Pasta carbonara with cream cheese

Tips: Make the best pasta carbonara with cream cheese

With just a few tips, you can learn how to make the perfect pasta carbonara with cream cheese.

Soften cream cheese for a creamier sauce

To make the sauce even creamier, soften the cream cheese before adding it to your pasta. Let it sit at room temperature, or warm it briefly in the microwave. This helps the cream cheese mix smoothly with the pasta and water, creating a creamy sauce that clings wonderfully to the spaghetti.

Warm your bowls

Start by warming your serving bowls. This will keep the pasta carbonara with cream cheese hot from start to finish, adding a cosy touch to the meal.

Storing and reheating

For the best taste, store leftover pasta carbonara with cream cheese in an airtight container in the fridge. It will keep well for about 2 days. To reheat, warm it on the stove over medium heat. If it seems dry, stir in a bit of milk to bring back the creamy sauce texture.

Taste our delicious recipe for pasta carbonara with cream cheese

Pasta carbonara is a classic Italian dish, but our version takes the famous creamy sauce and makes it even creamier. All the traditional ingredients are there: bacon, egg, cheese, and spaghetti. To get the smooth and creamy texture, we add a bit of cream cheese to the mix. This addition melds flawlessly with the spaghetti, ensuring each strand is perfectly coated. Every bite delivers a harmonious blend of rich and savoury flavours, all enveloped in a luxuriously creamy sauce.

Try a few of our other delicious variations on the classic carbonara. Enjoy a tasty cottage cheese carbonara, a simple carbonara pasta bake, or a kale carbonara with walnuts.

Cream cheese for a creamy sauce

Using cream cheese in pasta carbonara adds an elegant twist to this traditional dish. The cream cheese imparts a velvety texture that coats the spaghetti and the other ingredients. Traditional carbonara uses only egg yolks and grated cheese to create its creamy sauce, but adding cream cheese introduces a subtle tang and additional richness. The result is a thicker carbonara with rich flavours that complement the salty, crispy bacon.

With classic flavours from savoury bacon and Parmesan cheese

Our pasta carbonara recipe introduces a creamy twist, yet the essence of the dish remains intact. The dish's widespread appeal stems from its perfect combination of savoury, salty meat and the slightly nutty, sharp Parmesan cheese. Both join forces to enrich the flavour with smoky notes and hints of umami. They take you to the roots of the classic carbonara, where just a few ingredients carry the dish to the next stage.

Topped with an egg yolk for silky texture

Crown the pasta carbonara with a delicate egg yolk. The yolk not only serves as an eye-catching garnish but also introduces a silky, luxurious quality to the meal. Present this to your guests and blend it with the warm pasta immersed in creamy cheese sauce. The yolk will gently cook from the residual heat of the pasta, infusing the dish with a rich, glossy finish.

Serve as a quick lunch or easy dinner

In less than 30 minutes, you can have a plate of deliciously creamy pasta carbonara. Are you working from home or simply trying to turn a weekend lunch into something extra? Then, this cream cheese carbonara is the perfect option. The silky sauce combined with crispy bacon brings a touch of decadence to the table. Or maybe all you need is a quick meal after work. Either way, pasta carbonara with cream cheese gives you all the creamy and smoky flavours you crave.

Make it your own

Here are several easy ways to personalise your pasta recipe. Rather than using parsley as a garnish, consider incorporating different vegetables. Sautéed mushrooms, for example, add an earthy depth of flavour that pairs excellently with a smooth, creamy sauce. For a bit of colour and a touch of sweetness, try adding fresh or frozen peas. Simply blanch them for a couple of minutes in boiling water before mixing them into the pasta.

Parmesan is and will always be a solid choice of cheese for pasta carbonara, but there is nothing wrong with trying a few alternatives. For similar cheeses with robust flavours, Pecorino Romano, Grana Padano, or even aged Gouda are great options. If you prefer a milder taste but still want a creamy texture, shredded cheddar cheese is a great alternative.