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I like to refer to this gouda spaghetti carbonara as adult mac ‘n cheese. Yes, it’s basically aged gouda mac and cheese, but better. This Gouda Pasta is silky, creamy, cozy and full of flavor!
In keeping with the classic carbonara process, this gouda pasta recipe uses spaghetti (I like whole-weaht), Parmesan, eggs, aged gouda, pancetta and loads of cracked black pepper. Flavor, flavor, flavor!
What is Spaghetti alla Carbonara?
Spaghetti alla carbonara is a traditional Italian pasta dish featuring a creamy sauce made of eggs, Parmesan, and bits of cripsy guanciale or pancetta. Occasionally, you’ll also find recipes featuring green peas as well. But by and large, Carbonara is all about the process.
And don’t you dare be temped to add heavy cream! The creaminess of this dish comes from the eggs, cheese and starchy pasta water and the process in which it all comes together. Cream is not needed for this dish.
What is Pancetta?
Pancetta is often referred to as “Italian bacon,” it’s cured with salt and spices but, unlike traditional bacon, it’s not smoked. Coming from the belly of a hog, pancetta is flavorful, salty and fatty.
Guanciale (cured pork jowl) is very common in carbonara, dare I say a bit more traditional than pancetta. But either can work here, as would bacon.
Two Types of Cheese in Gouda Pasta
Classic carbonara uses Parmesan and/or Pecorino Romano. I do use a bit of Parmesan for this recipe, but aged gouda certainly takes center stage in this Gouda pasta recipe.
And while it’s not traditional in carbonara, the aged Gouda adds richness, creaminess, and even a note of nuttiness—making this carbonara so damn good!
If you like things smoky, try smoked Gouda instead of aged gouda and you’ll basically have yourself smoked gouda mac without having to fire up the smoker.
And, if you’re a traditionalist, simply swap the Gouda out for Parmesan or Pecorino. Or check out this traditional Italian recipe for Carbonara.
How to Make Gouda Pasta
The full recipe, with ingredient amounts, directions and timings, can be found in the recipe card below.
Like I said, this gouda pasta is all about process. I’m using the carbonara process and while it’s simple, it is important to follow the instructions top to bottom, switching up the steps won’t work for this recipe.
- Combine the Gouda and Parmesan, eggs, yolks, and pepper; set aside.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Have the spaghetti on standby.
- Cook spaghetti 1 minutes less than package directions specify.
- Reserve 2 cups pasta cooking water. Do not forget this step! I repeat, reserve some of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- Meanwhile, cook the pancetta in some oil in a large sauté pan (12-inch at least) until golden brown and starting to crisp.
- Add hot pasta to the pan with pancetta and toss lightly to coat.
- Whisk some of the reserved pasta water into the cheese and egg mixture.
- Add the egg and cheese mixture to the pan with pasta and pancetta.
- Toss the pasta and sauce gently but continuously until sauce is thickened and silky. Add reserved pasta water by ¼ cup increments to reach desired consistency. You may add quite a bit of the reserved cooking water and that’s OK!
What to Serve It With
Fill out the menu with any one of these delicious and fresh side dishes.
Variations on This Gouda Pasta Recipe
- Use a different pasta shape: bucatini, rigatoni, linguine, etc. Use whatever you have on hand!
- Make it smoky: use bacon and smoked Gouda.
- Freshen it up: add some petite green peas to the mix (stir in right at the end).
- Bulk it up: add some cooked ground turkey or mild Italian sausage.
- Make it a full-meal: add some cooked chicken or shrimp.
More Pasta Recipes to Try
Dinner
Stovetop Mac and Cheese
Fish & Seafood
Spaghetti with Clams a la Casino
Pasta & Noodles
Creamy Truffle Mushroom Pasta
Sauces & Dressings
Quick Red Wine Pasta Sauce
Aged Gouda Spaghetti Carbonara
Description
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Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 3 ounces shredded aged Gouda (about ¾ cup)
- 1 ounce grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano (about ¼ cup)
- Black pepper & kosher salt
- 12 ounces dry spaghetti (I like whole-wheat)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
- 4 ounces pancetta, guanciale, or slab bacon, diced
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 eggs and 2 yolks until smooth, whisk in 3 ounces shredded Gouda, 1 ounce grated Parmesan, and 7 turns black pepper.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil; season liberally with salt (about 2 tablespoons). Add 12 ounces spaghetti and cook until al dente, about 1 minute less than the package directions, stirring often to prevent sticking. Reserve 2 cups pasta water then drain.
- Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch sauté pan over medium, add 4 ounces diced pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden-brown and just starting to crisp, about 5 minutes; reduce heat to low.
- Slowly whisk ¼ cup reserved pasta cooking water into cheese and egg mixture.
- Immediately after draining pasta, add hot pasta to pan with pancetta and briefly toss with tongs.
- Add egg mixture, tossing continuously (gently to avoid breaking the noodles), until pasta is well coated, about 3 minutes; add additional reserved pasta cooking water by ¼ cup to reach desired creamy consistency (you may end up using quite a bit of the reserved cooking water and that’s OK).
- Serve carbonara hot, sprinkled with additional black pepper to taste.
Do you have an ingredient list?
The ingredient list can be found in the recipe card. For quick access to the recipe card, click the “jump to recipe” button at the top of the page. Let me know if you need anything else!