I’m sharing my Authentic Italian Carbonara Recipe that relies on just a handful of premium ingredients and a single clever technique you might not expect.

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I always thought carbonara was simple until I learned a few tiny choices make it sing. The first bowl I had with guanciale and Pecorino Romano changed me, it was like someone flipped on a light.

It isn’t showy yet it grabs your attention, smoky little bursts and the cheese melting into a silky thing that makes you pause, maybe even moan a bit. I love that it’s both fast and strangely elegant.

If you want the real thing try this Authentic Italian Carbonara Recipe, you’ll walk away suspiciously proud of yourself and hungry for round two.

Ingredients

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Spaghetti: Long wheat strands mainly carbs, little fiber, filling and great at holding sauce.
Guanciale: Cured pork jowl rich in fat and flavor, makes it salty savory and silky.
Pancetta: Good substitute when you cant find guanciale, slightly milder but still porky.
Eggs: Yolks give creamy richness, adds protein and silky texture without being sweet.
Pecorino Romano: Sharp salty sheep cheese, lots of umami and calcium, boosts savory character big time.
Black pepper: Generous cracked pepper gives heat and aroma, defines the dish, not optional.
Salt: Seasons pasta water, brings out flavors in all ingredients, dont overdo it.

Ingredient Quantities

400 g (14 oz) dried spaghetti

150 g (5 oz) guanciale, diced (or pancetta if you can’t find guanciale)

3 large egg yolks + 1 large whole egg

100 g (1 cup) Pecorino Romano, finely grated

Freshly ground black pepper, 1 to 2 teaspoons, plus extra to finish

Salt for the pasta water, about 1 tablespoon coarse or to taste

How to Make this

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1. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a rolling boil, add about 1 tablespoon coarse salt, then drop in 400 g spaghetti and cook until just al dente (follow package time but check a minute or two early).

2. While the pasta heats, dice 150 g guanciale (or pancetta if you cant find guanciale). Put it in a cold skillet and warm over medium low so the fat renders slowly and the meat gets crisp, about 6 to 8 minutes. Turn heat off but leave the fat and crispy bits in the pan.

3. In a bowl whisk together 3 large egg yolks plus 1 whole large egg, then stir in 100 g finely grated Pecorino Romano and 1 to 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper until you have a thick paste. Taste lightly before adding salt because Pecorino is very salty.

4. Just before draining the pasta, ladle out and save about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the starchy hot pasta water. Drain the spaghetti quickly, do not rinse.

5. Transfer the hot drained spaghetti straight into the skillet with the guanciale and fat, toss or shake over low heat for 20 to 30 seconds so the noodles pick up the flavor. Remove the pan from the heat.

6. Off the heat, pour the egg and cheese mixture over the pasta and toss vigorously with tongs or a fork, adding a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water at a time to loosen the sauce and create a silky emulsion, not scrambled eggs. If you like, add one ladle of hot pasta water to the egg mixture first to temper it so it doesnt seize.

7. Keep tossing and adding water as needed until the sauce clings to the spaghetti and looks creamy. If it seems too thin add a little more grated Pecorino, too thick add more pasta water.

8. Taste and dont add much extra salt, the guanciale and Pecorino usually make it plenty salty. Grind extra black pepper on top and sprinkle more Pecorino to serve.

9. Serve immediately while hot, because Carbonara waits for no one.

Equipment Needed

1. large pot with lid, big enough for 400 g spaghetti and plenty of water
2. colander for draining (do not rinse)
3. large skillet or frying pan, preferably heavy bottom so fat renders evenly
4. mixing bowl for the eggs and cheese
5. whisk or fork to beat the yolks and whole egg into a paste
6. tongs to toss the pasta with the guanciale and sauce
7. ladle to scoop and reserve 1 to 1 1/2 cups of pasta water
8. fine grater or microplane for finely grating Pecorino
9. kitchen scale or measuring cups and spoons to portion ingredients

FAQ

Q: Do I have to use guanciale or can I use pancetta?
A: Guanciale is traditional and gives the best flavor and texture, but pancetta is an ok swap if you cant find it. Avoid smoked bacon when you can, and always render it slowly so it gets crisp not burned.

Q: Is it safe to eat the eggs since theyre not cooked like an omelet?
A: Yes, when done right the hot pasta and a bit of starchy cooking water gently cook the egg yolks into a silky sauce. Use very fresh eggs or pasteurized eggs if you are worried about food safety, and serve immediately.

Q: Why did my sauce turn into scrambled eggs and how do I stop that?
A: That happens when the eggs hit too much direct heat. Fix it by taking the pan off the burner, tossing in the pasta, then quickly stirring in the egg and cheese mixture while adding hot pasta water little by little to make an emulsion.

Q: Can I add cream to make the sauce richer?
A: Traditional carbonara has no cream, just eggs, cheese and pork; cream changes the texture and flavor. If you want a looser sauce use more hot pasta water, not cream.

Q: How much Pecorino and black pepper should I use?
A: The recipe calls for about 100 g Pecorino Romano and 1 to 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, but taste and adjust. Pecorino is salty and sharp so add cheese slowly till it feels balanced.

Q: How do I reheat leftovers without ruining the sauce?
A: Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of water or stock and stir constantly to loosen the sauce, or microwave in short low-power bursts adding water between bursts. High heat makes the eggs seize up into curds.

Traditional Spaghetti Alla Carbonara Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Guanciale: swap with pancetta (use same 150 g) for the closest traditional taste, or thick unsmoked bacon if you cant find either. Pancetta behaves the same, bacon will add smoke so cut back on any extra salt.
Pecorino Romano: use Parmigiano-Reggiano (about 100 g) for a milder, nuttier cheese, or mix 50/50 Pecorino and Parmesan to keep some sharpness. Remember Pecorino is saltier so taste before salting.
Spaghetti: try bucatini for a slightly richer bite because the hole holds sauce, or linguine / fettuccine if you prefer a flatter noodle. Check cooking time, you might need plus or minus a minute.
Eggs: if you dont want leftover yolks use 4 large whole eggs instead of 3 yolks plus 1 whole (gives a lighter sauce), or do 2 whole + 2 yolks as a good compromise. Temper the eggs with hot pasta water so they dont scramble, and use pasteurized eggs if youre worried about food safety.

Pro Tips

1) Temper the eggs so they dont scramble. Put a ladle of hot pasta water into the egg + cheese mix first, whisk quick, then add it to the pasta off the heat while you keep tossing. Add water a few tablespoons at a time, not all at once.

2) Render the guanciale slowly from a cold pan so the fat comes out and the pieces get crispy. Cut the meat into even bits so they cook at the same rate. If you must use pancetta remember it can be leaner so watch the heat or itll get too dry.

3) Save way more pasta water than you think youll need, its the secret to a glossy emulsion. Use that starchy water to loosen the sauce and bring it together, tossing vigorously with tongs so the sauce clings to the noodles.

4) Grate Pecorino fresh and taste before you add any extra salt because its very salty. Freshly cracked black pepper at the end lifts the whole thing, and serve immediately because the sauce changes fast.

Traditional Spaghetti Alla Carbonara Recipe

Recipe by Toni Baldesera

0.0 from 0 votes

I’m sharing my Authentic Italian Carbonara Recipe that relies on just a handful of premium ingredients and a single clever technique you might not expect.

Servings

servings

Calories

729

kcal

Equipment: 1. large pot with lid, big enough for 400 g spaghetti and plenty of water
2. colander for draining (do not rinse)
3. large skillet or frying pan, preferably heavy bottom so fat renders evenly
4. mixing bowl for the eggs and cheese
5. whisk or fork to beat the yolks and whole egg into a paste
6. tongs to toss the pasta with the guanciale and sauce
7. ladle to scoop and reserve 1 to 1 1/2 cups of pasta water
8. fine grater or microplane for finely grating Pecorino
9. kitchen scale or measuring cups and spoons to portion ingredients

Ingredients

400 g (14 oz) dried spaghetti
150 g (5 oz) guanciale, diced (or pancetta if you can't find guanciale)
3 large egg yolks + 1 large whole egg
100 g (1 cup) Pecorino Romano, finely grated
Freshly ground black pepper, 1 to 2 teaspoons, plus extra to finish
Salt for the pasta water, about 1 tablespoon coarse or to taste

Directions

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a rolling boil, add about 1 tablespoon coarse salt, then drop in 400 g spaghetti and cook until just al dente (follow package time but check a minute or two early).
While the pasta heats, dice 150 g guanciale (or pancetta if you cant find guanciale). Put it in a cold skillet and warm over medium low so the fat renders slowly and the meat gets crisp, about 6 to 8 minutes. Turn heat off but leave the fat and crispy bits in the pan.
In a bowl whisk together 3 large egg yolks plus 1 whole large egg, then stir in 100 g finely grated Pecorino Romano and 1 to 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper until you have a thick paste. Taste lightly before adding salt because Pecorino is very salty.
Just before draining the pasta, ladle out and save about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the starchy hot pasta water. Drain the spaghetti quickly, do not rinse.
Transfer the hot drained spaghetti straight into the skillet with the guanciale and fat, toss or shake over low heat for 20 to 30 seconds so the noodles pick up the flavor. Remove the pan from the heat.
Off the heat, pour the egg and cheese mixture over the pasta and toss vigorously with tongs or a fork, adding a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water at a time to loosen the sauce and create a silky emulsion, not scrambled eggs. If you like, add one ladle of hot pasta water to the egg mixture first to temper it so it doesnt seize.
Keep tossing and adding water as needed until the sauce clings to the spaghetti and looks creamy. If it seems too thin add a little more grated Pecorino, too thick add more pasta water.
Taste and dont add much extra salt, the guanciale and Pecorino usually make it plenty salty. Grind extra black pepper on top and sprinkle more Pecorino to serve.
Serve immediately while hot, because Carbonara waits for no one.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.