Spaghetti CarbonaraIntermediate
ItalianMain dishPastaPork

Spaghetti Carbonara

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Spaghetti Carbonara made with spaghetti pasta, cured pork, eggs, and hard cheese. The sauce is created by combining egg yolks with grated cheese and black pepper, then tossing with hot pasta and rendered pork fat. This yields a creamy, savory pasta without added cream.

By Karel R.
Total30 mins
Prep10 mins
Cook20 mins
Servings6
DifficultyIntermediate

Preparation

7 steps · tap a step to mark it done

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt once the water is boiling, then cook the spaghetti until al dente, about 9-10 minutes. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain.

  2. While pasta cooks, cut the guanciale/pancetta/bacon into small pieces. Place in a cold skillet and heat over medium. Render fat and crisp the meat, stirring occasionally, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat.

  3. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks (and whole eggs if using) with grated cheese and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper until combined.

  4. When the pasta is cooked, add it directly from the colander to the skillet with rendered pork and fat (skillet off the heat). Toss to coat.

  5. Quickly pour in the egg-and-cheese mixture and toss vigorously. The heat from the pasta and fat will thicken the sauce. Do not heat directly once eggs are added, to avoid scrambling.

  6. If the sauce seems too thick, add reserved pasta water a little at a time until the desired creamy consistency is reached.

  7. Serve immediately with extra grated cheese and additional black pepper. ENJOY!

Cook’s note

Use only yolks or a mix of yolks and whole eggs; this influences creaminess.
Pecorino Romano provides a sharper flavor; Parmigiano Reggiano is a milder alternative.

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