Spaghetti Carbonara

This Spaghetti Carbonara is a timeless Roman classic brought to life with perfectly crispy guanciale, a rich egg-and-cheese sauce, and freshly cracked pepper. The pasta is cooked until al dente and tossed off heat with a creamy mixture of egg yolks, Pecorino, and Parmesan. Reserved guanciale fat and pasta water emulsify into the sauce, creating an unbelievably silky finish. Finished with more cheese and black pepper, this dish is comforting, flavorful, and elegantly simple.

Author: These Carbs Don't Count

Category: Pasta

Cuisine: Italian

Difficulty: MEDIUM

Prep. Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 2 plates

Calories: 1,041 kcal per serving

Ingredients

½ pound - spaghetti
3 - egg yolks
½ cup - Pecorino Romano
½ cup - Parmesan cheese
4 ounce - guanciale
⅛ - Salt
⅛ - Black pepper
2 tablespoon - reserved guanciale fat
⅛ - Reserved pasta water

Instructions

Cook spaghetti in generously salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water and drain.
In a bowl, mix egg yolks, Pecorino, and Parmesan into a thick paste.
Start guanciale in a cold pan. Turn heat to medium and cook until crispy and browned. Remove guanciale and reserve about 2 tablespoons of rendered fat.
Add guanciale fat and lots of black pepper to the egg and cheese mixture. Stir to combine.
Let the pasta pan cool slightly. Add drained pasta, the egg-cheese mixture, and a splash of pasta water off heat.
Stir quickly to emulsify the sauce without scrambling the eggs.
Add crispy guanciale and more cheese and pasta water as needed until creamy.
Top with more black pepper and grated cheese before serving.