This crème fraîche carbonara with bacon is the easy way to get carbonara on the table: no eggs, no fussy technique, and done in 15 minutes. The crème fraîche makes it creamy with a little tang, and everything else is a fridge and pantry staple. And if you don't have crème fraîche you can totally use cream instead.
This Is Probably My Oldest Recipe - And I Still Make It Every Month
This dish is one of those tried and tested recipes that I've made for years. Probably 20 at this point. It's a quick way to get a delicious dinner on the table, and while not an authentic carbonara - it's so tasty, and a great alternative if you find the authentic version a bit too complicated.
This version is also made completely without eggs. So you don't need to worry about scrambling them, and you can serve it to someone who can't have eggs. Just make sure you're using egg-free pasta! (Most store-bought versions are egg-free.)
It's so easy and all done in 15 minutes - including cooking the pasta. No unnecessary steps, and all staple ingredients (you can totally use cream instead of crème fraîche). It's a true weeknight hero!
"This recipe is soooo easy and soooo good. Everyone loved it!! Definitely becoming one of our biweekly staples! Thank you so much for the recipe Emmeline!" - Laura
All Simple Ingredients for This Fake Carbonara
Bacon, Pancetta or Guanciale
Guanciale is the traditional choice for a carbonara, but it can be very hard to find. I always use bacon, or maybe pancetta, but you can use either. They're all very tasty!
You can also use turkey bacon or similar "bacon" versions. Some are leaner than pork bacon, and then you might need to add a bit of fat to the pan as well.
To save some time, get the bacon already chopped. This is a great time-saving hack!
Parmesan, Pecorino, Grana Padano or "Italian Hard Cheese"
I use Parmesan because that's what I always have at home. The classic choice for carbonara is pecorino, and it is also tasty, but does add a little bit less flavor. You can also use Grana Padano or some similar kind of "Italian hard cheese". Choose what you like, what you have, and what's easily accessible to you!
Crème Fraîche or Cream
I love making this with crème fraîche because the extra acidity balances all the flavors so well. But, you can also make it with heavy cream, half and half, or a mix of cream and crème fraîche.
Why This Carbonara Is Fake
Fake carbonara, I say. Yes, because a true, authentic carbonara definitely doesn't have crème fraîche - or bacon or parmesan for that matter. Instead the sauce is made from egg yolks and pecorino cheese which combine with the pasta water to create that creamy carbonara deliciousness.
But! I like to keep things easy, so while I love making a classic carbonara - more often, I make a fake one. You can make it with cream or with crème fraîche, but I for one love how the acidity of the crème fraîche helps to lighten this dish up a bit. And yes, bacon, because the classic guanciale (cured pork cheek) is preettyyy hard to find at my local ICA and parmesan because, well, it's always in my fridge.
How to Make a Fake Carbonara the Easy Way
1. Cook the Bacon
Get the pasta water started first. Then place the chopped bacon in a cold pan and cook over medium-high heat until a lot of fat has been released and the bacon starts to look cooked. It does not have to be crispy!
2. Add the Leeks
Add the leeks and cook a few minutes until softened. Lower the heat if the leeks start to burn.
3. Make it Creamy
Add crème fraîche and a bit of pasta cooking water, then mix until the crème fraîche has melted, and simmer 5 minutes or until the pasta is done.
4. Pasta + Parmesan + Pepper
Add pasta, shredded Parmesan cheese and fresh ground black pepper and mix. Let it sit on the stove for a few minutes to allow all the flavors to combine, then serve!
Top Tips
Chop the leek before you rinse it. I chop it, put it in a strainer, then rinse it all at once. This is the best way to ensure you remove all the dirt.
Start the bacon in a cold pan. This allows it to release a lot of fat while heating up and this way you don't need to add any extra fat to cook in.
Don't add salt until the very end. You probably won't need it as both the bacon and parmesan cheese are salty, so if you add it too early it might become too salty. Taste test first, then add only if needed!
What to Do with Leftovers
Storing: Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freezing: Store leftovers in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 3 months. The texture of the pasta will change a bit, but it will still be tasty. For best results, thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Reheating in microwave: Reheat leftovers in the microwave in 1-minute increments, stirring between each segment.
More Easy 15-Minute Pasta Dinners
- Cajun Alfredo Sauce with Pasta15 Minutes
- Spicy Sausage Pasta15 Minutes
- Shrimp Carbonara15 Minutes
- 10-Minute Lemon Ricotta Pasta10 Minutes
- Taco Pasta15 Minutes
- Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta12 Minutes
- 15-minute No Cream Tortellini Carbonara15 Minutes
- Smoked Salmon Pasta with Spinach & Lemon15 Minutes
Recipe
15-minute Crème Fraîche Carbonara with Bacon (No Eggs)
Print RateIngredients
- ½ lb dry pasta
- 12 oz bacon chopped; or pancetta or guanciale
- 1 large leek chopped
- 2 cups crème fraîche or cream or a mix of both
- ½ cup pasta cooking water
- 1 cup shredded parmesan or pecorino cheese; more to serve (optional)
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper fresh ground if you have it; more to serve (optional)
Instructions
- Start by getting your pasta water going and cook the pasta al dente according to package instruction, then drain almost all of the water. Make sure to save some of the pasta water for use in the sauce. While the pasta is cooking, you can make the sauce.½ lb dry pasta
- Place chopped bacon in a cold frying pan over medium high heat and cook for about 5 minutes until bacon looks cooked, mixing often.12 oz bacon
- Add in the chopped leeks, mix, and cook for 2-3 minutes, until softened. Lower the heat if the leeks start to burn.1 large leek
- Add crème fraîche and pasta cooking water to the bacon and leeks. Mix well, then simmer 5 minutes or until the pasta is done.2 cups crème fraîche, ½ cup pasta cooking water
- Mix in pasta, shredded Parmesan cheese and ground black pepper. Let it sit on the stove for a few minutes to allow all the flavors to combine, then serve!1 cup shredded parmesan, ½ tsp ground black pepper
Equipment (may contain affiliate links)
- Measuring cups (metric or US)*
Video
Notes
What to Do with Leftovers
Storing:Â Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Freezing:Â Store leftovers in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 3 months. The texture of the pasta will change a bit, but it will still be tasty. For best results, thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating. Reheating in microwave:Â Reheat leftovers in the microwave in 1-minute increments, stirring between each segment.Nutrition
Nutritional information is approximate and automatically calculated, and should only be viewed as an indication.
Laura
This recipe is soooo easy and soooo good. Everyone loved it!! Definitely becoming one of our biweekly staples! Thank you so much for the recipe Emmeline!
Sabine
My favourite way of cooking it, sorry Italy x
Shirley Robinson
This is amazing and I will be making this over and over. Thank you for your help with the simple instructions!
Shakeel
I also wanted to make a suggestion - maybe you could add tags at the top and bottom of your blog posts so that it's easier to find related blog posts. For example, this blog post could have the tags: pasta, crème fraiche, leeks, etc. So, for example, if anyone wants to see more of your pasta recipes, they can just click on the "pasta" tag and it will show a list of all pasta-related recipes on your blog. I hope you consider it! Cheers!
Shakeel
Hi, Emmeline!
First of all, i never post on food blogs, or just blogs in general. I never took time out of my busy schedule to do it before. So, this is indeed the very first time that i have bothered to post a comment. But your recipe and website has been given so much care, love and attention that it really stands out among all the food sites that i usually google from my smartphone while trying to find some quick and easy recipe to make. I am a university student and i don't have the time to make elaborate recipes, especially since in the dormitory where i live, there are no fancy cooking equipment. So, this pasta recipe and the simple ingredients are perfect! I usually have pasta on hand as it's easy to make and can be delicious with the right sauce. I got crème fraiche and i was wondering if it could be made in a pasta sauce and i'm glad that your blog post showed up in my search results. Thanks in advance. I will definitely try this for lunch or dinner. Please post some more pasta recipes (or maybe baked potatoes or rice recipes) which uses crème fraiche as ingredient! All the best!
Emmeline Kemperyd
Hi Shakeel! Thank you SO much for your comment, it truly made my day. I know what it's like being a busy student with limited cooking space - many of my recipes were first developed when I was in that situation myself. This "carbonara" is one of them, another one I made all the time is this Tortellini Casserole which I can highly recommend. I have a few more creme fraiche pastas, but will definitely be adding more in the future. For now you I have a Sun-dried Tomato & Chicken Pasta, a Feta & Chicken Pasta and a Salmon Pasta all made with crème fraîche.
And I like your idea regarding the tags! I used to have them, and then removed them for some reason. But you're right - it makes it easy to find similar recipes. I will look into adding them back. For now, you can try using the search field at the top when looking for an ingredient - it's not 100% accurate (shows recipes without the ingredient as well) but the top recipes usually have that ingredient.
All the best and good luck with your studies! /Emmeline
Sheri
This looks wonderful and so much easier than the traditional recipe my husband uses. But... the conversion tool doesn't work and I live in California and am not familiar with the European measurements. Can you help me out with this? I want to make it for my husband for s little surprise dinner. Thank you!
Emmeline Kemperyd
Hi Sheri! Thank you! That's too bad - but I will try to help. These are the measurements for 4 servings:
½ lb uncooked pasta
â…” lb bacon diced or sliced small
2 cups leeks chopped small
1.5 cups crème fraîche
½ cups pasta cooking water
¾ cups shredded parmesan + more to serve (optional)
½ tsp ground black pepper + more to serve (optional)
I sent it to your e-mail as well in case you don't see it here.
Sheri
Thank you so much for the super quick response. I will make this up sometime this week and let you know how it goes. Stay safe and happiness to you. Sheri
Emmeline Kemperyd
No problem, Sheri! So sorry again that it wasn't working. It should be fixed now! Thanks for letting me know so I could have it fixed. Enjoy your food and your weekend!
Aimee
This was delicious Amd so easy to make . Thank you
terry
I do not weigh anything. Just add it..
Parvi
Thanks for your recipes. Would this carbonara work with turkey bacon? My son in law does not eat pork.
Emmeline Kemperyd
Hi Parvi! Thanks for reaching out. It would definitely be great with turkey bacon as well! What a great idea - I will need to try it for myself. Let me know how it turns out! /Emmeline
Emmeline Kemperyd
But you might need to add some fat (butter or oil) when cooking the turken bacon - I don’t think it gives off as much fat as regulator bacon when it heats up.
Biana
I love carbonara, and what a great idea to add bacon!
Astonished
Who's ever had carbonara that *doesn't* have bacon?!
Emmeline Kemperyd
I, for one! Carbonara is traditionally made with guanciale, not bacon. Adding bacon is very common outside Italy though, but not the traditional choice. /Emmeline
Lisa
Can you use whizzed up cottage cheese instead of creme fraiche please?
Emmeline Kemperyd
Hi Lisa! No, I would not recommend that substitution, it will be a completely different taste and texture. It's better to use cream instead. /Emmeline
Luci
This carbonara is absolutely delicious and full of flavor! I love the cheese and bacon together. I can't wait to make this again for my family it was a hit.
Emmeline Kemperyd
So happy to hear you liked it Luci!
Alison
A delicious and easy week night dinner. It's going in the regular rotation.
Toni
Perfect flavors! I love how East and fast it is to make too!