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    Pasta Carbonara Cheesecake Factory Copycat Recipe

    by Brendan Cunningham 17 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    This pasta carbonara recipe tastes just like the one from Cheesecake Factory. The pasta is coated in an irresistible velvety garlic parmesan cream sauce with tender green peas and crispy bacon bits. It’s an easy and indulgent weeknight dinner option, ready in 30 minutes or less!

    Pasta carbonara cheesecake factory recipe in a bowl on top of a plate.
    Table of Contents
    • THE BEST PASTA CARBONARA RECIPE
      • INGREDIENTS
      • HOW TO MAKE PASTA CARBONARA LIKE CHEESECAKE FACTORY
        • STEP 1: PREP THE PASTA, PEAS, AND BACON
        • STEP 2: MAKE THE CREAM SAUCE
        • STEP 3: COMBINE EVERYTHING
        • OPTIONAL: PASTA CARBONARA WITH CHICKEN
      • STORING LEFTOVER PASTA CARBONARA
      • WRAPPING IT ALL UP
    • MORE COPYCAT RECIPES FROM RESTAURANTS

     

    THE BEST PASTA CARBONARA RECIPE

    Now, I don’t know about you, but I think the best pasta at Cheesecake Factory is their pasta carbonara.

    It’s got that indulgent creamy and cheesy sauce with freshness from the green peas and crispy bacon sprinkled throughout.

    I mean, how can you not love it?

    However, the only downside about ordering the pasta carbonara from Cheesecake Factory is that the restaurant is always soooo busy, and, let's be honest, it's kind of pricy too.

    So, that's why I came up with this copycat Cheesecake Factory pasta carbonara.

    And, honestly, I think it’s every bit as delicious as the restaurant’s version! 

    This pasta carbonara recipe has all the creamy, bacony, garlicky deliciousness of the one from Cheesecake Factory. Plus, it's made in just 30 minutes with simple pantry staples.

    Also, it makes enough for 6 servings - or 4 generous servings - so you can get a lot more pasta for a lot less than you would spend at the restaurant!

    It’s a win-win all around.

    And to complete the meal, you can make this easy cheesy bread or garlic bread.

    Oh, and if you want to try another Cheesecake Factory recipe, you have to make this miso salmon next!

    Part of a white ball that is filled with pasta carbonara. There's a fork submerged in the spaghetti.

    INGREDIENTS

    Ok, so all the ingredients for this pasta carbonara Cheesecake Factory recipe are simple pantry and freezer staples. You’ll only need about ten ingredients, and anything you don’t already have is just a quick grocery store run away.

    With that said, here’s everything you’ll need for this Cheesecake Factory pasta carbonara recipe:

    • 8 ounces dried Spaghetti
    • 1 cup frozen Peas
    • 4 slices Bacon
    • 2 tablespoons Butter divided
    • 2 cloves Garlic minced
    • ΒΌ cup grated Parmesan Cheese
    • 2 tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
    • One 12-ounce can Evaporated Milk
    • 2 tablespoons snipped fresh Italian Parsley
    • Grated Parmesan Cheese to serve
    • Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper to taste

    By the way, you can use a lot of the same ingredients to make this Olive Garden chicken and shrimp carbonara so don’t forget to check that out next!

    Spaghetti in a pot surrounded by a plate of uncooked bacon, bowl shredded Parmesan cheese, butter peas, and a bowl of garlic all on a white counter.

    HOW TO MAKE PASTA CARBONARA LIKE CHEESECAKE FACTORY

    As I mentioned earlier, you can make this bacon carbonara in just 30 minutes. You can even cut that time down to 20 minutes if you make the pasta and sauce at the same time.

    Also, I’ve included some instructions on how to make this pasta with extra chicken. It’ll only take about 5 minutes of prep and won’t add much to the total cooking time of this recipe.

    Ok, let’s get cooking!

    Cooked spaghetti and peas in a strainer.

    STEP 1: PREP THE PASTA, PEAS, AND BACON

    First, get a large pot of water boiling, add a good amount of salt (about 1 Β½ teaspoons per liter of water), and cook the pasta according to the package directions.

    Then, 5 minutes before the pasta is done cooking, add the frozen peas to the water.

    By the way, make sure to reserve about a cup of the pasta water for later, and then drain the pasta and peas - you can set them aside for later at this point.

    Next, cook the bacon according to the package directions until it's as crispy as you want. Then, dry the cooked bacon on a paper towel-lined plate to soak up any excess oil.

    Once the bacon is cool enough to handle, gently crush it into bite-sized pieces and set them aside.

    Krispy pieces of bacon in a cream sauce in a pot on top of the burner.

    STEP 2: MAKE THE CREAM SAUCE

    Now, add the butter to a small saucepan and melt it over medium heat. When the butter is hot and fully melted, add the garlic, and cook it for 1 minute or until fragrant.

    Then, to that, whisk in the parmesan cheese and flour until combined, getting rid of any flour lumps. Now slowly mix in the evaporated milk and bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the sauce, uncovered, until thick and creamy.

    Tongs with spaghetti wrapped around them being held above spaghetti and peas in a bowl.

    STEP 3: COMBINE EVERYTHING

    So, once the sauce has thickened, remove it from the heat and stir in the crispy bacon pieces.

    Then, in a large bowl, place the drained spaghetti and peas. Now pour the carbonara sauce and the reserved pasta water over them, and toss everything gently to combine.

    Also, if necessary, you can thin the sauce by adding the rest of the reserved pasta water a little bit at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.

    Finally, taste the pasta and add salt and pepper as needed.

    Then, serve this pasta carbonara Cheesecake Factory dish with a sprinkle of snipped fresh parsley, and as much extra Parmesan as you want!

    Pasta carbonara and white bowl on top of white plate on a white counter. In front of the bowl is a bowl of peas

    OPTIONAL: PASTA CARBONARA WITH CHICKEN

    If you want to make this pasta carbonara recipe with an extra chicken option - like how they make it at Cheesecake Factory - you can start this speedy air fryer frozen chicken breast recipe before making the pasta.

    This juicy chicken breast recipe starts from frozen and takes just 20 minutes of hands-off cooking, so it should finish around the same time as the pasta.

    Then, just chop the chicken breast into cubes and mix it into the pasta carbonara before serving!

    Or, to save even more time, you can use a rotisserie chicken and shred it, then add it to the pasta when you combine all of the ingredients.

    Cheesecake factory pasta carbonara in a white bowl.

    STORING LEFTOVER PASTA CARBONARA

    Again, this Cheesecake Factory pasta carbonara recipe makes a ton of pasta - 4 to 6  servings worth.

    And it’s a pretty rich and hearty dish so you’ll probably have enough leftovers for a couple of work lunches the next day.

    So, to store the leftover pasta, let it cool to room temperature and then transfer it to an airtight container. Then, you can keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days.

    And if you want to reheat the pasta, there are multiple ways that work great. My favorite is putting it on the stovetop with a touch of oil. It warms up the dish and slightly crisps up the noodles, similar to this fried spaghetti recipe.

    Cheesecake factory pasta carbonara in a white bowl with the utensil submerged in it.

    WRAPPING IT ALL UP

    And that’s how to make Cheesecake Factory pasta carbonara!

    This recipe is easy enough to make for a quick weeknight dinner but makes the most satisfying restaurant-quality pasta.

    This bacon carbonara is always a huge hit at dinner and I get requests to make it all the time from both family and friends. Of course, I’m always happy to oblige because this recipe is so simple to make!

    Anyway, I hope you enjoy this pasta carbonara Cheesecake Factory copycat recipe as much as I do.

    Don’t forget to leave a comment below if you make it and let me know what you think.

    Also, be sure to check out our Youtube channel for more tasty recipes like this!

    MORE COPYCAT RECIPES FROM RESTAURANTS

    If you liked this recipe, we have a ton of different recipes that are just as delicious made at home as they are in the restaurant!

    Give one of these a try next:

    • Cheesecake Factory truffle honey chicken
    • Cheesecake Factory Thai lime coconut chicken
    • Olive Garden giant cheese stuffed shells
    • Olive Garden crispy chicken fritta
    • Olive Garden asiago tortelloni
    • Ruth Chris stuffed chicken breast
    • Applebees Bourbon chicken & shrimp
    Print

    Pasta Carbonara Cheesecake Factory Copycat Recipe

    Part of a white ball that is filled with pasta carbonara. There's a fork submerged in the spaghetti.
    Print Recipe

    ★★★★★

    5 from 17 reviews

    This pasta carbonara recipe tastes just like the one from Cheesecake Factory. The pasta is coated in an irresistible velvety garlic parmesan cream sauce with tender green peas and crispy bacon bits. It’s an easy and indulgent weeknight dinner option, ready in 30 minutes or less!

    • Author: Brendan Cunningham
    • Prep Time: 15 minutes
    • Cook Time: 15 minutes
    • Total Time: 30 minutes
    • Yield: 4 servings 1x
    • Category: Dinner
    • Method: Stovetop
    • Cuisine: Cheesecake Factory

    Ingredients

    Scale

    8 ounces Spaghetti

    1 cup frozen Peas

    4 slices Bacon

    2 tablespoons Butter divided

    2 cloves Garlic minced

    ΒΌ cup grated Parmesan Cheese

    2 tablespoons All-Purpose Flour

    One 12-ounce can Evaporated Milk

    2 tablespoons snipped fresh Italian Parsley

    Grated Parmesan Cheese to serve

    Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper to taste

    Instructions

    1. Prepare pasta according to package directions. Add frozen peas for the last 5 minutes of cooking. Drain, reserving the cooking water. Set aside.
    2. Cook bacon according to package directions until crispy. Remove bacon and place on a paper towel-covered plate to drain. Allow bacon to cool enough to handle. Break bacon into bite-size pieces. Set aside.
    3. Place a small saucepan over medium heat. Add butter.
    4. When butter has melted and is hot, add garlic. Cook 1 minute.
    5. Whisk in the ΒΌ cup Parmesan cheese and the flour.
    6. Slowly whisk in the evaporated milk. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Boil gently, uncovered, until sauce has thickened. Remove from heat.
    7. Stir in bacon pieces.
    8. Place prepared spaghetti mixture in a large bowl.
    9. Pour sauce and Β½ cup of the reserved cooking water over top. Toss gently to combine. Thin to desired consistency with more of the reserved cooking water, if necessary.
    10. Add salt and pepper, to taste, if needed. Sprinkle with snipped parsley and additional grated Parmesan cheese.

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1 serving
    • Calories: 309
    • Fat: 18
    • Carbohydrates: 22
    • Protein: 14

    Keywords: pasta carbonara cheesecake factory copycat, pasta carbonara from scratch, how to make pasta carbonara from scratch, copycat cheesecake factory pasta carbonara, how to make pasta carbonara like cheesecake factory, Pasta carbonara Cheesecake Factory, Best pasta at Cheesecake Factory, Pasta carbonara, Cheesecake Factory pasta carbonara, Bacon carbonara

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    Share a photo and tag us @ImHungryForThat β€” we can't wait to see what you've made!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sarah

      April 07, 2022 at 4:34 pm

      I have gotten this at the Cheesecake Factory a few times and love it. This recipe did it justice.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    2. Tiff

      April 08, 2022 at 8:26 am

      Delicious pasta recipe that I would make again.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    3. Ryan

      April 08, 2022 at 10:41 pm

      Awesome awesome awesome recipe.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    4. Alexa

      April 10, 2022 at 2:07 pm

      Delicious pasta all around.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    5. Felix

      April 10, 2022 at 8:22 pm

      This was a hit with my hubby big time.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    6. Lauren

      April 11, 2022 at 7:19 pm

      Whoa this was good. Excellent in fact.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    7. Rob

      April 12, 2022 at 11:28 am

      I liked this very much.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    8. Ali

      April 13, 2022 at 8:46 am

      The sauce that this pasta has on it is incredible!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    9. Tori

      April 15, 2022 at 9:59 am

      Delicious.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    10. Larry

      April 15, 2022 at 12:38 pm

      Daaaang this hit the spot.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    11. Dean

      April 15, 2022 at 11:01 pm

      Actually as good as TCF.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    12. Abigail

      April 16, 2022 at 3:03 pm

      Literally heaven in my moutπŸ˜‰πŸ™‚β€οΈπŸ˜‚

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    13. Darla

      April 18, 2022 at 8:03 pm

      This carbonara rocks πŸͺ¨ πŸͺ¨πŸͺ¨

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    14. Jilly

      April 19, 2022 at 11:07 am

      Superb pasta recipe,

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    15. Izzy

      April 20, 2022 at 8:55 am

      I added extra bacon. It was to die for!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    16. Rianna P.

      April 21, 2022 at 7:26 am

      Totally will make this dish again my family liked it very much.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    17. Ashely

      April 22, 2022 at 9:26 am

      Added in some broccoli and other cheese and it was a big hit for my family.

      ★★★★★

      Reply

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