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Tortellini Carbonara

Tortellini carbonara with pillowy cheese tortellini coated in a silky egg-and-parmesan carbonara sauce. Crispy pancetta or bacon bits and lots of cracked black pepper bring classic smoky, creamy flavor without a cream base.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 720
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cheese tortellini
  • 20 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini
Pancetta or bacon
  • 6 oz pancetta or thick-cut bacon, diced
Garlic
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
Eggs
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 egg yolk
Parmesan
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated, plus extra
Black pepper
  • 1 plenty of cracked black pepper
Salt
  • 1 salt to taste
Fresh parsley
  • 1 fresh parsley for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook the tortellini
  1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, then cook the tortellini until just al dente. Visual cue: the centers should be tender but still hold their shape; reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
Cook pancetta and garlic
  1. Cook the pancetta or thick-cut bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy, then remove with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pan. Visual cue: edges should look browned and crisp.
  2. Add the minced garlic to the skillet fat and cook for 30 seconds off heat while the pan is still warm. Visual cue: garlic should smell fragrant without browning.
Make the carbonara sauce and toss
  1. Whisk the eggs, egg yolk, and finely grated parmesan together with plenty of cracked black pepper in a bowl. Visual cue: mixture should look thick and pale yellow.
  2. Add the hot tortellini to the skillet off the heat, pour the egg mixture over, and toss quickly. Visual cue: sauce starts to coat immediately rather than scrambling.
  3. Add the reserved pasta water a splash at a time while tossing constantly until the sauce is silky and clings to every tortellini. Visual cue: the coating should look glossy, not watery or separated.
Serve
  1. Top with the crispy pancetta, extra parmesan, and fresh parsley, then serve immediately. Visual cue: cracked black pepper should be visible across the top.

Notes

For smooth egg-and-parmesan sauce (no scrambling), keep the skillet off heat when adding the egg mixture and toss aggressively while streaming in pasta water. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of water. Freezing isn’t recommended because the egg sauce can break. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat parmesan and part-skim cheese tortellini, keeping pepper and tossing technique the same.