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4.6 from 69 votes

Authentic Spaghetti alla Carbonara

Here's the real carbonara recipe, according to many old Italian men and nonnas. A few simple ingredients: fresh eggs, cured pork, cheese, and pasta, and 15 minutes is all you need to make rich, indulgent carbonara from scratch.

Prep Time
2 mins
Cook Time
2 mins
Total Time
12 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 442 kcal
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Spaghetti
  • 4 large eggs fresh
  • 1 egg yolk* READ NOTE
  • 8 ounces Guanciale pancetta or slab bacon, cubed into bite sized pieces
  • 1 cup freshly grated Pecorino cheese
  • freshly cracked black pepper
  • coarse sea salt

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, egg yolk, and pecorino cheese until well combined. Set aside.
  2. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. (It should be salty 'like the ocean') Add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions or for 8 to 10 minutes.
  3. While the spaghetti is boiling, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the guanciale and sauté for about 3-5 minutes, or until the meat has just turned crispy and the fat is rendered. Remove the pan from the heat.
  4. When the pasta is done, reserve 1/2 cup of the water, then drain.
  5. Toss the hot spaghetti and half of reserved pasta water into the pan with the guanciale, then add the egg mixture and stir quickly until the sauce begins to thicken. If the sauce seems too thick, add more of the reserved pasta water until the sauce is thickened to your liking.
  6. Season well with freshly cracked black pepper. Taste for salt, depending on what type of pork product was used, you may not need any.
  7. Divide the pasta into serving bowls and serve immediately.

Notes

  • NOTE: If you want to serve these with a raw egg yolk on top for presentation, make sure to serve IMMEDIATELY while the pasta is still very hot and that it's very, very fresh. Have guests break the yolk and stir it well into the hot pasta to integrate it into the sauce. You can omit the egg yolk in the original recipe if you do this, because egg yolks thicken the sauce more and too many can make it too rich.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1g Calories 442kcal (22%) Carbohydrates 37g (12%) Protein 26g (52%) Fat 54g (83%) Saturated Fat 21g (105%) Polyunsaturated Fat 30g Cholesterol 311mg (104%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 2g (4%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 442

% Daily Value*

Serving 1g
Calories 442kcal 22%
Carbohydrates 37g 12%
Protein 26g 52%
Fat 54g 83%
Saturated Fat 21g 105%
Polyunsaturated Fat 30g 176%
Cholesterol 311mg 104%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 2g 4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.