Description
This Miso Carbonara recipe offers a unique twist on the classic Italian dish by incorporating savory miso paste and spicy red chili flakes. Combining crispy bacon, creamy egg-based sauce, and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, this pasta is rich, flavorful, and easy to make in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 8 ounces spaghetti
Bacon and Seasoning
- 4 slices thick bacon, cut into small pieces
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon miso paste
- 2 whole eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, plus more for garnish
- ½ cup hot reserved pasta water
Garnish
- Finely chopped green parsley
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta.
- Cook the Bacon: In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon pieces until crispy. Remove some of the bacon fat, leaving only about a tablespoon in the skillet. Add the red chili flakes to the bacon fat, then turn off the heat.
- Prepare the Sauce: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the miso paste, whole eggs, egg yolks, and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese until smooth.
- Emulsify the Sauce: Slowly drizzle the hot reserved pasta water into the egg and cheese mixture while stirring continuously to create a creamy sauce.
- Combine Pasta and Bacon: Add the cooked spaghetti to the skillet with the bacon fat and toss to coat the noodles evenly.
- Add the Sauce: Pour the creamy miso sauce over the pasta and toss until well combined, ensuring the sauce coats all the spaghetti.
- Add Bacon Back: Return the crispy bacon pieces to the skillet and mix them into the pasta and sauce.
- Serve: Plate the pasta and garnish with additional Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and finely chopped green parsley for a fresh finish.
Notes
- Reserve Pasta Water: Hot pasta water helps emulsify the sauce, creating a creamy texture and cooking the eggs gently.
- Take It Off the Heat: To prevent the eggs from curdling, remove the skillet from the stove before adding the egg and cheese mixture. Use the residual heat to cook the eggs and form the creamy sauce.
- If miso paste is unavailable, you can substitute with an equal amount of soy sauce for umami flavor, though the texture will differ slightly.
- For a spicier dish, increase the red chili flakes to 1.5 teaspoons.
- Use freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano for the best flavor and creaminess.
