In Italy, Carbonara is traditionally served without cream, just bacon, egg, pasta and parmesan. This is because even though lovely creamy sauces are delicious, Italians are all about highlighting the pasta. I was fortunate enough to visit Italy for 3 weeks (too long ago now) and had the most wonderful food, I can’t begin to tell you how much I loved the food.
On one of the weekends, I happened to meet up with friend and stay at her house for the night. She made Carbonara with cream and said that she liked it better this way, but made sure that if she ever served it to friends (mostly Italian) she would make sure to call it Creamy Carbonara, just so they weren’t expecting the original way of making it.
This recipe came about as one night I wanted to make Creamy Carbonara and I didn’t have enough bacon (just 1/2 a slice) so I decide to put chicken in it. It was delicious and so I made it again putting a more substantial amount of bacon in it and this is it… still the same way I make it… Now I have included a Thermomix version… which has the extra 300 ml of water as you cook the pasta in the sauce!
This pasta really does need to be served immediately. It starts to get really thick if you don’t eat it straight away. This is because the egg thickens the cream very well and then the pasta starts to absorb all the sauce. It is a very large serve, so you could halve it if you’re not feeding a lot of people. I do often make it and heat it up the next day by adding a bit of water or milk to the mixture, so it doesn’t get too dry.
This recipe serves 6 – 8 people
Ingredients
100g of Parmesan Cheese (pre grated)
1 Red Onion
20ml (g) Olive Oil
300g Bacon (cut into strips)
600ml (g) Pure Cream
500g Chicken Thighs (chopped into strips or squares, Large chunks for the Thermomix Versions)
2 Eggs (beaten)
400g Dry Pasta (shells, penne, fettuccine, spaghetti)
(500g of pasta for the TM5 and TM6 Thermomix Version)
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped parsley (to serve)
Thermomix Versions require
300ml (g) Boiled Water (TM31 Version only)
400ml (g) Boiled Water (TM5 and TM6 only)
Method
1. Boil pasta according to packet rinse and set a side. (reserve some of the pastas cooking liquid just in case)
2. Finely slice red onion and place in a large (minimum 3 litre) frying pan with oil and sauté until transparent.
3. Add in chopped bacon and cook until bacon is transparent.
4. Add in chopped chicken (you may like to make sure that the pieces a quite large, so they don’t disintegrate) and continue cooking until almost cooked.
5. Turn down the heat and add cream, salt and pepper to taste, allow the mixture to gently simmer for 10 – 15 minutes.
6. When ready, pour cooked pasta into the large pan and stir through, making sure the pasta is coasted in the sauce and remove from heat.
7. Quickly stir in beaten egg and half of the parmesan cheese and mix well until egg is completely mixed into the pasta.
8. If a bit thick (depends on evaporation and type of pasta) add a little of the cooking water you reserved from the pasta.
9. Serve immediately with chopped parsley and other half of parmesan cheese.
TM31, TM5, TM6 Compatible (please follow measurement changes for each)
1. Place halved onion into Thermomix and chop, 3 seconds/speed 5, scrape down the sides of the bowl.
2. Add oil and chopped bacon and sauté 6 minutes/Varoma/REVERSE/speed 4 with the (Measuring Cup (MC) off)
3. Add cream, chopped chicken, salt and pepper, cook 10 minutes/Varoma/REVERSE/speed 1, with the mixing basket on the top instead of the MC to stop splashing.
4. Scrape the bottom of the mixing bowl to make sure nothing has stuck to it, add boiling water and pasta to the mixing bowl (on top of what is already in the bowl), cook for another 10 minutes/Varoma/REVERSE/speed 1 with the mixing basket on the top instead of the MC to stop splashing.
5. Meanwhile, in the ThermoServer place the eggs and give them a good beat, then add half of the Parmesan cheese and mix well.
6. When cooked add half of the Carbonara to the ThermoServer and quickly stir in the egg to mix it through the pasta. Add the rest of the contents of the mixing bowl into the Thermo server and continue to stir until egg has stirred complexity though (You don’t need to cook the egg as the temperature of the cream and pasta is enough to complete cook it and thicken the sauce.
7. Serve immediately with the rest of the parmesan some chopped parsley and cracked pepper if desired.
This is my yummy version of a classic Italian dish. I hope you will take a chance with this recipe and give it a go! but with cream, bacon, chicken egg and pasta you can’t really go wrong!
Do you have to cook for fussy eaters or people who are very picky? I would love to hear your solutions and as always love hearing from you and what you have cooked!
Enjoy Irresponsibly, and Happy Cooking!
Liz x
Liz xx
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Made this last night after watching your Facebook live the other night. Easy to make in the Thermie and was a bit hit with the family 🙂 Very yummy!
Left overs for lunch the next day. Thanks Liz
I’m so glad that you like it Sam! Liz x
Hi. Just wondering if this recipe would work if o leave out the cream completely. Thanks
Hi Cherry,
You would need to sub with water as the cream (liquid) is needed to help cook the pasta as it is an all in method!It just won’t be creamy… maybe you could substitute some coconut cream??? or maybe Chicken stock to give a bit more flavour…I’m not sure, have a go and let me know how it goes? Liz xx
Thanks for the thermomix recipe! Worked a charm and we loved it so much!
You are very Welcome Ade… I’m glad you like it! Liz xx
Well this looks wonderful! I have no idea what a thermometer is.
Thanks Mimi,
Well you will have to give it a look up then 🙂 http://www.thermomix.com.au
Thanks for stopping by and saying hello!
Liz xx
Hi,
I tried to make the carbonara and I am only new with the Thermomix and just had a question. I followed the instructions but the bacon didn’t come out in pieces it went puréed and the chicken ended up looking like tuna or shredded chicken.
Do you what it could have been or is this normal? I even had it in reverse.
Thanks
Rachel
Hi Rachel, welcome to the Thermi family… Unfortunately many times it is the quality of the chicken… all supermarket chicken is pumped with water to add weight… That aside, try cutting your pieces a bit bigger 🙂 the bacon is fine as it adds flavour with out bits, but if you want chunks of chicken cut them larger or use thighs 🙂 they seem to hold together better! 🙂 I hope that has been helpful! This for stopping by! Liz xxx
I have already a long list of recipes to try from this site – so good! A question. I would love to give this a try but wondering if there is any problem with residue on the bottom of the bowl. With creamy dishes in thermomix in the past I have found it really hard to get off. Thanks!
Hi Laurie… thanks so much 🙂 I find that it does happen sometimes, but you don’t need to work, just take the blade out and clean it with a steelo… it is stainless steel and I do it all the time 🙂 Liz x
Thanks Liz – definitely want to try this.
🙂 Liz xx
I made this in my tm5 last night and left out the chicken (using only bacon). Really tasty and delicious, whole family loved it! I just have a question about step 2 when sautéing the onion and bacon in oil, should it be speed 4? It seemed rather fast so I stopped it after a few seconds and the bacon and onion mixture was mush after this short time. So I slowed it right down to spoon speed. Didn’t affect the taste, was still amazing in flavour but wondered if it is a misprint?
Hi Tanya, 🙂 yes speed 4 is correct 🙂 If you put it on REVERSE it should be fine, the smaller, when it is smaller the flavour is stronger as it only cooks in a short period of time, but obviously if you want bigger chucks please feel free to adjust the recipe 🙂 Thanks so much for dropping in and letting me know that like one of my recipes… Makes my day 🙂 Liz xx
Thanks Liz, that makes sense because the flavour was good and strong, with so little ingredients. It really was so good! Definitely going to make it again, and next time I’ll use chicken too
🙂 Liet me know how you go 🙂 Liz xx
Perfect example of what’s old is new food trend wise. I love creamy pastas (you can totes tell from my butt), thinking I’ll make this bad boy for dinner.
I’m sure there is nothing wrong with your butt! and cream makes everything good! Cha, Liz xx
Just discovered your website – loving the recipes and made this one tonight as needed something that only used things I had in the fridge / freezer and this fitted the bill perfectly. Spring rolls and massaman curry paste are next…
Hi Debbie, Thanks for much for dropping in and saying hello. It is always lovely to hear what you have made and what you like… If you have any suggestions for recipes that you would like please let me know! Liz x
This was awesome! I made it tonight, just added a couple of mushrooms. Could be my next go-to for comfort food! Can’t believe I’ve never made something so simple yet delicious!!
Oh Janet, that is so great to hear… Thanks for dropping in and letting me know! Liz xx
I do love a creamy pasta. I find them very comforting. I made a boscaiola last night with spaghetti buy my other favourite is carbonara. I haven’t tried it with chicken and usually make it with eggs with just a dash of cream xx
Yes… Boscaiola is another fav… I try not to use too much cream, but it taste so yummy 🙂 Liz xx
Yes, a very yummy version – Liz.
Thanks Rachel 🙂 Liz x