Carbonara: the bacon is 114 calories a plate.
Carbonara is spaghetti coated in egg, cheese and cured pork, and the pork is the heaviest ingredient by far. Use Canadian bacon, add egg whites and measure the cheese, and a plate goes from 653 to 483 kcal.
- 483 kcal a serving, down from 653 for the classic, with 30 g protein, 69 g carbs and 9 g fat
- 4 swaps, each with what it does to a serving, and 2 ways to add protein, up to 47 g a serving
- 4 servings, weighed at 1,450 g when finished, from 6 USDA FoodData Central entries in the library
Classic vs lighter, per serving.
The same spaghetti carbonara, made two ways from the same library entries and the same 4 servings. The lighter version is the one built on the screens below.
| Per serving | Classic | Lighter | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| kcal | 653 | 483 | −170 |
| Protein g | 32 | 30 | −2 |
| Carbs g | 69 | 69 | 0 |
| Fat g | 26 | 9 | −17 |
| Saturated fat g | 10.3 | 3.6 | −6.7 |
Saturated fat comes from the same USDA entries; the recipe sheet itself shows calories, protein, carbs and fat. Calorie and macro figures are fitness estimates, not medical or dietary advice.
Swap by swap.
Each change in turn, from the classic to the lighter version, and what it does to one serving.
1. Use Canadian bacon, not raw bacon
−114 kcal, +1 g protein, −13 g fat, −4.5 g saturated fat a serving
The leaner cut saves 114 kcal and 13 g of fat a plate, and adds 1 g of protein.
2. Use 150 g of whole egg, not 200 g
−19 kcal, −1 g protein, −1 g fat, −0.4 g saturated fat a serving
Three eggs still coat the pasta. The extra egg was 19 kcal a plate.
3. Add egg whites for body
+12 kcal, +2 g protein, +1 g carbs a serving
Whites bulk up the sauce for 12 kcal a plate and add 2 g of protein.
4. Grate 50 g of parmesan, not 100 g
−49 kcal, −4 g protein, −1 g carbs, −3 g fat, −1.8 g saturated fat a serving
Half the cheese still salts the plate. The other 50 g was 49 kcal a plate.
More protein, if you need it.
Hitting a protein target is the hard part for most people. Each option is added to the lighter version on its own, with what it does to a serving of 30 g protein and 483 kcal. Save the one you like as its own recipe.
Cook protein-fortified spaghetti
+3 kcal, +7 g protein, −8 g carbs, +1 g fat a serving, making 37 g protein a serving
The same 360 g of protein-fortified dry spaghetti adds 7 g of protein a plate (3 kcal).
Add 300 g of grilled chicken breast
+90 kcal, +17 g protein, +2 g fat, +0.4 g saturated fat a serving, making 47 g protein a serving
Weighed raw and sliced over the pasta, 300 g of breast adds 17 g of protein a plate for 90 kcal.
The sample data
These are the amounts of the lighter version used on the screens below, with each figure taken from the library entry for that ingredient. They are sample figures for a pot or tray of this size, not a measurement of anyone's kitchen.
| Ingredient | Amount | kcal | Protein g | Carbs g | Fat g |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pasta, dry, enriched | 360 g | 1,336 | 47 | 269 | 5 |
| Canadian bacon | 120 g | 132 | 24 | 2 | 3 |
| Eggs, whole, raw | 149 g | 213 | 19 | 1 | 14 |
| Egg white, raw | 90 g | 47 | 10 | 1 | 0 |
| Parmesan, hard | 50 g | 196 | 18 | 2 | 13 |
| Black pepper | 3 g | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Whole recipe | 772 g | 1,932 | 118 | 277 | 35 |
| Per serving (4) | 363 g | 483 | 30 | 69 | 9 |
Calorie and macro figures are fitness estimates, not medical or dietary advice. Ingredient values are from USDA FoodData Central, which is in the public domain.
Why this recipe
Carbonara is a good recipe to build because it has six ingredients and no sauce to hide behind. A plate depends on the cured meat, the eggs and the cheese, and weighing each shows which one it is.
What to weigh
Weigh the pasta dry and the bacon raw. The pasta takes up water as it cooks, so the sample bowl weighs 1,450 g from 772 g of ingredients and a plate is 363 g.
The full workflow, in four steps.
1. Open Create a recipe and search the library
Open Add food, choose Create a recipe and name it, then choose Add ingredient and search "pasta dry". Choose the dry enriched entry.
2. Enter the amount you weighed
Enter the weight in grams. The sheet shows 1,336 kcal for the pasta, most of the plate.
3. Add the rest, then set the servings and finished weight
Add the Canadian bacon, eggs, egg whites, parmesan and pepper, then enter 4 servings and 1,450 g. One plate comes to 483 kcal.
4. Save it and log a serving
Save the recipe and it becomes one of your own foods, ready to log by the plate or any weight.
Tips while you build it
- Mix the eggs, whites, cheese and pepper in a bowl first. Toss the hot pasta in off the heat so the sauce turns silky instead of scrambling.
- Brown the bacon in a dry pan; Canadian bacon is lean and needs no oil.
- A plate is about 363 g. Log by weight when you are measuring.
Go further
- Making the traditional version? Save a second recipe with raw bacon in place of the Canadian bacon, four whole eggs and 100 g of cheese.
- Adding peas or vegetables? Log them as their own foods.
Each change is a second recipe with its own name, so the first stays as you built it.
Spaghetti carbonara questions.
How many calories are in spaghetti carbonara?
It depends on the cured meat and the cheese. The sample comes to 483 kcal a plate made lighter, with 30 g protein, 69 g carbs and 9 g fat, against 653 kcal with bacon, four whole eggs and 100 g of cheese.
Does Canadian bacon taste like pancetta?
It is milder and leaner, with less of the fat that carries the flavour. The pepper and cheese make up the difference.
Are the eggs safe?
The heat of the pasta cooks them lightly. If you are cautious, use pasteurised eggs.
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Cook it once. Log it for good.
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