Pasta Carbonara Cheesecake Factory copycat recipe is mouthwatering with a creamy garlic parmesan sauce with crispy bacon and peas if you wish. This copycat recipe is on your table in under 30 minutes on the stovetop or in 5 minutes in your pressure cooker.
Copycat recipes are something I love to do, and testing it out in the instant pot is a bonus. I have made this both on the stovetop and the pressure cooker. This carbonara pasta sauce is absolutely better than The Cheesecake Factory, Just like my Spinach and Artichoke Dip Buffalo Wild Wings chicken pasta, and Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce.
Ingredients for Carbonara Pasta Sauce
- 6 slices bacon: I used thick-cut bacon. You can also use panchetta for a more authentic Italian dish.
- 3 cloves garlic: Minced garlic or garlic powder if you don’t have fresh garlic.
- 2 small onions: finely chopped onions.
- 16 oz spaghetti or fettuccini: you can use either pasta for this recipe.
- 1/4 cup heavy cream: Heavy cream works best for this recipe. I would not substitute with milk.
- 3 eggs: Room temp eggs that are beaten.
- 4 cups water: For Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker.
- 8 oz parm cheese: Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese always works best.
- 1/2 cup frozen peas: Peas are completely optional.
- Salt and Pepper: To taste.
Step by Step Directions for Pasta Carbonara Cheesecake Factory
Step 1
For Stove Top Directions: In a skillet cook bacon until crispy and remove from pan.
For Instant Pot: Place pot on saute, and cook bacon until crispy. Remove bacon.
Step 2
For Stove Top Directions: Remove bacon from skillet and set aside. Add garlic and onion to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes in the bacon grease until tender and translucent.
For Instant Pot: Continue cooking on saute; add onions and garlic to the pot and cook, scraping the bottom of the pan to remove any stuck bacon.
Step 3
For Stove Top Directions: Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente, reserving pasta water 1 cup.
For Instant Pot: Place Pasta and Peas(optional) inside the Instant Pot. Pour 4 cups of water over the top. Do not stir.
Step 4 For the Carbonara Sauce
For Stove Top Directions: While pasta is cooking, Make the egg mixture by mixing the eggs and parmesan cheese in a large bowl.
For Instant Pot: While Pasta is cooking in the Instant Pot, Mix the eggs and parmesan cheese.
Step 5
For Stove Top Directions: Add 1 cup of the pasta water to the pan with the onions and garlic; stir in the egg mixture and heavy cream and whisk till creamy. Quickly Add the pasta while the pasta is hot and toss until well coated. Stir in half the bacon.
For Instant Pot: Do a Quick Release draining the pasta of excess water, reserving one cup of the pasta water. Then pour in the egg mixture and heavy cream. Toss until pasta is well coated.
Add half the bacon to the pan and mix.
Step 6
For Stove Top Directions: Top with bacon, fresh parsley, and parmesan cheese.
For Instant Pot: Add in bacon and top with fresh parsley.
Tips and Tricks for Pasta Carbonara
- Quickly Toss the egg mixture with the pasta while the pasta is still hot, or the eggs will scramble.
- Use freshly grated parmesan.
- Substitute bacon with pancetta for a more authentic Italian flavor.
- Skip the peas if you do not like peas.
Frequently Asked Questions for Carbonara Pasta Sauce
You can use spaghetti or linguine noodle for Carbonara. Depending on what I have in my pantry will depend on what I use. Using a thinner noodle-like angel hair doesn’t work as well in the pressure cooker. I recommend using linguine or spaghetti for sure.
Carbonara is a rich and creamy sauce with an egg base loaded with irresistible parmesan and garlic flavor.
Yes, It’s such a rich and creamy meal I have to order it every time we go to the cheesecake factory.
In the fridge, you can store carbonara sauce in an air-tight container for 3 days.
Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop. You might have to add a few splashes of milk or cream to make it creamy again.
What to eat with Pasta Carbonara
Pasta Carbonara Cheesecake Factory
Pasta Carbonara Cheesecake Factory copycat recipe is mouthwatering with a creamy garlic parmesan sauce with crispy bacon and peas if you wish. This copycat recipe is on your table in under 30 minutes on the stovetop or in 5 minutes in your pressure cooker.
Ingredients
- 6 slices thick bacon
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 small onion
- 16 oz spaghetti or fettuccini
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 3 eggs
- 4 cups water
- 8 oz parm cheese
- 1/2 cup frozen peas (optional)
Instructions
For Stove Top Directions:
- In a skillet, cook bacon until crispy and remove from pan.
- Remove bacon from skillet and set aside.
- Add garlic and onion to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes in the bacon grease until tender and translucent.
- Remove bacon from skillet and set aside. Add garlic and onion to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes in the bacon grease until tender and translucent.
- Cook pasta according to package directions until Al’dente reserving a cup of pasta water.
For the Carbonara Sauce
- While pasta is cooking, Make the egg mixture by mixing the eggs and parmesan cheese.
- Add 1 cup of the pasta water to the pan with the onions and garlic; stir in the egg mixture and heavy cream and whisk till creamy. Quickly Add the pasta while the pasta is hot and toss until well coated. Stir in half the bacon.
Instant Pot Directions
- Place pot on saute, and cook bacon until crispy. Remove bacon.
- Continue cooking on saute; add onions and garlic to the pot and cook, scraping the bottom of the pan to remove any stuck bacon.
- Place Pasta and Peas(optional) inside the Instant Pot. Pour 4 cups of water over the top. Do not stir.
- Place on manual high pressure for 4 minutes.
- While Pasta is cooking in the Instant Pot, Mix the eggs and parmesan cheese.
- Do a Quick Release draining the pasta of excess water and reserving one cup of the pasta water.
- Then pour in the egg mixture and heavy cream. Toss until pasta is well coated.
- Add half the bacon to the pan and mix.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 678Total Fat: 32gSaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 222mgSodium: 1403mgCarbohydrates: 60gFiber: 3gSugar: 5gProtein: 37g
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Karen Lewis
Thursday 24th of September 2020
Making this carbonara as we speak.. I added in some sneaky chopped fresh baby spinach & some chicken breast to the onion & bacon.. smells awesome
Cortney
Saturday 1st of August 2020
This recipe was super delicious and easy to make changes to if you wish. I left out the peas, used shallot instead of onion, and did a mix of regular parm with Parmigiano-Reggiano. This recipe was the perfect amount of creaminess. My new go-to recipe for carbonara.
Debra
Sunday 5th of January 2020
Delicious!