Spaghetti carbonara is one of the best-known Italian dishes in the world. Authentic spaghetti carbonara does not contain milk or cream, yet outside Italy it is often served with a thick, creamy sauce.
In the authentic version, egg yolks and flavorful Pecorino cheese come together with the heat of the pasta to form a rich, creamy sauce.
Try this authentic spaghetti carbonara recipe for yourself and see how real Italian dishes are different.
Special Ingredients
There are two ingredients in authentic spaghetti carbonara that may be difficult to find where you live.
- Pecorino is a hard Italian cheese made of ewe’s milk. You can find it in some specialty stores, order it online, or substitute Parmesan cheese.
- Guanciale is a type of Italian cured meat product prepared from pork jowl or cheeks. Its name is derived from guancia, Italian for cheek. Again, look for it in specialty stores or order it online. If you need a substitute, use smoked bacon, but that won’t be authentic.
Authentic spaghetti carbonara contains raw eggs. Make this dish only at your own risk, and be sure to use only fresh eggs from a reliable source!
How To Serve Authentic Spaghetti Carbonara
With this recipe, you can make authentic, flavorful spaghetti carbonara at home in just 25 minutes. The salty, smoky guanciale and the sharp Pecorino come together to form a rich, creamy sauce that coats the pasta. Sprinkle with grated Pecorino cheese and serve it warm.
Spaghetti carbonara is a rich comfort food, best served on cold, rainy days.
Serves 4 as an entrée, or 2–3 as a main course.
Authentic Spaghetti Carbonara
Ingredients
- 7 oz. guanciale 200 g
- 3.5 oz pecorino cheese 100 g
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 egg whole
- 12 oz spaghetti 350 g
- pepper
- salt
Instructions
- Cut Guanciale into 1/2-inch (1 cm) pieces.
- Put the guanciale in a saucepan and start browning it over low heat.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. When it comes to a boil, add salt and the spaghetti. Cook it al dente (usually 7–8 minutes). Be careful with the salt, since guanciale or bacon can already be quite salty.
- In the meantime, make the “sauce” for the authentic spaghetti carbonara. Put 4 egg yolks and 1 whole egg in a large bowl.
- Add the grated Pecorino cheese, and salt and pepper to taste (again, be careful with the salt).
- Whisk together the eggs and Pecorino.
- When the guanciale is crisp and browned, transfer it to a plate and let it cool.
- Once the guanciale has cooled to room temperature, add it to the egg-and-Pecorino mixture and stir. You don’t want to do this while the guanciale is still hot, unless you want scrambled eggs.
- Once the pasta is cooked al dente, you have to work fast. The sauce in authentic spaghetti carbonara is basically eggs and Pecorino cheese turned into a rich, creamy sauce by the heat of the spaghetti. If it’s too cold, you won’t get a proper sauce. If it’s too hot, you’ll end up with spaghetti and scrambled eggs. Drain the spaghetti, wait a few seconds, and toss it with the egg-and-Pecorino mixture.
- Your authentic spaghetti carbonara is ready. Serve immediately.
