Spaghetti alla Carbonara

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Total time: 25 minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Country of Origin: Italy

Description

A Roman pasta dish made by tossing hot spaghetti with crispy guanciale, raw egg yolks, grated Pecorino Romano cheese, and cracked black pepper to form a silky cream sauce.

Presentation & How It's Eaten

Served immediately hot in shallow pasta bowls with extra Pecorino cheese and freshly cracked black pepper on top.

Ingredients

• 1 lb spaghetti

• 7 oz guanciale (or pancetta), sliced into thick strips

• 4 large egg yolks + 1 large whole egg

• 1 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated

• 2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

• Salt (for pasta water)

Step-by-Step Directions

1. Boil Pasta: Cook spaghetti in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining.

2. Crisp Guanciale: In a large skillet over medium heat, fry guanciale strips until crisp and fat renders (about 6–8 minutes). Remove pan from heat.

3. Whisk Cheese Mixture: In a bowl, whisk egg yolks, whole egg, grated Pecorino Romano, and cracked black pepper until thick paste forms.

4. Combine Pasta: Add hot drained spaghetti straight into skillet with rendered guanciale fat (off heat). Toss for 1 minute.

5. Emulsify Sauce: Quickly pour egg-cheese mixture into pasta while tossing constantly, adding splashes of hot reserved pasta water to create a silky, creamy sauce without scrambling eggs.

Optional

• Parmesan Mix: Use a 50/50 blend of Pecorino Romano and Parmigiano-Reggiano for a milder salt profile.

Cooking Tips

• No Added Cream: Authentic carbonara gets its creaminess strictly from egg yolks, cheese, and starchy pasta water—never add heavy cream.

Nutrition Facts

(Estimated per serving, based on 4 servings)

• Calories: ~590 kcal

• Total Fat: 26g

• Saturated Fat: 11g

• Cholesterol: 215mg

• Sodium: 680mg

• Total Carbohydrates: 62g

• Dietary Fiber: 3g

• Sugars: 2g

• Protein: 25g