20 Minute Tortellini Bacon Carbonara
A quick and creamy tortellini carbonara with bacon, Parmesan, and half-and-half. Ready in just 20 minutes, a family-friendly dinner with gourmet flair.
Servings 4 people
Calories 350kcal
Ingredients
Carbonara Sauce
- ½ cup half and half
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (plus extra for finishing)
- 1 egg yolk
Pasta
- 9 oz cheese tortellini (fresh or refrigerated)
- 1 tbsp 1 tablespoon reserved bacon fat
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter for taste
- 1 tbsp minced garlic (I used jarred) use less garlic if you like
- 1 tsp Calabrian chili peppers (I used jarred chopped) use less if you like, or omit
- 3 slices thick-cut bacon (about 3 oz), cut into ½-inch pieces
- 2-3 tbsp frozen sweet peas add more if you prefer
- Garlic powder Only need a small pinch or two of garlic powder
- Freshly ground black pepper
- salt for taste
Instructions
- Make the sauce base:In a small bowl, whisk egg yolk, half-and-half, and Parmesan until smooth. Set aside.
- Cook the tortellini:In a medium pot of salted water to a boil (about 1 tbsp salt per 4 quarts water).Add tortellini, stir once, and cook until al dente, about 5–7 minutes.Before draining, scoop out 1–2 tablespoons of pasta water.Drain gently so the tortellini don’t split.
- Cook the bacon:In a 10-inch skillet, add bacon to a cold pan.Heat over medium until crisp and golden, about 7–8 minutes.Remove bacon with a slotted spoon, reserving 1 tablespoon of drippings for the sauce.
- Build flavor:Using the same skillet with 1 tablespoon bacon fat, melt the butter over medium-low. Add garlic (jarred, if using) and Calabrian chili peppers. Cook for 30–60 seconds until fragrant.Reduce heat to low.
- Combine pasta: Add peas, and sauce: drained tortellini to the skillet, tossing in the buttery, garlicky, chili-infused bacon fat.Remove skillet from heat.Pour in the egg–Parmesan–half-and-half mixture, stirring quickly to coat the pasta without scrambling the egg.Add splashes of reserved pasta water until the sauce is silky and clings to the tortellini.Stir in 3 tablespoons frozen sweet peas; the residual heat will warm them through in about a minute.
- Finish:Add the bacon back in.Season with cracked black pepper and taste for salt.Add a couple pinches of garlic powder.
- Serve immediately, topped with extra Parmesan and parsley if desired.
Video
Notes
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Recipe Notes
- Read first: Always read through the entire blog post and the full recipe before starting. It explains why each step matters (like removing the skillet from heat before adding the egg mixture).
- Tortellini cooking: Cheese tortellini cooks fast, usually 5–7 minutes. Taste one for doneness before draining.
- Save pasta water: Scoop out a tablespoon or two right before draining. It’s starchy and helps emulsify and thin the sauce if it feels too thick. This step is optional*
- Egg safety: Residual heat is enough to cook the egg yolk into a silky sauce. Don’t add it over direct heat or it can scramble.
- Seasoning: Add salt at the very end. Bacon and Parmesan are naturally salty.
- Peas: Add the frozen sweet peas after the sauce goes in. The heat of the pasta warms them through without turning mushy.
- Make it your own: Try pancetta instead of bacon, or add spinach/peas/chicken for variations.
Last updated 9/19/2025 with new photos, Updated recipe, updated instructions, and extra tips.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 350kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 82g | Saturated Fat: 43g | Cholesterol: 261mg | Sodium: 758mg | Potassium: 234mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2092IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 614mg | Iron: 3mg