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Authentic Spaghetti alla Carbonara Recipe
Rome, Italy
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We strongly advise you to read the cooking tips before jumping to the recipe though
Introduction & history
Carbonara sauce is traditionally prepared with only egg yolks, pecorino Romano cheese, black pepper, and guanciale, the latter being an essential part of the recipe. Pancetta or bacon are often suggested as a substitute in the absence of guanciale, and Parmigiano-Reggiano is recommended as a replacement for pecorino Romano. However, purists claim that any replacements will result in a carbonara sauce that falls flat in comparison to the original. Likewise, true carbonara aficionados consider the recent trend of adding cream to spaghetti alla carbonara tantamount to culinary sacrilege. The secret to preparing a rich and silky carbonara sauce is in perfect timing and technique: it is crucial to work quickly, as the the egg-based sauce will only be cooked through by the heat from the hot spaghetti if it is added immediately after the pasta is strained. However, the pasta must also be taken off the heat before the eggs ... Read more
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Cooking tips
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how to avoid turning carbonara sauce into scrambled eggs
For the perfect carbonara sauce, temperature control is crucial. Because eggs curdle once the temperature exceeds 65°C/150°F, most recipes instruct that the pasta be taken off the flame before adding beaten eggs. When making carbonara, beaten egg yolks are to be tempered, which means you need to raise the temperature of the yolks gradually, and essentially cook them without scrambling them. Tempered ... Read more -
method
A more traditional approach is to combine drained pasta, eggs, and guanciale in a pot where pasta was cooked, then stir the ingredients over low heat until pasta gets coated with a creamy sauce, which may need loosening with a bit of cooking water. However, it seems that the traditional approach may yield unsatisfactory results, which is why it’s often recommended to mix the carbonara sauce over a ... Read more -
eggs
Although traditionally, carbonara is prepared with egg yolks only, many recipes use whole eggs or a combination of eggs and yolks. The number of egg yolks/eggs used is also a matter of debate, as recipes vary from 2 eggs per six servings to four yolks/eggs for four servings. Also, to get an extra rich sauce, some recipes call for adding one egg for every 4 egg yolks. -
egg yolks or eggs
Although today it’s been widely established that carbonara is prepared with egg yolks, there are also claims that making carbonara with whole eggs is also traditional. -
how much guanciale
The amount of guanciale varies from recipe to recipe. Some call for merely 25g (0.9 oz) per serving, while others call for anywhere from 50g (1.75 oz) to 100 (3.5 oz) per serving. -
how to cut the guanciale
Guanciale can be cut either into strips or into dices. Cutting guanciale into strips makes for a crispier, crunchier guanciale once browned, especially if it's cut very thin, while cutting guanciale into dices will produce guanciale that is crisp on the outside but soft on the inside, meaning the upon biting into one, the fat on the inside would explode in one's mouth. -
browning guanciale
Guanciale is to be sautéed over low heat, and no fats or oils should be added to the pan beforehand. The excess rendered fat can be removed, if desired, by soaking it up with a paper towel or by draining the guanciale and discarding the fat. If the fat and the guanciale burns, it should not be used but thrown away, and a new batch should be fried. -
guanciale substitutes
If not available, guanciale or cured pork jowl can be substituted with Italian pancetta (unsmoked) or even bacon, preferably of higher quality. However, while browning guanciale doesn't really require using extra fat, pancetta and bacon are often browned in lard or olive oil, while some recipes opt for butter. In any case, guanciale, or its substitutes, should be fried over medium heat, until lightly ... Read more -
cheese
Traditionally, the best cheese is Italian pecorino (sheep cheese), preferably the Pecorino Romano variety, but it can be partially or entirely substituted with Parmigiano-Reggiano. However, this will make for a much saltier carbonara sauce, especially if combined with pancetta or bacon, so take note and cut back on the salt when cooking pasta. Also, because Pecorino Romano cheese is a hard-melting ... Read more -
pasta
Spaghetti may be the standard choice of pasta, but other types of pasta like fettuccine, rigatoni, bucatini, macherroni, and penne also work well with the carbonara sauce. -
cooking the pasta
Even though Italians say that the water for cooking pasta should be salty as the Mediterranean when preparing spaghetti alla carbonara, this rule should not be followed to a tee, as both guanciale and Pecorino Romano cheese provide sufficient saltiness. Also, since starchy water in which the pasta was cooked adds to the creaminess of the sauce, halving the amount of water typically used to boil pasta ... Read more -
cream
Using cream is strictly forbidden and known as the biggest mistake in making spaghetti alla carbonara. The cream is heavy and cloying, especially when reduced, and adding it to carbonara turns this delicate pasta sauce into a thick sludge. However, some chefs like to add it because it expands the amount of time the carbonara sauce stays creamy — carbonara, when made traditionally, turns dry quickly ... Read more -
additional ingredients
In modern iterations of the recipe, garlic is often used, but only to infuse the oil; it is disposed of afterward. According to some chefs, a splash of white wine is a welcomed addition, as are onions, while some like to add a pop of color in the form of roughly chopped parsley. -
serving
While preparing spaghetti alla carbonara, it is recommended to warm the serving bowls/plates, as this will keep the carbonara sauce creamy for longer. Also, carbonara should be served right after it’s been prepared, as the sauce turns dry very quickly.
Recipe variations
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Spaghetti alla Carbonara
Ready in 18minThis is the traditional carbonara recipe made with just guanciale, pecorino Romano, egg yolks, pepper, and pasta. Depending on the texture you prefer, you can opt between cutting the guanciale into dices or strips — dices will be soft on the inside, while strips will end up being more on the crisp side when sautéed.
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Luciano Monosilio’s Carbonara - Carbonara by Rome’s Carbonara King
Ready in 35minThis recipe is adapted from the recipe card Luciano Monosilio gives in his restaurant Luciano - Cucina Italiana with each order of carbonara. Luciano's carbonara is made with a mixture of pecorino Romano and Grana Padano, which is added to reduce the overall saltiness of the dish. The sauce is thickened in a bain-marie, so the eggs are cooked but not scrambled, and the sauce is thick and creamy.
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Italian Academy of Cuisine's Spaghetti alla Carbonara with Pancetta and Garlic
Ready in 20minThis recipe was published by the Italian Academy of Cuisine and offers the option of substituting guanciale with pancetta, both of which are pan-fried with crushed garlic for an extra zing. Also, instead of opting for only one cheese variety, in this recipe Pecorino Romano and Parmigiano-Reggiano are combined in equal amounts.
-
Extra Creamy Carbonara
Ready in 40minThe main feature of this carbonara recipe is the copious amounts of pecorino Romano, guanciale, and egg yolks, making for an extra creamy sauce. If you’d like to make this recipe for more than two, scale the ingredients accordingly — a single serving calls for 150g spaghetti, 100g/3.5 oz pecorino Romano, 100g/3.5 oz guanciale, 2 egg yolks, and a liter of water, plus a teaspoon of salt, for cooking the spaghetti.
Spaghetti alla Carbonara
PREP 8min
COOK 10min
READY IN 18min
This is the traditional carbonara recipe made with just guanciale, pecorino Romano, egg yolks, pepper, and pasta. Depending on the texture you prefer, you can opt between cutting the guanciale into dices or strips — dices will be soft on the inside, while strips will end up being more on the crisp side when sautéed.
Ingredients
Spaghetti alla Carbonara
12 oz (340g) spaghetti, rigatoni, tonnarelli, or mezze maniche
4 oz (115g) guanciale (or rindless bacon, if guanciale is not available)
¼ cup (30g) pecorino Romano, finely grated (or Parmigiano-Reggiano if pecorino Romano is not available)
4 fresh large egg yolks
salt, for cooking pasta
black pepper, freshly ground
Preparation
1
Spaghetti alla Carbonara
Step 1/8
If you’d like to end up with a crispier guanciale, first cut the guanciale into ½ cm (¼”) slices, then stack them, and cut into 5 cm (2”) long strips. If you’d like the guanciale to have more of a chew to it — crispy on the outside and soft on the inside — cut it into dices that are ½ x ½ cm (¼” x ¼”).
Step 2/8
Add the yolks, the pecorino Romano, and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper to a bowl, then mix with a whisk.
Step 3/8
Sauté the guanciale (do not add any oil) over medium heat for 2 minutes, until crisp and rendered. Take off heat and let it cool.
Step 4/8
Cook the pasta according to package directions — however, drain it (reserve some of the pasta cooking water for later, about 1/2 cup/120 ml, give or take) a bit sooner than it states on the packaging, as it needs to be just shy of al dente — it will continue to cook when mixed with the sauce.
Step 5/8
Add half of the reserved pasta cooking water to the pan with guanciale (but add more or less if you think it's needed), then add the pasta and stir thoroughly.
Step 6/8
Next, take the pan with the guanciale and pasta off heat, then add the yolk and cheese mixture and stir quickly; otherwise, the eggs might get scrambled.
Step 7/8
Season with more freshly ground pepper.
Step 8/8
Serve lukewarm on warmed plates.
Other Variations
-
Luciano Monosilio’s Carbonara - Carbonara by Rome’s Carbonara King
Ready in 35minThis recipe is adapted from the recipe card Luciano Monosilio gives in his restaurant Luciano - Cucina Italiana with each order of carbonara. Luciano's carbonara is made with a mixture of pecorino Romano and Grana Padano, which is added to reduce the overall saltiness of the dish. The sauce is thickened in a bain-marie, so the eggs are cooked but not scrambled, and the sauce is thick and creamy.
-
Italian Academy of Cuisine's Spaghetti alla Carbonara with Pancetta and Garlic
Ready in 20minThis recipe was published by the Italian Academy of Cuisine and offers the option of substituting guanciale with pancetta, both of which are pan-fried with crushed garlic for an extra zing. Also, instead of opting for only one cheese variety, in this recipe Pecorino Romano and Parmigiano-Reggiano are combined in equal amounts.
-
Extra Creamy Carbonara
Ready in 40minThe main feature of this carbonara recipe is the copious amounts of pecorino Romano, guanciale, and egg yolks, making for an extra creamy sauce. If you’d like to make this recipe for more than two, scale the ingredients accordingly — a single serving calls for 150g spaghetti, 100g/3.5 oz pecorino Romano, 100g/3.5 oz guanciale, 2 egg yolks, and a liter of water, plus a teaspoon of salt, for cooking the spaghetti.
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