Roman · pasta
Classic Spaghetti Carbonara
Eggs, Pecorino, black pepper, and crisp guanciale coat hot spaghetti in a glossy sauce without cream.
Total time30 min
Hands-on25 min
Cleanupmedium
Serves4
Cook
Make dinner
- 01
Cook spaghetti in well-salted water until al dente. Reserve 1 1/2 cups cooking water.
- 02
Meanwhile cook guanciale in a wide skillet over medium heat until the fat renders and the edges crisp, 6 to 8 minutes; remove from the heat.
- 03
Whisk eggs, yolks, Pecorino, black pepper, and 1/3 cup warm cooking water in a bowl.
- 04
Add drained spaghetti to the skillet, then toss off heat with the egg mixture, adding cooking water until glossy. Serve immediately.
Make it work
Useful swaps
- Use pancetta when guanciale is unavailable.
- Use gluten-free spaghetti when needed.
Why this is a good weeknight call
The ingredient list stays focused, and the recipe has a clear stopping point instead of extra optional projects.
