Instant Ramen Carbonara with Bacon

Grate the cheddar cheese. Crack eggs into a bowl and whisk until smooth. Finely dice the onion and mince the garlic.

Place bacon rashers in a cold large frying pan and set over medium-high heat. Cook until crispy and the fat is fully rendered, about 6-8 minutes, flipping halfway through. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving all the bacon fat in the pan. Set aside.

Add diced onion to the bacon fat in the pan over medium heat. Sauté until softened and lightly golden, about 4 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Remove pan from heat and stir in butter until melted. Set aside.

Bring a large saucepan of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Add spaghetti and cook according to package directions until just al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package suggests. Reserve at least 240ml of the starchy pasta water before draining.

While pasta cooks, whisk heavy cream into the beaten eggs until combined. Stir in grated cheddar cheese and salt. The mixture should be thick but pourable.

Return the pan with bacon fat and aromatics to medium-high heat. Add drained hot pasta and toss to coat in the fat. Remove pan from heat completely—this is critical. Pour the egg mixture over the pasta, then immediately add 60ml of reserved pasta water. Toss vigorously with tongs for 2 minutes, adding more pasta water 30ml at a time until the sauce is glossy, creamy, and coats every strand. The residual heat cooks the eggs into a silky sauce without scrambling.

Divide pasta between warmed bowls. Crumble crispy bacon over each portion. Season generously with freshly cracked black pepper. Serve immediately with extra hot sauce on the side if you're feeling the Darnell energy.