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.
Equipment
- 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
Ingredients
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
Instructions
- 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.
Tips from Lola's Kitchen
- 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