Bucatini all'Amatriciana
Bucatini with guanciale, tomato, and pecorino.
Ingredients
- 200 g Bucatini
- 100 g Guanciale
- 300 ml Tomato passata
- 50 g Pecorino Romano
- 1 tbsp Salt
- ½ tsp Red pepper flakes (optional)
- 60 ml White wine (optional)
Method
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- While the water heats, dice the guanciale.
- Cook the guanciale over medium heat until the fat melts out and it turns crisp, then pour in the wine to lift the browned bits from the pan, and add the passata and chilli flakes.
- Cook the bucatini until 1 minute shy of al dente.
- Reserve a mugful of pasta water, then drain.
- Toss the pasta in the sauce with pasta water, then the pecorino off heat.
- Serve at once.
Tap “Start cooking” for live timers that flag what to get ahead on while something simmers.
About Bucatini all'Amatriciana
Bucatini all'Amatriciana takes its name from Amatrice, a town in the mountains east of Rome, and it is one of the pillars of Roman cooking alongside carbonara and cacio e pepe. The dish is built on guanciale, the cured pork jowl whose deep, fatty richness is non-negotiable here, rendered until crisp so its fat becomes the backbone of the sauce. Tomato and a hit of red pepper flakes join it, and sharp Pecorino Romano finishes the plate. Bucatini, the thick hollow spaghetti, is the traditional shape because the sauce clings to its outside and slips through its hollow center.
The flavor is savory and porky first, with the sweetness of tomato behind it and a slow warmth from the chilli that builds rather than shocks. A splash of white wine deglazes the pan, lifting the browned fond the guanciale leaves behind and folding all that flavor back into the sauce. Because the pecorino is stirred in off the heat with pasta water, it melts smoothly instead of clumping, giving the sauce a salty, slightly funky edge. It's a robust, satisfying plate best served straight from the pan while the guanciale is still crisp, with more grated pecorino at the table.
Bucatini all'Amatriciana: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Bucatini all'Amatriciana?
A serving has about 857 calories — 25.4g protein, 82.9g carbs, 43.9g fat, 5g 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 25.4g of protein, roughly 12% of its calories.
Is Bucatini all'Amatriciana gluten-free?
As written, no — it contains Bucatini. You'd need a certified gluten-free swap for that ingredient to make it gluten-free.
Is Bucatini all'Amatriciana dairy-free?
Not as written — it uses Pecorino Romano. Swapping it for a plant-based alternative makes it dairy-free.
How long does Bucatini all'Amatriciana take to make?
About 21 minutes start to finish, but only around 15 of those are hands-on — the rest is cooking time. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
Do I need every ingredient to make Bucatini all'Amatriciana?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out red pepper flakes, white wine — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Bucatini all'Amatriciana make?
This recipe makes 2 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.