Gnocchi Carbonara with Bacon Parmesan (Printable Version)

Pillowy gnocchi meets crispy bacon in a rich, creamy Parmesan sauce for the ultimate Italian comfort food.

# What You Need:

→ Gnocchi

01 - 1.1 lb potato gnocchi (store-bought or homemade)

→ Carbonara Sauce

02 - 2 large eggs
03 - 1 large egg yolk
04 - 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
06 - 1/4 tsp salt

→ Bacon

07 - 5 oz bacon or pancetta, diced

→ Garnish

08 - Extra Parmesan cheese, for serving
09 - Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
02 - In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolk, grated Parmesan, black pepper, and salt until smooth. Set aside.
03 - In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the diced bacon until crispy, about 5–7 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the skillet.
04 - Cook the gnocchi in the boiling water according to package instructions, usually until they float to the surface (2–3 minutes). Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain the gnocchi.
05 - Add the drained gnocchi to the skillet with bacon and toss over low heat to coat in the bacon fat.
06 - Remove the skillet from the heat. Quickly pour the egg and Parmesan mixture over the gnocchi, tossing constantly to create a creamy sauce. Add reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time if needed to reach desired consistency.
07 - Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan and chopped parsley if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The pillowy gnocchi soaks up that velvety sauce in ways traditional pasta never could
  • Ready in under 35 minutes but tastes like something from a nonna's Sunday table
  • Bacon and Parmesan were basically destined to be together forever
02 -
  • If your sauce looks too thick, add pasta water one tablespoon at a time until it loosens up
  • Never add eggs to a hot pan or they will scramble instantly
03 -
  • Room temperature eggs incorporate more smoothly than cold ones straight from the fridge
  • Practice your wrist action when tossing, the motion is everything for proper emulsification

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