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Tortellini Carbonara

Tortellini carbonara with plump cheese tortellini tossed in a silky egg-and-parmesan sauce, finished with crispy pancetta and lots of black pepper. This Italian-American version comes together by combining hot pasta with an off-heat egg mixture for a smooth, creamy coating.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 750
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

cheese tortellini
  • 20 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini Refrigerated tortellini, cooked directly from cold.
pancetta
  • 6 oz pancetta or thick-cut bacon, diced Use diced pancetta or thick-cut bacon.
eggs
  • 4 egg yolks You’ll use 4 yolks plus 1 whole egg.
  • 1 whole egg One whole egg for richer texture.
parmesan
  • 1.25 cup parmesan, finely grated Grate finely for faster melting into the sauce.
garlic
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced Minced garlic for quick flavor in the pancetta.
pasta water
  • 0.5 cup pasta cooking water Reserve water from the tortellini boil to loosen and emulsify.
nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg Add just enough for classic warmth.
black pepper
  • 0.5 tsp freshly cracked black pepper Use lots—fresh-cracked for best aroma.
parsley
  • 1 fresh parsley for serving Chopped or left whole for a bright finish.
salt
  • 0.25 tsp salt to taste Salt the pasta water and season at the end.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook the tortellini
  1. Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook the refrigerated cheese tortellini until tender, then reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water. Look for the tortellini to float and become plump, then stop cooking right at doneness.
Crackle the pancetta
  1. In a cast iron skillet over medium heat, cook the diced pancetta until crispy and the fat renders, stirring occasionally. Continue until the pieces are browned and audibly sizzle, then add the minced garlic and cook 1 minute while fragrant.
  2. Remove the pancetta pan from the heat. Stop further cooking so the garlic doesn’t brown.
Make the egg-and-parmesan sauce
  1. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks, whole egg, finely grated parmesan, nutmeg, and generous freshly cracked black pepper until smooth and thick. The mixture should look uniform and pale-yellow with visible pepper flecks.
Combine and emulsify
  1. Add the hot tortellini to the pancetta pan off heat, then quickly pour in the egg mixture. Toss immediately as the egg begins to coat rather than scramble.
  2. Toss vigorously, adding pasta cooking water a splash at a time until the sauce turns silky and creamy. Keep tossing until it clings to the tortellini and looks glossy, not streaky.
  3. Season with salt to taste, then top with fresh parsley and extra parmesan before serving. Finish with abundant cracked black pepper across the top for contrast.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the pancetta pan off heat when you add the egg mixture to prevent scrambled eggs, then toss fast while gradually loosening with pasta water for an emulsion. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; rewarm gently, adding a splash of pasta water to restore creaminess. Freezing isn’t recommended because the sauce can break. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat parmesan and swap some of the pancetta for turkey bacon while keeping the off-heat egg method.