Ramen Pasta Carbonara
Bacon, eggs and Parmesan turn everyday ramen noodles into a quick and delicious spin on classic pasta carbonara!
I will admit it right here and right now: I am a true-blue ramen lover. I love those squiggly little noodles, I love how quickly they cook, and yes, I even love the mysterious little seasoning packet!
So naturally, I started wondering what would happen if I gave one of my favorite classic pasta recipes the ramen treatment. The delicious answer is this quick and easy ramen pasta carbonara, complete with crispy bacon, Parmesan cheese and a creamy egg sauce.
It’s cozy, satisfyingly flavorful and ready in about 15 minutes—which makes it exactly the kind of comfort food supper we all need in our lives. Let’s make it!
Jump to:
- 🔎 A quick look at this recipe
- Why this recipe works
- 🍝 What is carbonara?
- Here’s how you make ramen pasta carbonara!
- Recipe FAQs
- What to serve with ramen pasta carbonara
- Ramen Pasta Carbonara
- 👩🏻🍳 Variations on this recipe
- 😍 Other ramen recipes we love!
- ⭐️ We want to know what you think!
- 🥣 Come on into our kitchen!
🔎 A quick look at this recipe
- What It Is: A speedy spin on classic carbonara made with ramen noodles, crispy bacon, eggs and Parmesan cheese
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Servings: 4
- Cooking Method: Stovetop
- Good For: Quick dinners, comfort-food cravings and busy weeknights
Why this recipe works
- 🍜 Ramen noodles cook in minutes, making this an extra-speedy spin on traditional pasta carbonara.
- 🥓 Crispy bacon adds smoky flavor to every creamy, cheesy bite.
- 🥚 Hot noodles gently cook the egg mixture, creating a silky sauce without any cream.
- 🧀 Parmesan cheese adds salty, savory goodness while a splash of noodle water helps the sauce cling to every noodle.
- ⏱️ It’s ready in just 15 minutes, making it perfect for those nights when supper needs to happen fast!
🍝 What is carbonara?
Carbonara is a classic Italian pasta dish made with eggs, cheese, cured pork and black pepper. The hot pasta gently cooks the eggs and melts the cheese, creating a silky sauce without any cream.
This playful version swaps the traditional pasta for quick-cooking ramen noodles and uses bacon for that irresistible smoky flavor. It’s not traditional carbonara—but it is wonderfully delicious!
Here’s how you make ramen pasta carbonara!
You need all the same basics you use for regular carbonara – eggs, bacon, parmesan cheese – along with some butter, some parsley, and three packages of ramen, which you can find in the pasta aisle of your supermarket. I like to use the chicken flavor ramen for this one, because yes, we are going to use just a little of that ramen seasoning that comes in the package.
Crack the eggs in a bowl and whisk them up with most of the cheese, most of the parsley and toss the flavor packets/
Set that aside and cook up the bacon, scooping it out and leaving the drippings in the skillet.
Last but not least, cook up your ramen, scooping out a little of the cooking water at the end.
Now the assembly! Add the hot cooked ramen to the skillet with the drippings, and then add some butter, the egg mixture and the bacon. The heat of the ramen is going to cook the egg mixture into soft scrambles (and if you want it cooked a little more, just turn the heat on low.
If you want to loosen up your sauce a little, drizzle in some of that pasta water that you cleverly saved. Now all that’s left to do is pop it onto plates and scatter the rest of the cheese and parsley on top!
Recipe FAQs
Nope! Just like traditional carbonara, the creamy sauce comes from eggs and Parmesan cheese mixed with the hot noodles. A little reserved noodle water helps loosen the sauce if needed.
Nope! We are only after the noodles in this recipe. Toss the packets so the finished dish doesn’t become too salty.
Take the skillet off the heat before adding the egg mixture, then toss everything together quickly. The residual heat from the noodles will gently cook the eggs into a silky sauce.
Carbonara is at its creamy best when served right away. If you do have leftovers, store them in the refrigerator for up to two days and reheat them gently with a splash of water.
Pop your question in the comments section below and I will answer pronto!
What to serve with ramen pasta carbonara
This rich and savory ramen carbonara loves a fresh vegetable side! Pair it with Green Bean Tomato Salad, Roasted Green Beans with Walnuts, Asparagus with Parmesan Breadcrumb Sauce or Tomato Goat Cheese Salad.
And get to twirling. Happy ramen, all!
Ramen Pasta Carbonara
Bacon and eggs meet ramen noodles in this quick and delicious comfort food recipe for ramen pasta carbonara. A speedy kid-friendly supper!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 4 eggs, beaten to blend
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
- 3 three ounce packages ramen noodles
- 1/2 pound bacon, chopped
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Put the eggs in a bowl with all but 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese and most of the parsley. Toss the flavor packets. . Whisk it all up together and set aside.
- Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large deep skillet until crispy. Scoop out with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels, leaving the drippings in the skillet.
- Cook ramen according to package directions until done, scooping out a cup of pasta water at the end.
- Add the hot cooked ramen to the skillet with the bacon drippings, followed by the butter, the egg mixture and the bacon and toss to coat – the heat of the ramen is going to cook that egg mixture just the right amount. Sprinkle in some pepper, and if you think the sauce needs a little loosening up, drizzle in some of that pasta water that you saved. Sometimes I do this and sometimes I don’t.
- Divide among warmed plates, sprinkle with remaining Parmesan and parsley and serve!
👩🏻🍳 Variations on this recipe
- Add some veggies: Toss in baby spinach, peas or steamed broccoli along with the hot noodles.
- Change up the bacon: Swap the bacon for chopped pancetta or prosciutto.
- Make it spicy: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a drizzle of chili crispy.
- Add a little garlic: Cook one minced garlic clove in the bacon drippings for about 30 seconds before adding the noodles.
😍 Other ramen 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.