pot immediately.

  7. Off the heat, add the mayonnaise mixture. Toss with tongs until the mixture coats the pasta, adding cooking water as needed to make a smooth sauce.

  8. Add the Parmesan cheese and toss again and serve immediately.