As iconically Roman as the Trevi Fountain, this pasta carbonara recipe is all you need to make one of the world’s greatest pasta dishes in your own home. Carbonara is creamy, but it is made without cream. Instead of heavy cream, a combination of cheese, cured pork and egg yolks come together to make a creamy pasta sauce in a process that feels magical. The egg yolks swirled together with the cheese and starchy pasta cooking water and lots of rendered pork fat to make a super rich and creamy carbonara sauce. Pasta carbonara is time-tested, decadent, quick and so satisfying. If you crave vegetarian pasta decadence, check out our classic Cacio E Pepe, our Creamy Cavatappi or Pasta Primavera, or our creamy 4-Ingredient Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese.
Classic Carbonara Ingredients
- Pasta: Spaghetti, linguine or bucatini are all classic carbonara pasta shapes.
- Cheese: Pecorino Romano is the classic Roman cheese and it’s the most traditional cheese to use to make carbonara. If you prefer Parmesan (or that’s what you can find) it will work just fine. Whichever you use, DO NOT buy pre-shredded cheese. You’ll need to grate it freshly & finely with a microplane grater or with the finest holes of your box grater so that it melts seamlessly into the creamy carbonara sauce.
- Guanciale: Guanciale is Italian cured pork cheek. It is very fatty and very salty and is the classic meat for carbonara sauce. It is a little expensive, but you only need 4 ounces and boy, will you taste the difference in your finished pasta dish. However, if you can’t find guanciale or it’s not in your budget right now, pancetta or even thick-cut bacon will work well as a substitute.
- Eggs: Use just the egg yolks, and use the very best quality eggs you can get your hands on.
- Black pepper: Good freshly cracked black pepper really stands out in carbonara. With so many heavy, rich ingredients, the pepper gives a much needed lift.
Tips For Perfect Pasta Carbonara At Home
This very traditional pasta carbonara recipe has only a few ingredients, so that part is pretty easy. But the key to making creamy pasta carbonara sauce is to have the correct technique. To create a truly creamy sauce without any cream, you’ll need to be smart and intentional with your use heat and timing and kitchen tools. There is nothing inherently HARD about making carbonara, though. You’ve got this!
Here are the keys to carbonara success:
- DO slowly render the pork fat: Particularly if you’re using guanciale, LOTS of fat will come out when you sauté it and you’ll need that rendered fat to make the sauce work. So, browning the cured pork over medium heat instead of high heat is important because that slightly lower heat will allow more fat to render out, and that’s a good thing! The cooked cured pork will be a bit chewy rather than crisp, and that’s perfect in this case.
- Do NOT scramble the egg yolks: This is the scariest thing about making carbonara. Everyone is scared that they’re going to scramble the eggs and ruin everything. First of all, just relax. Secondly, keep the phrase “gentle heat,” in mind as you cook. Go gentle with the heat and you should be OK.
- DO temper the egg yolks with some warm pasta cooking water before combining them with the noodles and guanciale. Introducing heat very, very slowly is the key to making the sauce creamy without any cream. Also, keep the eggs moving constantly once you begin to introduce them to heat.
- DO cook the pasta carefully. Start by salting the pasta water, and cook the pasta to al dente perfection and not a minute longer. Begin to taste for doneness a full TWO MINUTES less than the pasta package says to cook it.
How To Make Perfect Spaghetti Carbonara
- Boil the pasta until it is al dente.
- Brown the guanciale. BTW, whether you’ve got guanciale, pancetta or thick-cut bacon, cutting it into little cubes is the most traditional way to prep it.
- Whisk the egg yolks and grated cheese together and let it come to room temperature while you prep the rest of the stuff.
- Add some of the starchy pasta water to the rendered pork fat in the pan where you browned the guanciale. Simmer the pasta in that fat-water situation for two minutes.
- Temper the egg yolk-cheese mixture by slowly whisking in 1/4 cup of pasta water.
- Start stirring the pasta (tongs are great for this job) and as you do so, slooooooooooooowly pour in the egg yolk-cheese mixture. It’s happening! You’re making carbonara!
- Add the guanciale to the pasta carbonara and dig in immediately!
Carbonara FAQs
- How do I store leftovers? Leftover carbonara is a rarity in my house, but you can store any leftovers in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat it very gently in a pan over medium-low heat until it’s warmed through.
- Are the eggs in pasta carbonara raw? The eggs in carbonara sauce are not fully cooked, so you’ll need to decide if that is OK with you, and you will definitely want to use the very best-quality eggs you can buy! If you need to avoid eggs that are not cooked all the way through, you might love our Cacio e Pepe pasta recipe, which is similarly creamy but is made without eggs.
- What to serve with carbonara: It’s nice to serve a salad on the side (maybe a Simple Butter Lettuce Salad) to lighten up a rich meal.
More Easy Pasta Ideas
You’ve Mastered Carbonara! What's Next?
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