Linguine alla Carbonara with Italian Sausage Meatballs

In this Linguine alla Carbonara, browned Italian sausage meatballs, crispy bacon and peas are tossed in a simple yet luxurious  sauce made with egg yolks and freshly grated pecorino romano cheese. So simple and delicious! Yields 6 to 8 servings.

The other day I was contemplating what I should make with the four egg yolks that I had left over from this recipe. Well it was either a hair moisturizing treatment, mayo or linguine alla carbonara. Obviously I went with the pasta.

It’s been a long time since I made this.

But one thing I knew for sure is that it’s all in the sauce! A carbonara sauce usually is consisted of egg yolks, pecorino romano cheese and bacon. This time I decided to add some Italian sausage and a little lemon zest, and I was so glad I did!

Serve with a fresh salad and some of this bread and your meal will be rock solid. Promise.

To Make This Linguine alla Carbonara You Will Need:

• bacon – I like to use center cut bacon.
• italian sausage – Use mild or spicy italian sausage.
• garlic – Adds distinct punchy flavor.
• linguine pasta (dried) – In a pinch, spaghetti or fettuccine can be substituted.
• egg yolks – Lends richness and flavor to the sauce.
• pecorino romano cheese  – Use freshly grated for best results.
• lemon zest – Adds brightness and balances the richness of the sauce.
• kosher salt – Enhances the flavors in the dish.
• freshly ground black pepper – Lends distinct bite and flavor.
• baby peas – No need to thaw, just throw them in and they will thaw and heat through in minutes.

Cook the Bacon:

In a 10 to 12-inch skillet, add 1/2 pound of center cut bacon. Cook over medium to medium-low heat stirring occasionally.

Once bacon is crispy, use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate and set aside.

Make The Italian Sausage Meatballs:

While the bacon is cooking, remove the casing from 1 pound of (hot or mild) Italian sausage. Then roll small pieces (about 1 to 2 teaspoons) in the palm of your hands to form little bite-size meatballs.

One pound of Italian sausage should yield about 35-40 depending on the size.

If there’s not a lot of fat in the pan, add a little bit of olive oil and add the sausage meatballs. Working in batches if necessary.

Brown the sausage balls on all sides, until they are fully cooked. Once the sausage balls are cooked through, add 3 sliced cloves of garlic and stir until the garlic is aromatic, soft and lightly golden, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the sausage balls to paper towel lined plate to drain.

Cook The Pasta:

Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted (a small palmful of fine sea salt) water to boil. Once boiling, stir in 1 pound of linguine pasta and cook following the package directions. For me it was 10 minutes.

Make The Sauce:

Next, in a large bowl add 4 egg yolks, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, a pinch of kosher salt and a generous amount of black pepper .

Then stir to combine.

Once the past is cooked, do not drain! Instead, use tongs to remove the pasta from the pasta water and immediately transfer to the egg and cheese mixture. If some pasta water gets in there, that’s okay! It will help thin the sauce.

Toss the hot pasta into the egg mixture until evenly coated in the sauce and cheese has melted.

Build The Pasta:

Next, add in 1 cup of peas, the cooked bacon, sausage and garlic.

Toss well to combine. If you want to loosen the sauce up a bit, add a little pasta water at a time until you reach a desired consistency.

Transfer to a large bowl and serve.

Use tongs to serve pasta into individual bowls and top with minced fresh parsley and freshly grated pecorino Romano cheese.

I mean really, pasta shouldn’t taste this good! Wait, yes it should!! Not to mention it’s probably the easiest pasta dish to make in the entire world of pastas! Make this one ASAP. You’ll be glad you did!

Enjoy! And if you give this Linguine alla Carbonara recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!

This recipe was originally posted on August 25, 2011 and has been updated with clear and concise instructions, new photography and helpful information.