Filipino Style Creamy Carbonara (Pinoy Style)
Filipino-style Carbonara transforms the traditional Italian pasta dish by substituting its egg-based sauce with a luxuriant blend of mushroom soup, all-purpose cream, and evaporated milk, creating a stable, creamy pasta dish that's ideally suited for warm climates and features crispy bacon, mushrooms, and melted cheese – a beloved adaptation that has become a staple at Filipino celebrations and family gatherings.
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 25 minutes mins
Total Time 40 minutes mins
Course Snack
Cuisine Filipino, Italian
Servings 10
Calories 520 kcal
Difficulty Medium
Large pot (kaldero/palayok) for cooking pasta
Deep saucepan (kawali) for sauce preparation
Colander (salaan) for draining pasta
Wooden spoon (sandok na kahoy) for stirring sauce
Measuring cups and spoons (Panukat)
Sharp knife (kutsilyo) for chopping ingredients
Cutting board (Sangkalan)
Grater (kudkuran) for cheese
For the Pasta
- 1 kilogram fettuccine pasta or other long pasta
- Water for boiling
- Salt for pasta water
For the Sauce
- 250 g bacon or ham chopped (hiwa-hiwa)
- 400 g sliced mushrooms canned (kabuti)
- 2 packs 70g each Knorr cream of mushroom soup
- 1 small onion minced (sibuyas)
- 4 cloves garlic minced (bawang)
- 1 large can evaporated milk
- 2 packs 250ml each Nestle all-purpose cream, chilled (dapat malamig)
- 1 tablespoon sugar asukal
- Pinch of white pepper paminta
- Fresh parsley or basil for garnish opcional na garnisyon
- 1 cup grated cheese kinudkod na keso
Optional Sides
- Toasted buttered garlic bread
- Corn casserole
In a large pot, boil water and cook 1 kilogram of fettuccine pasta following package directions until al dente (around 8-10 minutes). Drain and set aside.
While pasta is cooking, fry 250g bacon in a deep pan until crispy. Remove bacon, let it cool then chop into pieces. Keep the bacon oil in the pan.
Using the same pan with bacon oil, cook minced garlic until light golden. Add minced onions and cook until clear and soft, about 2-3 minutes.
In a bowl, dissolve 2 packs of Knorr cream of mushroom soup in 1200ml room temperature water. Mix well until there are no lumps.
Add the sliced mushrooms to the pan with garlic and onions. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour in the dissolved mushroom soup and evaporated milk. Keep stirring to prevent sticking.
Pour in the chilled all-purpose cream. Stir continuously while bringing to a gentle simmer. The sauce will slowly thicken as it heats – don't worry if it seems a bit thin at first as it will thicken more when cooling.
Add back the chopped bacon. Stir in 1 tablespoon sugar and a pinch of white pepper. Taste the sauce before adding any salt since the mushroom soup is already salty.
Add your cooked pasta to the sauce. Mix everything well until all the pasta is coated with the creamy sauce.
Add half of your grated cheese while everything is still very hot. Mix well until the cheese melts into the sauce.
Transfer to your serving dish. Top with remaining cheese and sprinkle with chopped parsley if you like. Best served hot with garlic bread.
For better results, serve within an hour while the sauce is at its creamiest. If you need to reheat, do it slowly over low heat and add a little milk if the sauce is too thick.
- Always use chilled all-purpose cream for better thickening
- Save some pasta water to adjust sauce consistency
- Toast garlic until golden but not brown to avoid bitter taste
- Use bacon oil for extra flavor in the sauce
- Add cheese in two stages for better flavor distribution
Calories: 520kcalCarbohydrates: 62gProtein: 18gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 680mgPotassium: 14mgFiber: 3gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 113IUVitamin C: 0.4mgCalcium: 82mgIron: 0.04mg