I had to share my take on Bobby Flay’s Bucatini Amatriciana Recipe because bucatini’s knack for soaking sauce reveals a clever twist worth reading about.

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I tried Bobby Flay’s Bucatini Amatriciana and had to tell you about it. The bucatini soaks up sauce like a dream, but what really flipped me was the punch from guanciale or pancetta and the bright, hand-crushed San Marzano tomatoes.

It’s not fussy, yet somehow tastes like you spent all day on it. I kept finding reasons to go back for another forkful, and i’m honestly a little surprised how fast it came together.

If you love a bold classic, this Bucatini Amatriciana Recipe will make you curious. What are you waiting for?

Follow the link below for the full recipe.

Ingredients

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Bucatini pasta: hollow strands that hold sauce and give a satisfying chew.
Guanciale or pancetta: salty cured pork adds fat and smoky savory punch.
San Marzano tomatoes: sweet, low acidity tomatoes make the sauce bright.
Pecorino Romano: sharp salty sheep cheese that adds tangy, savory depth.
Yellow onion: brings gentle sweetness and body when softened not overpowering.
Garlic: lifts aroma and gives a warm mild spicy note when cooked.
Extra virgin olive oil: silky fat for cooking, adds fruity notes and gloss.
Crushed red pepper flakes: a little heat that brightens without overpowering.

Ingredient Quantities

1 lb bucatini pasta

8 oz guanciale or pancetta cut into small strips

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 small yellow onion finely chopped

2 cloves garlic minced or smashed

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 (28 ounce) can San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes crushed by hand

1/4 cup dry white wine

3/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Kosher salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

How to Make this

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1. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, salt it well like the sea, then cook 1 lb bucatini until just shy of al dente, about 1 to 2 minutes less than the package says; scoop out and reserve 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the starchy pasta water, drain the rest.

2. While the pasta cooks, heat 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add 8 oz guanciale or pancetta cut into small strips and render until the fat is golden and the meat is crisp, about 6 to 8 minutes, don’t throw away that fat it’s the flavor base.

3. Push the crispy guanciale to one side, add 1 small finely chopped yellow onion to the fat and sweat over medium low heat until soft and translucent, about 6 minutes, stir now and then so it does not brown too fast.

4. Stir in 2 cloves minced or smashed garlic and 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, cook just 30 to 45 seconds until fragrant, don’t let the garlic burn or it will taste bitter.

5. Pour in 1/4 cup dry white wine to deglaze the pan scraping up browned bits, let it bubble and reduce by about half so the alcohol cooks off and the flavor concentrates.

6. Add 1 (28 ounce) can San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes crushed by hand into the skillet, bring to a simmer and cook gently 10 to 15 minutes until the sauce thickens and tastes bright; season lightly with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper but remember guanciale and Pecorino are salty so taste as you go.

7. Turn the heat to low then add the nearly cooked bucatini to the sauce, toss well and add splashes of reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce and create a silky coating, finish cooking the pasta in the sauce for 1 to 2 minutes so it soaks up flavor.

8. Remove from heat and stir in 3/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano, tossing fast so the cheese melts into the sauce and makes it creamy, add more pasta water if it looks too thick.

9. Plate immediately, sprinkle extra Pecorino and a generous crack of freshly ground black pepper on top, serve hot and enjoy right away because bucatini soaks up sauce fast.

Equipment Needed

1. Large pot (6–8 qt) for boiling the bucatini and reserving starchy pasta water
2. Colander to drain the pasta
3. Large skillet (12-inch or similar) to render guanciale and simmer the sauce
4. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula for stirring and tossing the pasta in the sauce
5. Slotted spoon or spider to lift pasta and crispy guanciale bits out of the water
6. Tongs or a long-handled pasta fork to finish and toss the bucatini in the skillet
7. Chefs knife and cutting board to chop onion and mince garlic
8. Measuring cup (for reserving 1–1 1/2 cups pasta water and measuring the wine) and a small ladle
9. Microplane or box grater for freshly grated Pecorino Romano, plus a can opener for the tomatoes

FAQ

1 lb bucatini pasta

8 oz guanciale or pancetta cut into small strips

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 small yellow onion finely chopped

2 cloves garlic minced or smashed

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 (28 ounce) can San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes crushed by hand

1/4 cup dry white wine

3/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Kosher salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Q: Can I use pancetta instead of guanciale? A: Yes you can. Pancetta is the common substitute and it works well, but guanciale has a richer pork flavor if you can find it.

Q: What if I dont have bucatini? A: Spaghetti or rigatoni are fine swaps. Bucatini gives a fun hollow bite, but any long or tube pasta will do.

Q: Do I have to use San Marzano tomatoes? A: Not strictly, but San Marzanos are sweeter and less acidic so the sauce tastes cleaner. If you use another can, maybe add a pinch of sugar to balance.

Q: How do I stop the sauce from being too salty? A: Taste before you salt. The guanciale and Pecorino add a lot of salt, so often you wont need more. If it is too salty, add a bit more tomato or a splash of pasta water.

Q: Can I make the sauce ahead? A: Yes. Make the sauce, cool, and refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat gently and finish with pasta and cheese just before serving to keep it bright.

Q: Any tips for a creamier sauce? A: Use reserved pasta water and add Pecorino off the heat. Toss vigorously so the cheese emulsifies with the starchy water for a silky coating.

Try Easiest And Quickest Bobby Flay’s Bucatini Amatriciana Recipe At Home Substitutions and Variations

Try Easiest And Quickest Bobby Flay’s Bucatini Amatriciana Recipe At Home

1 lb bucatini pasta
8 oz guanciale or pancetta cut into small strips
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic minced or smashed
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 (28 ounce) can San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes crushed by hand
1/4 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Substitutions you can use if you need them, quick and simple:

Guanciale or pancetta: thick-cut bacon, cut into strips and crisped. Bacon adds smokiness so taste for salt as it can be saltier.
Bucatini pasta: spaghetti or spaghettoni work fine, use thick spaghetti if you want similar chew and sauce cling.
San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes: a 28 oz can of good quality crushed tomatoes or fresh plum tomatoes, peeled and crushed by hand.
Pecorino Romano cheese: Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano, grated; Parm is milder and nuttier but mixes great.

Pro Tips

1) Render the guanciale slowly over medium low so the fat melts out and the meat crisps without burning. Save that fat, its the best flavor you got, tossing it is a sin.

2) Grate the Pecorino super fine and mix a few tablespoons of hot pasta water with the cheese first to make a loose slurry before you add it to the pan. That little trick helps the cheese melt smooth instead of clumping up.

3) Taste the tomatoes before you salt the sauce, they vary a lot. If they taste too sharp add just a pinch of sugar to calm them, not a spoonful, just a tiny bit until it tastes balanced.

4) Undercook the bucatini slightly if you want perfect texture after finishing in the sauce, and keep extra starchy pasta water on hand. If youre saving leftovers toss the pasta with a drizzle of olive oil so it doesnt glue together.

Try Easiest And Quickest Bobby Flay's Bucatini Amatriciana Recipe At Home

Recipe by Toni Baldesera

0.0 from 0 votes

I had to share my take on Bobby Flay's Bucatini Amatriciana Recipe because bucatini's knack for soaking sauce reveals a clever twist worth reading about.

Servings

servings

Calories

576

kcal

Equipment: 1. Large pot (6–8 qt) for boiling the bucatini and reserving starchy pasta water
2. Colander to drain the pasta
3. Large skillet (12-inch or similar) to render guanciale and simmer the sauce
4. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula for stirring and tossing the pasta in the sauce
5. Slotted spoon or spider to lift pasta and crispy guanciale bits out of the water
6. Tongs or a long-handled pasta fork to finish and toss the bucatini in the skillet
7. Chefs knife and cutting board to chop onion and mince garlic
8. Measuring cup (for reserving 1–1 1/2 cups pasta water and measuring the wine) and a small ladle
9. Microplane or box grater for freshly grated Pecorino Romano, plus a can opener for the tomatoes

Ingredients

1 lb bucatini pasta
8 oz guanciale or pancetta cut into small strips
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic minced or smashed
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 (28 ounce) can San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes crushed by hand
1/4 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, salt it well like the sea, then cook 1 lb bucatini until just shy of al dente, about 1 to 2 minutes less than the package says; scoop out and reserve 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the starchy pasta water, drain the rest.
While the pasta cooks, heat 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add 8 oz guanciale or pancetta cut into small strips and render until the fat is golden and the meat is crisp, about 6 to 8 minutes, don’t throw away that fat it’s the flavor base.
Push the crispy guanciale to one side, add 1 small finely chopped yellow onion to the fat and sweat over medium low heat until soft and translucent, about 6 minutes, stir now and then so it does not brown too fast.
Stir in 2 cloves minced or smashed garlic and 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, cook just 30 to 45 seconds until fragrant, don’t let the garlic burn or it will taste bitter.
Pour in 1/4 cup dry white wine to deglaze the pan scraping up browned bits, let it bubble and reduce by about half so the alcohol cooks off and the flavor concentrates.
Add 1 (28 ounce) can San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes crushed by hand into the skillet, bring to a simmer and cook gently 10 to 15 minutes until the sauce thickens and tastes bright; season lightly with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper but remember guanciale and Pecorino are salty so taste as you go.
Turn the heat to low then add the nearly cooked bucatini to the sauce, toss well and add splashes of reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce and create a silky coating, finish cooking the pasta in the sauce for 1 to 2 minutes so it soaks up flavor.
Remove from heat and stir in 3/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano, tossing fast so the cheese melts into the sauce and makes it creamy, add more pasta water if it looks too thick.
Plate immediately, sprinkle extra Pecorino and a generous crack of freshly ground black pepper on top, serve hot and enjoy right away because bucatini soaks up sauce fast.

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.