Name: Spaghetti alla Carbonara
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 400 g spaghetti; 150 g guanciale; 60 g pecorino romano; 4 piece egg yolk; 1 piece egg; 0 black pepper; 0 salt

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

The Roman classic built on just a few ingredients: crisp guanciale, egg yolks, pecorino romano, and a heavy hand of black pepper. The silk comes from an emulsion, never from cream.

🇮🇹 Italy ·Europe · $$

10 min Prep

20 min Cook

30 min Total

4 portions

Spaghetti alla Carbonara is one of the four pillars of Roman pasta, and its whole identity lives in the sauce. Cubes or strips of guanciale render slowly in a dry pan until the fat turns golden and the edges crisp. While the pasta boils, egg yolks (with one whole egg for body) are whisked with finely grated pecorino romano and a generous amount of cracked black pepper. The drained spaghetti is tossed first with the rendered guanciale fat, then the pan comes off the heat and the egg mixture goes in, loosened with a splash of starchy pasta water. That residual warmth, plus constant stirring, turns the yolks and cheese into a glossy cream that clings to every strand without scrambling. There is no cream, no garlic, no onion, and no peas; the richness is the technique itself.

Ingredients

400 g spaghetti

150 g guanciale cut into strips or short cubes, rind removed

60 g pecorino romano finely grated, plus more for serving

4 piece egg yolk

1 piece egg whole, for extra body

0 black pepper freshly cracked, to taste and in quantity

0 salt for the pasta water

Ingredients

4 portions

400 gspaghetti

150 gguanciale cut into strips or short cubes, rind removed

60 gpecorino romano finely grated, plus more for serving

4 pieceegg yolk

1 pieceegg whole, for extra body

black pepper freshly cracked, to taste and in quantity

salt for the pasta water

Instructions

Render the guanciale

1

Trim the rind off the guanciale and cut it into short strips or small cubes about half a centimeter thick.
~3 min
2

Place the guanciale in a cold, dry pan and set it over medium heat. Let it render slowly, stirring now and then, until the fat turns translucent and golden and the edges crisp. Turn off the heat and leave the guanciale in its fat.
~10 min

Boil the pasta

1

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it lightly. Remember the pecorino and guanciale are already salty, so go easy.
~8 min
2

Cook the spaghetti until al dente. Just before draining, scoop out a mug of the starchy cooking water and set it aside.
~9 min

Make the egg cream

1

In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and the whole egg with the grated pecorino romano and a generous amount of freshly cracked black pepper until smooth.
~2 min
2

Loosen the mixture with a tablespoon or two of the hot pasta water, whisking constantly, so it reaches a pourable cream.
~1 min

Emulsify and serve

1

Drain the spaghetti and add it to the pan with the rendered guanciale and its fat. Toss over very low heat for a few seconds so every strand is coated, then take the pan off the heat completely.
~1 min
2

Pour in the egg and cheese mixture and stir vigorously, adding splashes of pasta water as needed. The residual warmth turns it into a glossy cream that coats the pasta without scrambling.
~1 min
3

Plate at once, finishing with extra grated pecorino and more black pepper. Serve immediately on warm plates.
~1 min

Credits & Inspiration

La Cucina Italiana
The Italian culinary authority's tested classic carbonara: guanciale, egg yolks, pecorino, and the off-heat emulsion.
Pina Bresciani
A Roman-style method using egg yolks, pecorino, and rendered guanciale fat, no cream.
Piovono Ricette (GialloZafferano)
Traditional Roman recipe with guanciale, a mix of yolks and whole eggs, and pecorino.
Memorie di Angelina
An authentic version stressing only pasta, eggs, pecorino, and cured pork, finished off heat.
Vincenzo's Plate
An Italian cook's step-by-step carbonara with yolks and one whole egg, crisp guanciale, no cream.