Lemon Pasta Carbonara
This easy lemon pasta carbonara combines crispy bacon, Parmesan and fresh lemon in a silky sauce for a bright and delicious spin on classic carbonara!
Two of the very favorite things in my kitchen are bacon and lemons—I am never without either one.
So I’m not sure why it took me so long to realize that salty, crispy bacon and bright, tart lemon would be heavenly together. Luckily, I finally did, and I added them to one of the Southern husband’s all-time favorite dinners: classic pasta carbonara.
He is not a big pasta fan (I KNOW. MYSTERIOUS.), but he always makes an exception for silky, cheesy carbonara. I’m happy to report that he gave this lemony version two Southern thumbs up. He also loves my easy chicken pasta carbonara…so maybe he IS a pasta fan after all?
This quick and easy recipe has all the bacon-and-Parmesan comfort of traditional carbonara, with a cheerful sparkle of fresh lemon. Ready to give your pasta some lemony sass? Let’s make it!
Jump to:
- 🔎 A quick look at this recipe
- ⭐️ Why this recipe works
- 🤔 What is carbonara?
- 🍋 Ingredients you need
- 📝 Ingredient notes
- 💡 Ingredient substitution ideas
- Here’s how you make lemon pasta carbonara!
- Recipe FAQs
- 🍽️ What to serve with Lemon Pasta Carbonara
- Lemon Pasta Carbonara
- 👩🏻🍳 Variations on this recipe
- 😍 Other xxx recipes we love!
- ⭐️ We want to know what you think!
- We want to know what you think! 🤔
- 🥣 Come on into our kitchen!
🔎 A quick look at this recipe
- What It Is: A bright and lemony twist on classic pasta carbonara with crispy bacon, Parmesan and a silky egg-yolk sauce
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Servings: 4 servings
- Calories: 548 calories per serving
- Cooking Method: Stovetop
- Good For: Quick weeknight dinners, cozy suppers and lemon lovers
⭐️ Why this recipe works
- 🍋 Fresh and bright: Lemon juice and zest add a cheerful citrusy sparkle to the rich carbonara sauce.
- 🥓 Salty and smoky: Crispy bacon balances that fresh lemon flavor and makes every forkful extra delicious.
- 🧀 Silky and cheesy: Egg yolks, Parmesan and reserved pasta water come together to make a creamy sauce without any cream.
- ⏰ Quick and easy: This cozy pasta dinner goes from stovetop to table in just 25 minutes.
- 🍝 Comfort food with a twist: It has everything you love about classic carbonara, with a fresh lemony spin.
🤔 What is carbonara?
Carbonara is a classic Italian pasta dish traditionally made with eggs, hard Italian cheese, cured pork and black pepper. The eggs and cheese are tossed with hot pasta and a little reserved pasta water to create a rich, silky sauce—no heavy cream required!
Traditional carbonara usually features Pecorino Romano and guanciale, but this easy version uses Parmesan and crispy bacon, along with fresh lemon juice and zest for a bright and cheerful twist.
🍋 Ingredients you need
📝 Ingredient notes
- 🥓 Bacon: Thick-cut bacon gives you the best crispy, substantial pieces. You’ll also use its flavorful drippings to cook the shallots and garlic.
- 🍋 Lemon: Since you’re using both the zest and peel, scrub and dry the lemon well before you begin. Zest it before squeezing out the juice—it’s much easier that way!
- 🧀 Parmesan cheese: Freshly grated Parmesan melts more smoothly than the pre-grated kind and makes the sauce extra silky.
- 🥚 Egg yolks: The yolks add richness and help create the creamy carbonara sauce. They cook gently from the heat of the pasta.
- 🍝 Fettuccine: Its wide strands hold on beautifully to the silky sauce. Cook it just until al dente, and don’t forget to save some pasta water before draining.
- 🧈 Butter: A tablespoon added at the end gives the sauce a little extra richness and gloss.
💡 Ingredient substitution ideas
Missing something or want to swap in something different? Check out the links below to find more ingredient substitution ideas. 👇🏻
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities and nutritional information.
Here’s how you make lemon pasta carbonara!
STEP 1: Cook the bacon in a large, deep skillet until it is crispy. Scoop it out and let it drain on paper towels, leaving the bacon drippings in the skillet.
STEP 2: Add the shallots and garlic to the skillet and cook over medium heat until they are tender, about 3 minutes.
STEP 3: Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Scoop out a cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta.
STEP 4: Whisk the egg yolks with ⅓ cup of the Parmesan cheese in a small bowl.
STEP 5: Add the drained pasta to the skillet along with about ½ cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss over low heat until everything is well combined, then take the skillet off the heat.
STEP 6: Add the egg-yolk mixture and toss quickly until the pasta is coated in a silky sauce. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, remaining Parmesan, bacon and butter and toss again. If the sauce is too thick, add a little more pasta water. Divide among warmed plates, garnish with lemon peel and freshly ground pepper and serve
Recipe FAQs
The silky sauce comes from the egg yolks, Parmesan cheese and starchy pasta water—no cream needed! Tossing them with the hot pasta creates that rich, creamy texture.
Take the skillet off the heat before adding the egg-yolk mixture, then toss everything together quickly. The residual heat from the pasta will gently thicken the sauce without turning the yolks into scrambled eggs.
Absolutely! Spaghetti, linguine or bucatini will all work well. Any long pasta that gives the silky sauce plenty of room to cling is a good choice.
Carbonara is at its silky best immediately after it is made, so I don’t recommend making it ahead. You can chop the bacon, shallots and garlic and grate the cheese in advance to make dinnertime extra speedy.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat them gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of water, tossing frequently until warmed through. The sauce won’t be quite as silky as it was on day one, but it will still be delicious!
🍽️ What to serve with Lemon Pasta Carbonara
We love a fresh and simple veggie on the side of this rich and lemony pasta. A plate of zucchini carpaccio, a bowl of green bean tomato salad or some roasted green beans with walnuts would all be scrumptious.
And for dessert, let’s have some brownie cookies!
That sound you just heard was the Southern husband sighing in happy carbonara anticipation. And we all lived happily ever after!
Lemon Pasta Carbonara
This easy lemon pasta carbonara combines crispy bacon, Parmesan and fresh lemon in a silky sauce for a bright and delicious spin on classic carbonara!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 4 slices thick cut bacon, cut into pieces
- 2 shallots, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 12 ounces fettuccine pasta
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 egg yolks
- Zest from 1/2 lemon and peel from the other half
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon butter
Instructions
- Cook bacon in a heavy deep skillet until crispy. Remove and drain on paper towels, leaving drippings in skillet.
- Add shallots and garlic to skillet and cook over medium heat until tender, about 3 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions and drain, saving a cup of the pasta water right before draining.
- Pour pasta into skillet along with about half the pasta water and 1/3 cup of the parmesan cheese. Toss over low heat until everything is well mixed.
- Add the egg yolks to the pasta mixture and toss again. Add the lemon zest and juice and the rest of the cheese and toss again. Drizzle in a little more pasta water if needed to make a light sauce.
- Add the bacon, the butter and a grinding of pepper, and toss again. Divide among warmed plates. Garnish with lemon peel and serve!
👩🏻🍳 Variations on this recipe
😍 Other xxx recipes we love!
⭐️ We want to know what you think!
If you try this recipe, we would love to hear how it came out for you! I’d be super grateful if you could leave a star rating (you pick how many stars! 🌟 ) and your thoughts in the Comments section below.
We want to know what you think! 🤔
If you try this recipe we would love to know how it turned out! You can tell us what you think in the Comments section under the recipe card…thank you!
Looking for more pasta inspiration? We’ve got you covered! 🥳 Here is our complete collection of pasta recipes.
Love the bright flavor lemons impart to pasta dishes! Lemons really shine, especially in creamy dishes, so this carbonara sounds absolutely amazing!
Luci’s Morsels | fashion. food. frivolity.
Lemons and pasta are MAGICAL! :)
Ok…I’d eat that. ALL of that. I love lemon and pasta and cheese and bacon together, so why NOT throw a couple eggs in to REALLY make it delicious! Great recipe, Kate! Here’s one of my favorite dishes to try your lemony hand at: Boil up a short pasta of your choice, (I like bow ties) steam some broccoli, cook and crumble some bacon and toast some pine nuts. Put your cooked, drained pasta in a big bowl with your steamed broccoli. Drizzle it all over with some good olive oil and toss together. Zest and juice 2 lemons into the bowl and toss everything again to get it good and mixed. Throw in your bacon and pine nuts, enough salt and pepper to make you happy and then go to town with shredding a good amount of parm cheese over it. This is delicious served hot, warm, room temp and even cold from the fridge. If you are feeling extra fancy you can also add some shredded chicken breast. And I know you are all about the fancy. :)
Teresa! You always amazing me with your kitchen inventiveness. DEFINITELY trying this one. :)