This Pork Belly Carbonara Pasta combines crispy pork belly, Parmesan, egg yolks, garlic, and hot pasta for a rich, silky carbonara without using heavy cream. The pork belly adds tons of flavor and turns a handful of simple ingredients into one seriously good bowl of pasta.

Pork Belly Carbonara Pasta

Carbonara is one of those dishes that tastes much more complicated than it actually is. The creamy sauce doesn’t come from cream at all — it’s made with egg yolks, Parmesan, and hot pasta water.

This version uses pork belly for plenty of rich pork flavor and crispy little bites throughout the pasta. It’s a great option when you can’t find traditional guanciale or simply have pork belly on hand.

Why Pork Belly Works in Carbonara

Traditional Roman carbonara is typically made with guanciale, a cured pork jowl. Pork belly isn’t exactly the same, but it works beautifully here because of its rich flavor and high fat content. As it cooks, the pork belly gets crispy while rendering flavorful fat that helps coat the pasta.

It also has a milder flavor than smoked bacon, so it doesn’t overpower the eggs and Parmesan that make carbonara so good.

What Is Pork Belly?

Pork belly is exactly what it sounds like — a cut of meat from the belly of the pig. You can buy it in large slabs, sometimes with the skin still attached, or in slices that look a whole lot like thick-cut bacon.

For this recipe, I like using sliced pork belly because it’s much easier to cut into small pieces. Pork belly has become pretty popular for two very good reasons: it’s incredibly flavorful and usually fairly inexpensive. Both are wins in my kitchen.

What’s the Difference Between Pork Belly and Bacon?

They may look similar, but pork belly and bacon aren’t quite the same thing. Bacon is cured and is often smoked, while fresh pork belly is generally uncured and unsmoked. That gives pork belly a milder pork flavor without the smokiness you normally get from bacon.

Pork belly’s high fat content can make it a little tricky to slice. I usually pop mine in the freezer for a short time before cutting it. You don’t want it frozen solid — just firm enough to make dicing easier.

How to Make Pork Belly Carbonara Pasta

You’ll need dried linguine or spaghetti — I prefer linguine for this recipe — along with egg yolks, Parmesan cheese, pork belly, garlic, red pepper flakes, chives, basil, salt, pepper, and a little olive oil.

And don’t throw those egg whites away! Save them for egg-white omelets, meringues, or another recipe.

Ingredients for Pork Belly Carbonara Pasta

Dice the pork belly into small pieces. If you’re using the same cutting board for other ingredients, be sure to wash it thoroughly with hot, soapy water after cutting the raw pork, and wash your hands well before moving on.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions, and don’t forget to salt the water. Before draining, reserve about 1 1/2 cups of the hot pasta water.

Whisk the egg yolks, Parmesan, salt, and pepper together. While continuing to whisk, slowly add some of the hot pasta water. Adding it gradually tempers the egg yolks and helps create the smooth, silky sauce without scrambling the eggs.

Cook the pork belly until browned and crispy, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally so it cooks evenly. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for another 30 to 60 seconds, just until the garlic is fragrant. Be careful not to let it burn.

Add the hot pasta and toss well so it’s coated in the rendered pork fat. Remove the pan from direct heat before adding the egg and Parmesan mixture. Toss everything together quickly, adding a little more reserved pasta water as needed until the sauce is glossy and coats the pasta.

Finish with the chives and basil, then serve with an extra sprinkle of Parmesan and a little more fresh basil. Mangia!

More pasta recipes to try:

Candy

Pork Belly Carbonara Pasta

3.86 from 34 votes

Rich and silky Pork Belly Carbonara Pasta made with crispy pork belly, egg yolks, Parmesan, garlic, and hot pasta. No heavy cream needed—the eggs, cheese, and pasta water create the creamy carbonara sauce.

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Prep Time 30

Cook Time 25

Servings: 8

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Calories: 439

Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients

1 lb Spaghetti or Linguine
6 egg yolks large
¼ cup finely grated parmesan cheese plus more for garnish
Freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste
6 oz pork belly finely diced
2 cloves garlic thinly sliced
1 tsp red pepper flakes optional
¼ cup fresh chives finely chopped
¼ cup fresh basil chopped for garnish

Equipment

Stock pot
Colander

Method

In a stock pot, cook the pasta according to package directions, adding a generous palmful of salt to the water. Drain the pasta, reserving 1½ cups of the pasta water. Toss the pasta lightly with a little olive oil to prevent sticking.
Whisk the egg yolks, Parmesan, salt, and pepper together. Slowly whisk in a little of the reserved hot pasta water to temper the eggs.
In the same pot you cooked the pasta in, cook the pork belly until browned and almost crispy, about 5 minutes. Add a little olive oil if necessary to prevent sticking.
Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, if using, and cook until fragrant, about 30–60 seconds.
Add the cooked pasta and toss to coat it in the rendered pork fat. Remove the pot from the heat.
Slowly add the egg mixture while tossing vigorously. Continue tossing until the pasta is evenly coated in a smooth, silky sauce. Add more reserved pasta water, a little at a time, as needed. Toss in the chives.
Plate and garnish with additional Parmesan and fresh basil.