Pasta Carbonara with Brussels Sprouts & Bacon

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This recipe for carbonara-style pasta with Brussel sprouts and bacon is a delightful and fresh twist on classic pasta carbonara.

Combining lightly charred Brussel sprouts leaves, crispy bacon, and a silky smooth sauce, you’ll have an incredibly delicious Brussels sprouts pasta dinner ready in just 1 hour.

an overhead shot of brussels sprouts carbonara in a white bowl. a fork sticks out of the noodles, resting onn the lower right edge of the bowl.

If you've ever found yourself wondering, "Hmm, what's a good pasta dinner idea with Brussels sprouts?" this pasta carbonara with Brussels sprouts is one of my favorite pasta dishes for dinner.

It uses simple ingredients that are easy to keep on hand and you can prep the Brussels sprouts and the carbonara sauce while the bacon cooks to speed things up.

For some other popular weeknight pasta dishes, check out my rigatoni and chicken pasta recipe which is just a bit spicy, this garlic parmesan and chicken pasta which is a must for garlic loves, and this angel hair pasta with chicken which is super easy and versatile!

About This Recipe

The first time I made this Brussels sprouts pasta was on a weekend trip to a cabin in the mountains with a small, relatively limited kitchen.

The area had few restaurants or grocery shops, so we planned our meals with a few considerations in mind: Bringing as few ingredients as possible, using those same ingredients for a couple different meals, not having to bring those ingredients home with us, and minimal tools and equipment required to prep.

The perfect solution? Pasta carbonara.

a shallow white bowl of brussels sprouts carbonara. two glasses are visible in the background behind it, along with the edge of another bowl of carbonara.

Traditionally carbonara is made with lots of eggs, guanciale, and lots and lots of cheese. The non-traditional version of carbonara I make uses bacon instead of guanciale and splash of milk to help make the sauce creamy and reduce the number of eggs I need to use up.

Regardless, carbonara is perfect for a weekend trip or when you have a limited pantry or want a minimalist recipe because the ingredient list is mostly things you can also eat for breakfast: eggs, bacon, and milk. All you need specifically for carbonara is pasta and parmesan cheese.

In the case of our weekend trip, we also had some Brussels sprouts in our fridge that we knew would go bad while we were away, so we brought them with us to use up.

The first night, we cooked according to plan and made carbonara with a side of Brussels sprouts.

And on the second night, it's not like we were looking for a pasta dinner idea with Brussels sprouts. We just didn't feel like making a separate Brussels sprouts side dish. So we crisped up the Brussels sprouts in the bacon fat and added them back to the pasta along with the bacon at the end.

Lo and behold, pasta carbonara with Brussels sprouts was born.

A wide shallow white pasta bowl with a spiral mountain of carbonara noodles in the center. brussels sprout leaves and bacon bits garnish the plate. a fork sticks straight up out of the center of the pasta pile.

As much as I love regular pasta carbonara, I think Brussels sprouts carbonara might be my favorite. This creamy, easy-to-make carbonara with salty bacon bits and lightly charred Brussels sprouts is an entree and side dish all in one.

The slightly bitter, earthy leaves from the Brussels sprouts balance out the saltiness of the bacon and the richness of the sauce.

The Brussels sprouts bring a nice pop of green color to an otherwise beige dish. And, if you time all your steps right, you can make this Brussels sprouts carbonara all in one pan (aside from the pasta pot), which is always a win in my book.

Ingredient Notes

Here are all the ingredients you'll need to make this simple Brussels sprouts carbonara recipe! See recipe card (at the end of the post) for quantities.

all of the ingredients for brussel sprout carbonara labeled and measured.

Brussels Sprouts - You'll need about 8-10 large brussels sprouts, or 13-15 small brussels sprouts.
Pasta - Carbonara works best with long noodles like linguine, fettuccini, thick spaghetti, mafaldine, long fusili, bucatini, etc.
Eggs - You'll need three eggs total; 1 large egg and 2 egg yolks. (Save the egg whites to make these crispy meringue s'mores!)
Salt and Pepper - I use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt which half as salty as other brands. If you're using a different brand of salt, even a different brand of kosher salt, cut the amount of salt in half. For pepper you can use freshly cracked black pepper or pre-ground black pepper, both will work!
Parmesan Cheese - Fresh and finely grated parmesan cheese works best here. Grating a block of cheese by hand gives you delicate ribbons that melt quickly and evenly into a creamy sauce. Pre-grated cheese and the powdery parmesan cheese in the big shaker canisters just don't melt as nicely and are prone to clumping.
Whole Milk - You really need the fat in the whole milk to help the sauce develop its creamy texture. I've definitely made this carbonara using skim milk in a pinch, but it was definitely lacking some richness!
Bacon - I usually buy thick cut bacon but whatever your favorite cut of bacon is will work fine here too. If you use a leaner bacon, you may need to add a bit of oil to the pan before adding the brussels sprouts to the pan.

Coring and Peeling vs. Shredding Brussels Sprouts

There are two different ways you can prepare the Brussels sprouts for this Brussels sprouts and bacon carbonara recipe. You can peel and core them or slice them into thinly shredded ribbons.

When I first started making Brussels sprouts carbonara, I fastidiously peeled and cored the Brussels sprouts, preserving the gorgeous curved leaves like bright green flower petals to crisp up and char in the pan.

a blue cutting board with a knife diagonally across the middle. above it is a pile of thinly sliced brussels sprouts. below it is a pile of cored brussels sprout leaves.

But coring and peeling Brussels sprouts can be consuming and tedious; On nights when I have the time, it's a soothing, mediative practice. I don't mind doing it.

On busier weeknights, however, I speed things up by slicing the Brussels sprouts into thin ribbons instead. Not only is it a faster way to prepare them, they cook faster too.

The only downside to thinly slicing the Brussels sprouts is that they don't get quite as charred and crispy as the whole leaves do, so it's really up to you what you prefer.

To peel and core the Brussels sprouts: Use a paring knife to trim off the bottom stem of each sprout, use your thumb to push the leaves outward from the bottom, and peel them off one by one Keep trimming the base of the sprout shorter to release the leaves until you can't peel any more leaves off.

How to Make Brussels Sprouts Carbonara

The first thing you'll want to do is fill a pot with water and bring it a boil for your pasta. Once it reaches a low boil, add 1-2 teaspoons salt.

I usually add the pasta to the pot right before I begin cooking the Brussels sprouts, but you may need to adjust based on how long your pasta takes to cook to "al dente" doneness.

Start by cooking the bacon in a high-sided saute pan over medium heat. I usually go for crispy bacon, but you can cook to your preferred crispness. Remove the cooked bacon to a paper towel and set aside.

three slices of crispy bacon in a saute pan.

While the bacon cooks, prep the Brussels sprouts (peel and core, or thinly slice) and whisk together the egg, egg yolks, milk, and parmesan cheese in a large mixing bowl. This will become the carbonara sauce.

The creaminess of a carbonara sauce comes from the richness of the egg yolks in this mixture.

"The whites of the egg combine with the starch in the pasta water to add viscosity to the sauce while the yolk adds richness and flavor. Because egg yolks are a powerful emulsifier, they also help bind the fat from the pork to the sauce, creating a smooth, velvety texture without any separation."
Bon Appetit, "Make Silky Carbonara—Not Scrambled Egg Pasta"

whisking together the egg, egg yolks, milk, and parmesan cheese.

the egg mixture after being whisked together is bright yellow and liquid pooling in the bottom of the bowl.

TIP: You'll have to add the cooked pasta to this bowl later, so make sure there's plenty of extra room for stirring!

When the bacon is cooked as crispy as you like it, remove it to a paper towel and set aside.

Depending on what type of bacon you use and how fatty it is, you may need to add a bit more oil to the pan before adding the Brussels sprouts. You want enough oil for a thin layer to coat the bottom of the pan.

Add the Brussels sprouts leaves to the bacon fat and cook them, stirring occasionally, until they're lightly browned in spots. This can take several minutes, be patient!

brussels sprouts leaves starting to brown around the edges in a saute pan.

Once the Brussels sprouts are browned around the edges, remove them from the pan and set them aside. You'll add them back into the carbonara at the end.

Towards the end of the pasta's cook time, scoop about a quarter cup of starchy pasta water out of the pot. It will help thicken the carbonara sauce before we add the pasta.

As with any recipe that requires adding hot liquid (in this case, pasta water) to an egg base, you have to be careful not to add the hot water too quickly or you'll end up scrambling the eggs.

A large glass bowl sits on a grey speckled kitchen counter. The bowl is filled with a bright yellow egg, cheese, milk, and bacon mixture which is being vigorously whisked. A hand dips into frame from the top holding a metal ¼ cup measuring cup, slowly dripping pasta water into the mixture.

This is a technique known as tempering. It basically just means whisking the egg mixture constantly while you slowly drizzle in the pasta water.

This constant agitation will keep the eggs from heating up too much and you'll end up with a silky smooth sauce ready to become carbonara.

Once the pasta water has been whisked into the eggs and the pasta is cooked to "al dente" doneness, add the pasta directly to the bowl with the egg mixture.

the cooked pasta noodles coated in the egg mixture in a brown mixing bowl.

Use a pair of tongs to stir and toss the pasta in the carbonara sauce until the noodles are fully coated. The heat from the pasta will begin raising the temperature of the eggs on contact.

the egg coated pasta back in the saute pan being stirred to thicken the egg sauce.

Then add the pasta back to the saute pan you used for the bacon and Brussels sprouts. Cook the pasta over low-medium heat, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens.

If the first place where carbonara can go wrong is scrambling the eggs during the tempering step, this is the second place where carbonara can go sideways on you.

You need the temperature to be hot enough for the eggs to coagulate and thicken, but not so hot that the eggs begin to scramble.

Be patient, keep stirring to keep the pasta and sauce moving, and don't be afraid to adjust the heat up or down as needed. This can take several minutes over low heat or happen quickly over a higher heat.

As soon as the sauce has thickened and evenly coats the pasta, turn off the heat and remove the pan from the stove.

the bacon and brussels sprouts leaves added back to the pasta in the saute pan.

the finished brussels carbonara in the saute pan.

Chop up the bacon and stir it in to the pasta along with the Brussels sprouts. Save some of the bacon bits to use as a garnish.

Brussels sprouts and bacon carbonara is best eaten immediately as the sauce begins to dry out otherwise and the Brussels sprouts begin to wilt!

Practical Tips & Recipe Notes

If your bowl is moving around on the counter while you temper the egg mixture, place a folded kitchen towel underneath it to anchor it in place. Or, invest in a mixing bowl with a rubber bottom that will stay put as you mix.
TIMING: If you'd rather not prep the Brussels sprouts and egg sauce while the bacon cooks, you can prep them both before you begin the cooking process. OR you can prep the Brussels sprouts while the bacon cooks, and wait to start cooking the pasta until after you finish cooking the Brussels sprouts and prep the egg mixture while the pasta cooks. These are good options if you're a bit slower at prep work or if you don't want your attention split between the stove and the cutting board while you're cooking.
If the pasta finishes cooking before you're ready to add it to the egg mixture, simply reserve some pasta water, then strain the pasta and set it aside. Do not rinse it!
To scale this Brussels sprouts and bacon carbonara up or down, assume approximately 2.5-3 ounces of pasta per person.

A close up of the brussels sprout carbonara with a fork sticking out of the noodles.

Storage Notes

This carbonara and Brussels sprouts pasta is best eaten immediately. Carbonara is notorious for not storing well and not reheating well — the egg sauce does not do well in the microwave, and once the sauce begins to dry out, it takes on an unpleasant texture.

I don't recommend storing this pasta carbonara with Brussels sprouts to eat as leftovers!

Equipment Notes

You don't need to use all of the same tools I do to make this Brussels sprouts pasta, but here are the tools I use and recommend that make it easier:

Saute Pan (3 QT) - A saute pan has a flat bottom and straight sides. I use an All Clad D3 stainless steel saute pan, but any high sided saute pan you have will work, as long as its 3 quarts or bigger. I don't recommend using a non-stick pan for this, as its harder to get the bacon and Brussels sprouts crispy and browned.
Sturdy Whisk - I swear by my GIR Ultimate Whisk which is ergonomically designed and super efficient for mixing, ideal for tempering the pasta water into the eggs.
Microplane Zester - Microplane's classic zester makes grating fine ribbons of hard cheese super easy — the more delicately you can grate the parmesan cheese, the smoother it will melt into the carbonara sauce! Use my exclusive discount code TPK10 for 10% off purchases at Microplane.com!

Recipe FAQ

What can I use instead of bacon in carbonara?

Pancetta works really well! In a pinch, you can cube up a slice of breakfast ham or Canadian bacon.

Is carbonara dairy-free?

Carbonara is not dairy free! If you are lactose intolerant, Lactaid milk should work just fine though. And parmesan cheese is naturally low-lactose. But only you can decide if those swaps work for you!

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