Carbonara is simple enough to describe in one sentence and technical enough to ruin in thirty seconds.
This Roman pasta is built around eggs, Pecorino Romano, guanciale and black pepper. The creaminess comes from emulsifying those ingredients with the heat and starch of the pasta, not from adding cream.
There are genuine variations in the ratio of whole eggs to yolks and in the pasta shape used. The version below is our practical starting point for four servings.
Quick Recipe
Servings: 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Difficulty: Medium
Ingredients
- 400 g spaghetti or rigatoni
- 150 g guanciale
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 whole egg
- 100 g finely grated Pecorino Romano
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Salt for the pasta water
Before You Start
Use guanciale rather than bacon if you want the flavour profile associated with Roman carbonara.
Grate the Pecorino finely so it mixes smoothly.
Have the egg and cheese mixture ready before the pasta finishes cooking. Carbonara does not reward people who begin searching for a bowl while the spaghetti slowly dies in the colander.
Method
1. Prepare the guanciale.
Remove any very tough outer rind if necessary and cut the guanciale into strips or small batons.
Place it in a cold pan, then cook over medium-low heat. Let the fat render gradually until the guanciale is golden at the edges and still has some tenderness.
Turn off the heat and leave the guanciale and rendered fat in the pan.
2. Make the egg mixture.
In a bowl, whisk the four yolks and one whole egg.
Add most of the Pecorino Romano and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Mix until thick and smooth.
3. Cook the pasta.
Bring a pot of water to the boil and salt it more lightly than you would for a pasta with an unsalted sauce. Pecorino and guanciale are already salty.
Cook the pasta until al dente.
Before draining, reserve at least one mug of pasta water.
4. Combine pasta and guanciale.
Transfer the hot pasta into the pan with the guanciale and toss well so the pasta is coated in the rendered fat.
If the pan is extremely hot, allow it to cool briefly. The next step should happen away from direct heat.
5. Create the sauce.
Add the egg and cheese mixture and toss quickly.
Add a small splash of hot pasta water as needed, continuing to toss until the sauce becomes glossy and coats the pasta.
The goal is a creamy emulsion, not scrambled egg.
6. Serve immediately.
Divide between warm plates and finish with the remaining Pecorino Romano and more black pepper.
The Temperature Is The Recipe
The hardest part of carbonara is controlling heat.
If the pasta is too cold, the sauce stays heavy.: If the pan is too hot, the eggs scramble.
If you add too much water, the sauce becomes thin.
Work off direct heat and add pasta water gradually. You can always add another spoonful. Extracting it again requires technology humanity has not yet provided.
Common Mistakes
Adding cream: You do not need it. Properly emulsified eggs, cheese, rendered fat and pasta water provide the texture.
Cooking the eggs over direct high heat: This is the fastest route from carbonara to breakfast pasta.
Using pre-grated cheese that does not melt well: Freshly grated Pecorino gives you better control.
Over-salting the pasta water: Guanciale and Pecorino already bring plenty of salt.
Leaving the pasta sitting before serving: Carbonara thickens quickly. Eat it while the sauce is at its best.
Can I Use Parmigiano?
Some cooks use a mix of Pecorino Romano and Parmigiano Reggiano for a softer flavour. For the more assertive Roman profile used here, we stay with Pecorino Romano.
Can I Use Bacon?
You can make a good pasta with bacon, eggs and cheese, but it will taste different.
Guanciale has a different fat content, texture and flavour. If the point is to understand Roman carbonara, it is worth finding the real ingredient.
What Pasta Should I Use?
Spaghetti is an obvious classic.
Rigatoni is also common and works particularly well with pieces of guanciale and a thick sauce. Choose good-quality dried pasta and cook it al dente.
A Note On Origins
Carbonara is now one of the clearest symbols of Roman cuisine, but its exact origin is debated.
Different stories connect it with carbonai, older egg-and-cheese preparations and the years around the Second World War. Rather than pretending one story has been proven beyond argument, we treat carbonara for what it unquestionably is today: a defining dish of Rome.
Italy By Taste Tip
Make carbonara once before your trip and again after eating it in Rome. You will notice things on the second attempt that no recipe can teach as quickly as tasting the dish where it belongs.