Creamy Classic Pasta Carbonara Recipe with Crispy Guanciale
A quick and comforting pasta carbonara recipe featuring crispy guanciale and a creamy egg-cheese sauce without cream. Perfect for cozy dinners and easy enough for any home cook.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 ounces (340 grams) dried spaghetti
- 4 ounces (115 grams) guanciale, diced
- 3 large eggs, room temperature (or 2 whole eggs plus 1 yolk for extra richness)
- 1 cup (about 100 grams) Pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated
- 1 to 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Pinch of salt for pasta water
- Optional: 1 small clove garlic, lightly crushed and removed before serving
Instructions
- Dice the guanciale into small cubes, grate the Pecorino Romano cheese finely, and whisk the eggs in a bowl with the cheese and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper until smooth. Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook according to package instructions until al dente (8-10 minutes). Reserve 1 cup (240 ml) of pasta cooking water before draining.
- While pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced guanciale and cook until golden brown and crispy, about 5-7 minutes. If using garlic, add it in the last 2 minutes and then remove before tossing the pasta.
- Add the drained spaghetti directly into the skillet with the guanciale and its rendered fat. Toss well over low heat to coat the pasta evenly. Remove from heat to avoid scrambling the eggs.
- Pour the egg and cheese mixture over the pasta, quickly tossing or stirring vigorously to create a creamy sauce. Use reserved pasta water a little at a time to loosen the sauce if needed. The sauce should cling smoothly to the noodles.
- Taste and add more black pepper if desired. Avoid adding extra salt unless really needed because the guanciale and cheese provide plenty.
- Serve immediately, plating the carbonara and sprinkling extra Pecorino Romano and black pepper on top if desired.
Notes
Use room temperature eggs to avoid lumps. Reserve pasta water to adjust sauce consistency. Add egg mixture off the heat to prevent scrambling. Serve immediately for best texture. Leftovers can be stored up to 2 days and reheated gently with a splash of water or broth.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 1/4
- Calories: 575
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 700
- Fat: 30
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 50
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 25
Keywords: pasta carbonara, creamy carbonara, guanciale, classic Italian pasta, easy carbonara recipe, crispy guanciale, authentic carbonara