This classic Italian pasta dish is ready in 20 minutes and, with only six ingredients, is sure to please the whole family!
I was born and grew up in Italy, so perhaps I am biased, but from where I stand, pasta recipes are the most satisfying to enjoy any day of the week. From classic spaghetti alla puttanesca, bucatini cacio e pepe, or festive beef cannelloni to adapted dishes like tomato and tuna pasta or feta pasta with zucchini. And there are thousands of other recipes out there!
Bucatini alla carbonara is one of the most famous Italian dishes. It is loved so much that we like to say, ''Carbonara is not an opinion''—in the sense that there is only one recipe to make it right.
However, what if the traditional ingredients are not available?
While my bucatini carbonara recipe is as authentic as it comes, I will share a few tips for making it with alternative ingredients. After all, even here in London, we sometimes can't find guanciale!
💎 Why This Recipe Works
- Follow the recipe card step-by-step, and you will make bucatini carbonara perfectly the traditional way with only six ingredients!
- It is a 20-minute recipe, like our bucatini pomodoro and broccoli pasta.
- If you have leftover guanciale, pancetta, or bacon, try our green bean pasta with pancetta!
🛒 Ingredients
- Guanciale: Cured pork jowl [lower cheek]. It is very fatty, so you won't require any olive oil if you are using it in this recipe.
- Egg Yolks: You will need three egg yolks for every 5oz [150g] of dry pasta [metric: 1 egg yolk for every 50g of dry pasta]. Use room-temperature eggs, as they will be added to hot pasta, and you don't want them curdling. The raw eggs will cook with the heat. However, pasteurized eggs are an option for peace of mind.
- Pecorino Romano: This is a hard cheese made of sheep milk; it has a nutty flavor and is quite strong.
Be sure to check the recipe card for all the ingredients and steps you need—every detail counts!
♻️ Substitutions and Variations
- Thick Cut Bacon or Unsmoked Pancetta: These can be used instead of guanciale; however, you will require a little olive oil to sautee them.
- Grated Cheese: You can use freshly grated Parmesan cheese, Grana Padano, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, or a mix. Pecorino is quite strong, so many like to create a cheese mixture with milder options. Buy a piece of cheese and grate it yourself; pre-grated tends to have additives to keep it from sticking together.
- Pasta: For this recipe I used bucatini, however, spaghetti, mezze maniche and rigatoni are very popular in Italy. Mezze maniche and rigatoni are perfect to collect the carbonara sauce. If you can't choose, we have a couple of useful guides for you on types of short pasta and types of long pasta.
👩🏻🍳 How to Make Bucatini Carbonara
- Cook the guanciale in its own fat until crispy outside and soft inside. [Picture 1]
- Prepare the sauce by mixing the egg yolks, cheese, and pepper. [Picture 2]
- Stir the cooked pasta in the guanciale fat, then add the egg mixture. [Picture 3]
- Add the cooked guanciale, then serve with extra grated cheese. Enjoy! [Picture 4]
🙋♀️ People Also Ask [FAQs]
If the sauce becomes too thick, gradually stir in more reserved pasta water until it reaches the desired consistency.
While not traditional, some like to add vegetables such as peas, asparagus, or spinach to their pasta carbonara for a pop of color.
Carbonara is best freshly made. However, should you have some leftovers, they can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one day. Gently reheat on low heat, adding a little water to loosen the sauce. This dish is not suitable for freezing.
🍴 More Delicious Recipes to Try
🍽️ Recipe
Bucatini Carbonara
Ingredients
- 150 g Bucatini or shape of choice
- 3 Egg Yolks room temperature
- 60 g Guanciale diced
- 20 g Pecorino Romano grated
- ¼ teaspoon Cracked Black Pepper
- Salt to Taste
Instructions
Prep
- Bring the eggs to room temperature.
- Thinly slice the guanciale into thin strips or squares.
Cooking
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add your bucatini. Set a timer to ensure you cook the pasta until only al dente; follow the package directions for the time.
- While the pasta cooks, prepare the traditional carbonara sauce.
- Separate the yolks from the egg whites.
- Combine the egg yolks, grated cheese, and freshly ground black pepper in a bowl and set aside.
- Add the guanciale to a cold large skillet. The pan must be cold, as while it warms up, the fat renders and fries the meaty part until perfectly crisp. If you use guanciale, you will NOT require more fats or oils.
- Warm up the pan on medium-low heat until the outer part of the guanciale is crisp while the inside is warm and juicy. (5 minutes approximately, adjust accordingly)
- Remove the crispy guanciale bits from the pan and set them aside, leaving the fat in the pan.
Last Steps
- Take a cup of pasta cooking water and set it aside for a minute or two.
- Mix about three tablespoons of the hot pasta water with the egg mixture until you achieve a rich, creamy sauce. That is your carbonara sauce!
- When the pasta is one minute from being ready, reheat the fat from the cured pork cheek (guanciale) in the skillet if it has gone cold, and remove it from the flame.
- From now on, every step is done off the heat.
- Drain the bucatini pasta and add it to the frying pan, quickly mixing the pasta with the guanciale's fat.
- As soon as this is done [it shouldn't take more than 10-15 seconds], add the carbonara sauce to the pan and mix well.
- Within seconds, the hot noodles will start thickening the sauce.
- Serve immediately with a little more cheese on top, and enjoy!
Notes
- Storing and Reheating: Carbonara is best freshly made. However, should you have some leftovers, they can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one day. Gently reheat on low heat, adding a little water to loosen the sauce. This dish is not suitable for freezing.
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