Bucatini alla Carbonara with Prosciutto and Peas

Name: Bucatini alla Carbonara with Prosciutto and Peas
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: Bucatini pasta; Prosciutto di parma; Eggs; Peas; Parmigiano reggiano; Olive oil; Salt (or to taste); Pepper (or to taste); Basil; Lemon zest

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Hungry? This is what pasta twirl dreams are made of! Creamy Bucatini alla Carbonara with Prosciutto and Peas recipe combines all the flavors of spring in this traditional dish with aged prosciutto and peas. Give this recipe a whirl (or a twirl) today. You will want to make this again and again.

Pasta Alla Carbonara with Prosciutto and Peas on black plate

Why we love this recipe:

It's simple - A rapid boil, a few eggs, some cheese, etc., then give it a good stir. Dinner in minutes. Voila!

Ingredients - The key players in this dish are staples in our diet. Variations basically use common breakfast ingredients (eggs, bacon, and cheese) + pasta. Who doesn't like a good breakfast pasta? Just don't scramble the eggs. 😉

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Ingredients
Instructions
Substitutions
Variations
Equipment
Storage
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FAQ
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Food Safety

Ingredients

Pasta - We love the bucatini noodle for this recipe. The hollow center soaks in all of the good stuff!
Prosciutto - We use traditional prosciutto di parma. It makes for a nice, light pasta.
Eggs - Mostly yolk for richness and texture, but save a little of the egg white so the pasta will adhere better to the sauce.
Peas - Keeping a package of baby spring peas on hand in the freezer works great for recipes like this.
Parmesan - Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano is highly recommended. It's a common staple in our house.
Olive oil
Salt - Add a liberal amount of salt to the pasta water to add flavor.
Pepper - Extra fresh ground pepper is common in this dish.

Optional

Basil
Lemon zest

Note: Refer to the recipe card below for exact quantities.

Instructions

How to Make Bucatini alla Carbonara with Prosciutto and Peas

Step One: Prepare the Ingredients

Step Two: Make the Carbonara Sauce

Step Three: Boil the Noodles

Step Four: Assemble and Serve

Substitutions

Vegetables - If you don't have peas on hand, asparagus would work really well.
Meat - We used prosciutto for a lighter dish, but guanciale (Italian cured pork), pancetta, and bacon are traditional favorites.
Cheese - Pecorino Romano is a great substitute, but it tends to have a saltier flavor.
Noodles - Any tubular pasta would work well to hold the sauce.

Variations

Method - Try a creamy pasta carbonara bake instead.
Add-ins - Heavy cream or garlic is sometimes added in the more non-traditional versions of this recipe. The use of additional vegetables like broccoli or mushrooms is common as well.

Equipment

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Pasta pot
Colander
Cutting board
Knife

Storage

Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 2-3 days.

This dish is not freezer friendly.

More Recipes

Have leftover ingredients?

Leftover prosciutto is just fabulous in this Prosciutto Burrata Salad.

Need something to pair this with?

Try these other salad recipe ideas:

More pasta recipes you will love:

FAQ

How do you keep carbonara from curdling?

This is the trickiest part! Make sure you are adding a little pasta water and stirring continuously. Otherwise, you could end up with scrambled egg pasta, and nobody wants that.

What is the difference between parmesan and parmigiano reggiano?

Parmigiano Reggiano gets its name from the region of Italy where it was produced. It is typically aged more, which gives it the sharp, nutty flavor. Generic parmesan can include many grated Italian hard cheeses and is usually aged for less than 12 months.

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