This Shrimp Carbonara recipe makes a quick and easy dinner idea for busy weekdays. Prepared with a garlicky creamy sauce, crispy bacon, plump shrimp, and Parmesan cheese, it’s one of those pasta recipes that your family will ask you to make again and again. It is creamy, comforting, and super delish just like our garlic shrimp spaghetti!
Using mostly pantry ingredients, you can whip up this impressive restaurant-quality shrimp recipe paying much less than an Italian trattoria!
Our recipe is not the traditional version although it has some elements. It is one of several variants of the recipe made abroad. However, it is equally delicious!
What is Carbonara?
It’s an Italian pasta dish from Rome made with raw eggs (whole eggs plus egg yolks), hard cheese such as Pecorino Romano (and/or Parmigiano-Reggiano or Parmesan), guanciale (or a substitute: pancetta or bacon), and black pepper.
Spaghetti is the most common pasta, but fettuccine, linguine, or bucatini (long pasta) make great substitutes. Some recipes call for more sauce, using tubular-shaped pasta such as penne or rigatoni, which is better suitable for holding sauce.
Cream is not present in most Italian recipes. It is more common abroad where variations on carbonara may also include green peas, broccoli, leeks, onions, or mushrooms.
The classic dish was originally called pasta alla carbonara or spaghetti alla carbonara, popularized by the restaurant La Carbonara in Rome in the 20th century.
Shrimp Carbonara is a derivative of the classic. Some other variations include chicken carbonara and also chicken and shrimp carbonara. Ours is not definitely the copycat version of Olive Garden!
It is comfort food!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- SHRIMP- Look for fresh or frozen raw shrimp. It will save you time if it comes peeled, deveined, and tail-off. You can use jumbo shrimp instead of colossal as I did.
- PASTA– Long shape pasta such as spaghetti, fettuccine, or linguine are perfect for this Shrimp Carbonara that has a creamy yet not heavy sauce.
- SAUCE – Made with raw eggs, garlic, black pepper, salt, softened butter, and cheese plus the pasta water. For an egg-free version, skip the eggs and use ½ to 1 cup of heavy cream instead, depending on the amount of starchy pasta water added (some use also cream cheese). According to Recipes from Italy, the traditional Italian carbonara sauce often uses 4 ingredients only: raw eggs, Pecorino, black pepper, and pasta water instead of those extra ingredients in our recipe (butter, garlic, and salt). If you want, add red pepper flakes too! This means we’re making the sauce NOT the traditional way!!!
- SMOKED BACON– It’s more budget-friendly. You can use pancetta or guanciale (cured bacon from pork cheeks used in Italy for Carbonara) instead, but regular bacon (thick-cut) works well.
- CHEESE– I used Parmesan that is more budget-friendly but you can use Pecorino Romano and/or Parmigiano-Reggiano instead. Make sure to taste the cheese before adding it to the pasta dish. Pecorino tends to be a bit saltier, asking us to use less salt in the sauce. The cheese is the same used for the sauce and to serve over the pasta.
- WATER– Make sure to reserve ½ to 1 cup of pasta water which will make the sauce creamy without having to add heavy cream to the pasta recipe. But if you skipped the egg yolk, use part water and part cream in the recipe to make the sauce creamy.
- GARNISH – Garnish our shrimp carbonara with extra chopped parsley and cheese!
Do you use raw eggs in Carbonara?
Yes, the traditional carbonara recipe calls for raw eggs. The eggs (with the cheese) make the sauce creamy! But rest assured that the hot pan and pasta cook the eggs enough to be safe to eat.
How to Make Shrimp Carbonara
- To make this quick dinner recipe, cook the pasta: Boil enough water, a hint of olive oil, and about 1 tablespoon of salt in a large pot. Add the pasta and cook according to the directions in the package or until al dente. Spaghetti takes about 8-10 minutes to cook! Reserve one cup of the starchy pasta water and then drain pasta. SEE PIC. 1
- Meanwhile, make the sauce base: In a food processor or blender, add the egg and yolk, butter, cheese, garlic, pepper, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Blend for about 15 seconds or until it is creamy. Stop and scrape the sides down as needed. Reserve the mixture! SEE PIC. 2
- Cook the bacon and shrimp: In a large pan or skillet, sauté the chopped bacon over medium heat until it is brown and crispy. Transfer the bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate. SEE PIC. 3
- Drain all but 2 tablespoon of bacon grease from the pan. Pat dry the shrimp with a paper towel, season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and then add the shrimp to the bacon grease in the pan. Cook over medium heat for about 3-4 minutes, or just until the shrimp turns pink. Transfer the shrimp to the plate with the bacon. SEE PIC. 4
- Finish to make the sauce and toss the pasta: Heat the same skillet over medium heat and pour in 1 cup of reserved starchy pasta hot water to deglaze the bottom of the skillet (or ¾ cup only for a thicker sauce). Then, turn off the heat so you will not wind up with scrambled eggs!!! SEE PIC. 5 Just then add the reserved egg/cheese mixture and stir until creamy. Stir in the parsley, bacon and shrimp, and then toss the cooked pasta until coated. NOTE: For a creamier sauce, add ½ cup heavy cream when mixing the egg/cheese mixture into the pasta water.
- Serve shrimp carbonara topped with extra cheese and extra chopped parsley! SEE PIC. 6
Shrimp Carbonara Recipe Tips
- Because the recipe comes together quickly, make sure to prep all your ingredients ahead (before you start cooking)!
- Although you can cook the pasta and also the bacon ahead, prepare the sauce and cook the shrimp right before serving the shrimp carbonara pasta.
- Always use room temperature eggs. They will cook properly when at room temp and will avoid curdling.
- Use unsalted butter at room temp to process easier in the blender or food process.
- Garlic is not often used in Italy for carbonara sauce but it makes it tastier.
- Use as much cheese as you want. But if using Pecorino Romano the pasta will be saltier.
- Reserve the starchy pasta cooking water! If needed, place a measuring cup in your colander to remind you.
- Prefer long shape pasta or noodles such as spaghetti, fettuccine, or bucatini pasta. It will go well with this type of creamy yet not heavy sauce.
- You may add ½ cup of heavy cream to the pasta sauce for making it extra creamy.
- You may add ½ cup cooked veggies to our pasta carbonara such as green peas although it is not in the original carbonara recipe.
Storage:
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
You may cook the pasta itself ahead and freeze it for up to 1 month. Thaw it in the fridge to use in our shrimp carbonara recipe. But I don’t recommend freezing the final dish because it will break the sauce apart and make the shrimp rubbery once reheated.
Try our other pasta recipes:
- Black Bean Pasta
- Pasta Bolognese
- Shrimp Scampi Pasta
- Kale Pesto Pasta
- Bow Tie Pasta
- Creamy Chicken Pasta Bake
- Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
- Mac and Cheese Carbonara
Other shrimp recipes to enjoy:
PIN & ENJOY!
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Shrimp Carbonara
Equipment
- Pans
Ingredients
- 12 oz spaghetti or fettuccine or linguine
- 1 large egg at room temp (do not forget: AT ROOM TEMP). For a creamy sauce according to the American standards, use the triple of eggs in this recipe.
- 1 large egg yolk at room temp (do not forget: AT ROOM TEMP). For a creamy sauce according to the American standards, use the triple of egg yolks in this recipe.
- 4 tablespoon unsalted butter at room temp.
- ⅔ cup Parmesan cheese grated (plus extra to garnish pasta). For a creamy sauce according to the American standards, use the triple of cheese in this recipe.
- 6 garlic cloves
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt or less if you consume less sodium: about ½ tsp
- 6 slices smoked bacon diced
- 1 lb colossal shrimp peeled, deveined, and tail-off
- 1 cup RESERVED starchy pasta cooking water For a creamier/thicker sauce, reduce water to a ¾ cup instead.
- ¼ cup Italian parsley finely chopped (plus 2 tablespoon for garnish)
Instructions
- To make this quick dinner recipe, cook the pasta: Boil enough water, a hint of olive oil, and about 1 tablespoon of salt in a large pot. Add the pasta and cook according to the directions in the package or until al dente. Spaghetti takes about 8-10 minutes to cook! Reserve one cup of the starchy pasta water and then drain pasta.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce base: In a food processor or blender, add the egg and yolk, butter, cheese, garlic, pepper, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Blend for about 15 seconds or until it is creamy. Stop and scrape the sides down as needed. Reserve the mixture!
- Cook the bacon and shrimp: In a large pan or skillet, sauté the chopped bacon over medium heat until it is brown and crispy. Transfer the bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Drain all but 2 tablespoon of bacon grease from the pan. Pat dry the shrimp with a paper towel, season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and then add the shrimp to the bacon grease in the pan. Cook over medium heat for about 3-4 minutes, or just until the shrimp turns pink. Transfer the shrimp to the plate with the bacon.
- Finish to make the sauce and toss the pasta: Heat the same skillet over medium heat and pour in 1 cup of reserved starchy pasta hot water to deglaze the bottom of the skillet. Then, turn off the heat so you will not wind up with scrambled eggs!!! Just then add the reserved egg/cheese mixture and stir until creamy. Stir in the parsley, bacon and shrimp, and then toss the cooked pasta until coated. NOTE: For a creamier sauce according to the American standards, add ½ to ¾ cup heavy cream when mixing the REGULAR egg/cheese mixture into the pasta water asked in the recipe. See notes below!
- Serve shrimp carbonara topped with extra cheese and extra chopped parsley!
Recipe Notes
- Because the recipe comes together quickly, make sure to prep all your ingredients ahead (before you start cooking)!
- Although you can cook the pasta and also the bacon ahead, prepare the sauce and cook the shrimp right before serving the shrimp carbonara pasta.
- Always use room temperature eggs. They will cook properly when at room temp and will avoid curdling.
- Use unsalted butter at room temp to process easier in the blender or food process.
- Garlic is not often used in Italy for carbonara sauce but it makes it tastier.
- Use as much cheese as you want. But if using Pecorino Romano the pasta will be saltier.
- Reserve the starchy pasta cooking water! If needed, place a measuring cup in your colander to remind you.
- Prefer long shape pasta or noodles such as spaghetti, fettuccine, or bucatini pasta. It will go well with this type of creamy yet not heavy sauce.
- You may add ½ cup of heavy cream to the pasta sauce for making it extra creamy.
- You may add ½ cup cooked veggies to our pasta carbonara such as green peas although it is not in the original carbonara recipe.
Nutrition
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Please note that health-focused and diet information provided on easyanddelish.com is for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. Consult with your doctor or other qualified health professional prior to initiating any significant change in your diet or exercise regimen, or for any other issue necessitating medical advice.
John / Kitchen Riffs says
Such a great dish, and your version looks superb. Thanks!
Debbie Fahnestock says
Hi Denise,
I was really looking forward to making this recipe, because there was no heavy cream required. I made it for dinner tonight, and was very disappointed. I followed the recipe, and your directions, as written, except that I probably used more bacon, and substituted some shallots for some of the garlic. I used one cup of the starchy pasta water, as written, and when I added the sauce base, which I made in the food processor, it did not thicken or even resemble a creamy sauce! It was very, very watery. I ended up having to add at least 1/2 - 3/4 cup heavy cream, to have any kind of "sauce." Are you sure you added one whole cup of pasta water?
Denise Browning says
Hi Debbie! I am sorry you were disappointed. Have you ever had the traditional carbonara pasta before? The tradiitonal version (not the American version) is not creamy in the same sense of a heavy cream sauce. Nothing can beat heavy cream for obvious reasons. But it is creamy in the italian sense of creamy (not dry). Mine did not get watery at all. I did not experience what you did. But if you want to try it again and want creamier, add way more cheese when adding the starchy water to the pan and also add the double of whole eggs and egg yolks to the sauce base than asked in the recipe. I will add this NOTE to my recipe card so other people will know. Every person has a different idea. If you are used to eat the creamy version of what Americans perceive as creamy and otherwise you will be disappointed, yes add the cream always. Some Americans even add part cream and part room temp cream cheese to the sauce. The Italian carbonara pasta has no cream and the cheese and the eggs are what make the sauce moist and for me creamy yet not like a heavy cream sauce. Something that I will have to add to my notes as well so people don't have false expectations and think that it will be as creamy as a heavy cream sauce. And yes, I am sure that is a cup of water. If you want to try with 1/2 cup of water you can but I am telling you ahead that it will be dry. Thank you again!
Raymund says
This looks really good! I love carbonara and I learned a new techinique here, I never had used a food processor to mix all that sauce ingredients, this makes a lot of sense making the sauce as smooth as possible
Balvinder says
This looks like an amazing recipe. Would make a great dinner meal for Valentine's day!
Georgy says
If you know it's not carbonara, don't call it carbonara, call it pasta with shrimp.. or any other name.. ITS NOT CARBONARA!
Everytime someone calls a dish what it's not , it drives me mad. Because when I look for a recipe online, I want to find the original recipe, not some variation invented by others.
Denise Browning says
Hi Georgy! I call it carbonara because this is one of the American versions of carbonara and has the main ingredients of a carbonara (bacon, pasta, eggs, hard cheese, and pepper). I did not create the American version. Americans created it decades ago -- or better, they adapted the Italian carbonara to their taste and availability of ingredients (guanciale was not widely available in the U.S. decades ago so bacon was used instead). This version or recipe is actually closer to the Italian carbonara than other versions on the web that have cream cheese and heavy cream. And I know shrimp is not in the original carbonara -- this is why I made people know it takes shrimp. So yes this is a carbonara with shrimp (or shrimp carbonara). I am sorry if it upsets you. I didn't mean to offend anyone or their culture. I think I made it clear in my post the differences between this American version and the original carbonara which is better than many websites do. If you want to find the original recipe for any food on the web, please search the name of the food with the term "original or traditional recipe". But I will say right now, good luck with that! Most don't display the original recipe and won't inform the public about the differences either. At least I did! Have a good day!
ashok says
Thanks For Sharing this amazing shrimp carbonara recipe. My family loved it. I will be sharing this recipe with my friends. Hope the will like it.
Denise Browning says
Hi Ashok! I am so glad your family enjoyed our shrimp carbonara. Mine did too! It si a simple yet tasty recipe.