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A plate of spaghetti carbonara with crispy pancetta, Parmesan, and ground black pepper.
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4.92 / 25 votes

Spaghetti Carbonara

Spaghetti carbonara, a pasta and sauce rich with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and guanciale, pancetta, or bacon, is a quick and easy dinner that takes just 25 minutes from stove to table.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Mains
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 744

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 6 ounces thickly sliced guanciale, pancetta, or slab bacon, cut into 1/4-inch (6-mm) cubes
  • 2 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 1 pound spaghetti
  • 3 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk, well beaten
  • 3/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, combined with 1/4 cup grated pecorino Romano
  • Freshly ground black pepper
US - Metric

Instructions

  • Grab your largest skillet and place it over medium heat. Pour in the olive oil and wait for it to ripple. 
  • Toss in the guanciale (or pancetta or bacon) and cook, stirring often, until crisp. Slide the skillet off the heat.
    Cubes of pancetta frying in a skillet.
  • Meanwhile, in a large pot, bring 6 quarts of water to a boil. Add the salt and spaghetti and cook, stirring to prevent the strands from clumping, until al dente.
    Dry spaghetti noodles in a large pot.
  • Working quickly, grab big bunches of cooked spaghetti with tongs and add them to the skillet with the guanciale.

    ☞ TESTER TIP: The cooking water that dribbles from the pasta will make the sauce silky while not cooking the eggs.

    A person tossing spaghetti and crispy cubed pancetta in a skillet.
  • Immediately add the eggs and half the cheese to the skillet and toss well. If the dish isn't as creamy as you'd like, add a small ladleful of the cooking water.
    A skillet filled with spaghetti, pancetta, and carbonara sauce with a pair of tongs resting inside.
  • Sprinkle generously with pepper and serve at once. Pass the remaining cheese at the table.
    A person grinding pepper into a skillet of spaghetti carbonara.

Notes

  1. Raw egg warning--Remember, this spaghetti alla carbonara recipe contains raw eggs. So, use care if making the dish for the very young, the very old, the very pregnant, or the very immuno-compromised. For the rest of you, sit down to this outrageously easy and traditional Italian carbonara recipe with gusto.
  2. Get prepped--Have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go, as this pasta dish comes together in just minutes once you begin cooking.
  3. Storage and reheating--Store leftover spaghetti carbonara in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in a skillet over low heat until heated through. Add a splash of water (or pasta cooking water) to loosen the sauce, if needed. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1portion | Calories: 744kcal | Carbohydrates: 86g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 179mg | Sodium: 4083mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g