15-minute Crème Fraîche Carbonara with Bacon (No Eggs)
This creme fraiche carbonara with bacon skips the eggs and is done in 15 minutes. Creamy, flavorful, and made with everyday staple ingredients.
Servings 4
Calories 905kcal
Equipment
- Measuring cups (metric or US)*
Ingredients
- 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
Video
Notes
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.Nutrition
Calories: 905kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 63g | Saturated Fat: 27g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 22g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 141mg | Sodium: 1009mg | Potassium: 505mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1315IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 443mg | Iron: 2mg