Spaghetti alla Carbonara
Roman pasta with eggs, guanciale & pecorino
Ingredients
- 400 g Spaghetti
- 200 g Guanciale
- 4 Egg yolk
- 1 Egg
- 100 g Pecorino Romano
- 1 tsp Black pepper
- 40 g Salt
Method
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Salt lightly.
- Cut the guanciale into short, thick batons.
- Whisk the yolks, whole egg, grated pecorino, and pepper in a bowl until smooth.
- Render the guanciale in a cold skillet over medium-low until crisp outside, soft inside — about 8 min.
- Drop the spaghetti and cook one minute shy of al dente (firm to the bite).
- Reserve a mugful of pasta water, then drain.
- Tip the pasta into the skillet off heat with the rendered guanciale. Toss to coat.
- Pour in the egg-cheese mixture and toss vigorously, adding pasta water by the spoonful until silky.
- Plate and finish with more pecorino and pepper.
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About Spaghetti alla Carbonara
Spaghetti alla carbonara is one of the four great Roman pastas, and it's defined as much by what it leaves out as what it contains: guanciale, eggs, pecorino Romano, and black pepper, and famously no cream, ever. The silkiness that people mistake for cream comes instead from an emulsion of egg yolk, grated cheese, and starchy pasta water, brought together off the heat so the eggs thicken into a glossy sauce rather than scrambling. Guanciale, cured pork jowl, is the traditional cut, rendered slowly until crisp outside and soft within, and its rendered fat is part of the sauce, not something to be drained away.
Done right, carbonara is rich and savory with a sharp, funky bite from the pecorino and a real hit of coarse black pepper, the crisp guanciale giving pockets of salt and crunch against the creamy strands. It's straightforward peasant food elevated by technique, best eaten immediately while the sauce is still loose and glossy. The whole dish turns on the finish: tossing the pasta with the egg mixture away from direct heat and loosening it spoonful by spoonful with reserved pasta water, which is the difference between a velvety coat and a curdled one. It's quick, about thirty minutes, but it demands attention at exactly the moment most cooks look away.
Spaghetti alla Carbonara: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Spaghetti alla Carbonara?
A serving has about 875 calories — 28.7g protein, 77.4g carbs, 49g fat, 3.3g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is it high in protein?
Each serving has about 28.7g of protein, roughly 13% of its calories.
Is Spaghetti alla Carbonara gluten-free?
As written, no — it contains Spaghetti. You'd need a certified gluten-free swap for that ingredient to make it gluten-free.
Is Spaghetti alla Carbonara dairy-free?
Not as written — it uses Pecorino Romano. Swapping it for a plant-based alternative makes it dairy-free.
How many servings does Spaghetti alla Carbonara make?
This recipe makes 4 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.