Spaghetti alla
Carbonara
Silky egg, pecorino & guanciale pasta
Silky pasta tossed with egg yolks, pecorino romano, crispy guanciale, and black pepper.
From Rome, with appetite.A handful of ingredients.
A very Roman kind of magic.
Carbonara is the Roman pasta to order when you want something rich, peppery and deeply savory. Guanciale brings crisp edges and rendered pork fat; Pecorino Romano adds a salty bite. Eggs and a little starchy pasta water turn them into a glossy sauce.
You’ll find spaghetti and rigatoni versions in Rome’s trattorias. The familiar Roman preparation needs no cream: the texture comes from tossing the pasta with the egg and cheese mixture away from direct heat. Its origin story is debated, so the pleasure of the dish is a better guide than a tidy legend.
Explore by food: Pasta
Let’s make carbonara.
The richness is in the eggs, cheese and guanciale. The secret is in the toss.
What you’ll need
- 280 gdried spaghetti
- 100 gguanciale, cut into short strips
- 4large egg yolks
- 70 gPecorino Romano, finely grated, plus a little to serve
- ½–1 tspfreshly ground black pepper
- to tastesalt, for the pasta water
- as neededreserved pasta cooking water (save about 350 ml)
Preparation and cooking overlap. The sauce thickens quickly: have your bowls ready before you combine it. Guanciale is cured pork jowl; pancetta is a practical substitute with a different flavor.
How to make it
- 01
Get everything ready
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Grate the pecorino finely and separate the yolks. Use a little less salt than usual in the water: the cheese and guanciale will season the sauce.
- 02
Render the guanciale
Put the guanciale in a large, unheated frying pan. Cook over medium-low heat for 5–7 minutes, stirring, until the fat has rendered and the edges are crisp. Lift the pieces onto a plate, leaving the rendered fat in the pan. Turn off the heat.
- 03
Cook the spaghetti
Cook the spaghetti in the boiling water until al dente, following the packet timing. Meanwhile, whisk the yolks, pecorino and black pepper in a bowl. Reserve about 350 ml of pasta water before draining.
- 04
Bring the sauce together
Toss the drained pasta in the warm guanciale fat. With the pan off the heat, wait until any sizzling settles, then add the egg and cheese mixture, tossing continuously. Add reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time until the sauce is glossy and coats the spaghetti. Do not put the egg mixture over direct heat.
- 05
Serve straight away
Fold in the crisp guanciale. Divide between warm bowls and finish with a little extra pecorino and pepper. Add another small splash of pasta water if the sauce tightens before serving.
While you’re in Lazio…
PrimiCacio e Pepe
Spaghetti coated in a glossy sauce of Pecorino Romano, black pepper and starchy pasta water, with a sharp, warming finish.
PrimiPasta alla Gricia
Rigatoni catches a savory coating of rendered guanciale, Pecorino Romano and black pepper, with crisp pieces of pork in every forkful.
Street foodSupplì
Crisp Roman rice croquettes enclose tomato-and-meat rice around a melting mozzarella center, ready to eat warm from the fryer.