Italian · Dinner

Spaghetti Carbonara

by Andy Wu

Classic Roman pasta dish with eggs, Pecorino Romano, guanciale, and black pepper. Creamy without cream!

Spaghetti Carbonara
Prep15 min Cook15 min Serves 40 Serving8 ounces

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

  • 1 lb Spaghetti スパゲッティ
  • 6 oz Bacon ベーコン or pancetta, cut into 1/4 inch strips
  • 2⅔ oz Pecorino Romano finely grated
  • 7.05 oz Large eggs 卵 room temperature
  • 2 Egg yolks 卵黄 room temperature
  • 1 tsp Black pepper こしょう freshly ground, plus more for serving
  • 2⅓ g Salt 塩 for pasta water

Steps

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Use about 1 tablespoon of salt per gallon of water.

    Salt 塩

  2. While water heats, cut guanciale into 1/4 inch strips. Place in a cold large skillet.

  3. Turn heat to medium and cook guanciale until fat renders and meat is crispy, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

  4. In a large bowl, whisk together whole eggs, egg yolks, Pecorino Romano, and black pepper until well combined.

    Egg 卵 Egg yolk 卵黄 Black pepper こしょう

  5. Cook spaghetti in boiling water according to package directions until al dente, usually 8-10 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.

    Spaghetti スパゲッティ

  6. Add drained hot pasta directly to the skillet with guanciale (off heat). Toss quickly to coat pasta in the rendered fat.

  7. Pour egg mixture over pasta and toss vigorously, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time until sauce is creamy and coats the pasta. The residual heat will cook the eggs gently without scrambling.

    Egg 卵

  8. Serve immediately with extra Pecorino Romano and freshly ground black pepper.

    Ground black pepper 黒こしょう(粉)

Contains: Dairy, Eggs, Gluten

Notes

Traditional carbonara uses guanciale, but pancetta or bacon can substitute. The key is to work quickly off heat to avoid scrambling the eggs.