Roasted Garlic Carbonara is creamy pasta made with a rich sauce from eggs, Parmesan cheese, and caramelized roasted garlic. Adding the roasted garlic to the sauce adds even more depth of flavor to a classic carbonara dish. It will almost certainly become a family favorite! I also have Chicken Carbonara, another adaptation of a traditional recipe, you may want to try!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Garlic: It is worth the extra time to roast the garlic in the oven before mixing in with the sauce. The mashed garlic adds SO MUCH flavor, so try it!
Eggs: Beaten eggs are the base of the sauce. When combined with the hot pasta, they cook slightly, creating a creamy texture without any heavy cream. Be careful when adding the eggs; they could scramble if the sauce is too hot. Ensure the skillet is over low heat and toss constantly as adding the egg mixture.
Parmesan Cheese: Parmesan cheese helps thicken the sauce, plus it adds flavor. Have some extra on hand for garnish! You could substitute pecorino romano or a parmesan cheese blend for a similar flavor profile.
Pasta: I like mafaldine pasta, which is ribbony, flat noodles. They are an excellent choice for carbonara because their shape allows the sauce to cling to them so you get all of the flavors in each bite! Can’t find mafaldine? (I had to order it online.) You could use the pasta you have on hand. Or, make homemade pasta to use. Do not drain the pasta water; you will use it for the sauce.
Can I Use Minced Garlic Instead Of Roasting The Garlic?
Yes, you could use minced garlic instead of roasted garlic if you are looking to save time. However, it will affect the final depth of flavor. If you must use minced garlic, you may want to saute it briefly in a pan with olive oil before adding it to the sauce. If possible, plan to roast the garlic in the oven; you will not be disappointed!
Can I Roast Garlic Ahead Of Time?
Sure! To save time, roast the garlic in advance so it is ready to go when you are ready to make roasted garlic carbonara! Here is how:
- After roasting the garlic according to the instructions, let it cool down.
- Next, remove the cloves from the skins and place in an airtight container.
- Store it in the refrigerator for up to several days.
- When ready to use the roasted garlic in this carbonara recipe, take it out of the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature. Mash or mince the roasted garlic cloves as needed and incorporate them into your carbonara sauce as directed.
What To Serve With Roasted Garlic Carbonara
Here are some options to serve with roasted garlic carbonara:
- Wedge Salad
- Garlic Knots or Garlic Breadsticks
- Focaccia Breadsticks (or Focaccia Bread)
- Roasted Green Beans
- Roasted Asparagus
- Spicy Caprese Baguettes
How To Store Roasted Garlic Carbonara
To store roasted garlic carbonara, first, let it cool to room temperature. Next, place it into an airtight container and into the refrigerator. It will last up to 3-4 days. Reheat the carbonara gently on the stovetop over low heat. You can add a splash of water or cream to help loosen the sauce if it has thickened in the refrigerator. You could also reheat it in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until heated through.
Roasted Garlic Carbonara
Ingredients
Roasted Garlic
- 1 head garlic, approximately 10-12 cloves
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
Pasta
- 2 large eggs, room temperature, beaten
- 1 cup (100 g) parmesan cheese, finely grated
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 8 ounces mafaldine pasta, uncooked
- fresh parsley, chopped for garnish
- parmesan cheese, grated for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Roasted Garlic
- Use your fingers to peel away all the loose, papery, outer layers around the head of garlic, leaving the head intact with all the cloves connected.
- Trim about ¼ inch off the top of the head of garlic to expose the cloves inside.
- Place the garlic in the center of a 6-inch square of aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil, ensuring the oil saturates the cloves.
- Fold the sides of the aluminum foil up to the center and seal, creating a foil packet with the garlic inside.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the garlic cloves are soft and deep golden brown. Remove the garlic from the oven and carefully open the sealed foil packet to allow the garlic to cool slightly.
- Once cool enough to touch, squeeze out the cloves into a medium bowl. Use a fork to smash them.
Carbonara
- To the smashed cloves, add eggs, parmesan, salt, and pepper. Whisk together and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook al dente (about 8-10 minutes). Turn off the heat. Do not drain the pasta water; you will use it again.
- Use tongs to add the cooked pasta directly from the pasta water to a medium skillet over low heat.
- Slowly pour the egg mixture into the skillet, constantly tossing with the tongs to ensure it is evenly coated with the creamy sauce. If the sauce is too thick, gradually add pasta water, tossing until the desired consistency is reached (we used about ½ cup). This process happens quickly. You don't want to cook the pasta for too long or your eggs will start to scramble.
- Remove from heat and garnish with parsley and additional parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.
Did you make this recipe?
You can tag me at @iamhomesteader.
What the Test Kitchen had to say about this recipe:
Autumn
The roasted garlic in this dish adds such a nice flavor. I really liked the simplicity of it.
Elizabeth
Rich and garlicky! A perfect plate of pasta, if you ask me!
Bella
The roasted garlic adds a deep, slightly sweet, and nutty flavor to this dish. So simple, yet so good. I garnished with more parmesan for more flavor! Also, these noodles are so cool!
Selena
I love roasted garlic, and this is just perfect with these darling noodles! I loved it with the extra parmesan.
Annabelle
This pasta is creamy, delicious, and easy to make. Roasting garlic is simple, and well worth it for the flavor!
What kind is the pasta can you use regular spaghetti??
Here is what it says in the blog post:
Pasta: I like mafaldine pasta, which is ribbony, flat noodles. They are an excellent choice for carbonara because their shape allows the sauce to cling to them so you get all of the flavors in each bite! Can’t find mafaldine? (I had to order it online.) You could use the pasta you have on hand. Or, make homemade pasta to use. Do not drain the pasta water; you will use it for the sauce.
I would love to see the video on this 🙂