Spaghetti Carbonara Recipe

Italian · Main course · 25 min total

A classic Roman pasta dish made with eggs, cheese, pancetta, and pepper. This recipe achieves a creamy sauce without cream.

Ingredients

• 12 oz (340 g) spaghetti
• 6 oz (170 g) pancetta or guanciale, diced
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup (100 g) freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• 1/2 cup (50 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (for pasta water)

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
2. While pasta cooks, in a large skillet over medium heat, cook pancetta until crispy, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. In a bowl, whisk together eggs, Pecorino Romano, Parmesan, and black pepper.
4. Add hot drained spaghetti to the skillet with pancetta. Toss to combine.
5. Pour egg mixture over pasta, tossing quickly to coat. Add reserved pasta water a little at a time, tossing continuously, until sauce is creamy and coats the pasta. (The heat from the pasta cooks the eggs.)
6. Serve immediately with extra grated cheese and pepper.

Tips

• Use room temperature eggs to prevent scrambling.
• Do not add cream; authentic carbonara relies on eggs and cheese.
• Toss pasta vigorously to emulsify the sauce.

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