Miso Pepper Carbonara
Preparation time: 20-30 minutes | Serves: 2 people
Try my take on the classic Carbonara, with the addition of white miso and lots of pepper for a bit of heat and umami.
This silky carbonara sauce made with egg yolks and parmesan is incredibly rich and indulgent, but once you master the technique, it's surprisingly easy to make for a quick weeknight dinner or satisfying lunch.
Ingredients needed for my Carbonara -
A Carbonara recipe requires only a handful of ingredients, so quality really matters here, making a big difference to the final flavour.
The base is simple: egg yolks (I use free-range when possible), freshly grated parmesan, and guanciale, which is cured pork cheek from Italy. Since guanciale can be hard to find, I use bacon as an easy substitute that works beautifully.
For the pasta, I've gone with spaghetti, but any long pasta works well. The seasoning is just as important: lots of freshly cracked black pepper for my version, plus miso paste, which adds a wonderful salty, umami kick that works beautifully with the Carbonara sauce.
Find more tips and suggestions in the recipe notes below.
Ingredients
3-4 rashers guanciale/ streaky bacon, diced
3 egg yolks
100 gms parmesan, grated
1 tbsp pepper, crushed
2 tsps white miso paste (optional)
160-200 gms spaghetti (enough for 2)
Salt, according to taste
Method
Cook the pasta according to package instructions, reserving 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
While the pasta cooks, fry the bacon or guanciale in a pan large enough to hold all the pasta.
Whisk together egg yolks, parmesan, miso, and pepper until smooth.
Gradually whisk half the reserved pasta water into the egg mixture.
Transfer the cooked pasta to the pan with the bacon, toss to coat, then turn off the heat.
Pour the egg mixture over the pasta and swirl gently to combine. Add more pasta water as needed for your desired consistency.
Toss until evenly coated and adjust seasoning to taste. Serve immediately with cracked pepper and grated parmesan.
Swaps, Serves & Storage
What other pasta can I use for this recipe?
You can use linguine, tagliatelle, angel hair pasta or even rigatoni for this Carbonara pasta.Can I use any other cheese for this recipe?
You can use pecorino romano instead of parmesan for this recipe.What can I use instead of miso?
If you’re unable to find miso, you can leave it out of the recipe completely. Be sure to adjust the amount of salt accordingly.Can I make this Carbonara pasta ahead of time?
If you reheat the egg yolk sauce there are chances that it will split and turn into scrambled eggs! I would recommend making and serving this dish fresh as that’s when it tastes best.
Check out my other dishes with Miso -
