Description
Pasta alla Carbonara is a classic Roman dish made with just a few ingredients: pasta, eggs, Pecorino Romano cheese, pancetta, and black pepper. It’s creamy, savory, and incredibly satisfying without the use of cream.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 12 oz spaghetti or bucatini
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- 4 oz pancetta or guanciale, diced
- 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- Salt for pasta water
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, yolks, Pecorino Romano, and black pepper until smooth. Set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook pancetta until crispy and golden. Remove from heat.
- Quickly add the hot, drained pasta to the skillet with pancetta. Toss to combine and slightly cool.
- Slowly pour in the egg and cheese mixture, tossing quickly to coat without scrambling the eggs. Add reserved pasta water a little at a time to create a creamy sauce.
- Serve immediately with extra Pecorino and black pepper on top.
Notes
- Use guanciale for the most authentic flavor, though pancetta is a common substitute.
- Work quickly off the heat to avoid curdling the eggs.
- Do not use cream; the sauce should come solely from the eggs and cheese.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 580mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 52g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 24g
- Cholesterol: 210mg