Alright, so I should start with a confession – I shouldn’t really be calling this carbonara because there are no eggs, which is pretty much the definition of a carbonara. Here’s the deal. My mom made this pasta dish for me growing up and I loved it. She never used eggs, so as I got older I kept making it, sans eggs, and adding and editing the recipe until I landed on my favorite ratios and ingredients.

I kind of stressed about posting this recipe, because I thought, Oh, I should make the “real” deal with eggs and fancy pancetta instead of bacon, but then I realized that was freaking nuts. The recipe below, while it might not be technically correct, is the one I love, so it’s the one I’m posting. It’s insanely easy to make, and Sir Dave does a happy jig every time I make it. Seriously one of my all time favorites, because BACON.

Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Cook Time: 15 Minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients
1 box of spaghetti (1 lb)
1 package bacon (16 oz)
4 cloves minced garlic
2 1/2 tbs butter
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tbs chopped parsley

First, get a big pot of salted water boiling for the spaghetti, and toss in once boiling, cooking just until al dente. While the pasta is cooking, cut the bacon into pieces and cook in a large skillet until crispy. Remove bacon from the skillet with a slotted spoon, set aside. Pour out most of the bacon fat, leaving about 2 tbs in the pan. Next, turn the skillet to low/medium heat and add in the minced garlic. Cook just until soft, stirring frequently, about 2 minutes.

Then let’s get real indulgent, turn the pan down to low heat, and toss in 2 1/2 tbs of butter and the salt and pepper; whisk together. Next, while still on low heat, add the drained pasta and bacon into the butter and garlic sauce and toss well so noodles are well-coated. Last, add the cream and parmesan, toss together until heated through. Serve topped with extra parmesan and parsley then EAT!