Carbonara
A classic Italian pasta dish made with eggs, guanciale, pecorino cheese, and black pepper.
- Cuisine Italian
- Course Main
- Prep 10 min
- Cook 20 min
- Serves 4
Ingredients
- 500g spaghetti
- 250g guanciale, diced
- 1 cup grated pecorino cheese (Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano)
- 6 large eggs
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Salt as needed
Clean swaps
How we upgrade the restaurant version with better ingredients.
- Standard spaghetti → Organic bronze-cut spaghetti — Bronze-cut pasta provides a superior surface texture for the sauce to cling to, while organic ensures no synthetic pesticides.
- Industrial guanciale → Artisan nitrate-free guanciale — Most commercial cured meats contain nitrates/nitrites; artisan products preserve the integrity of the meat fat.
- Pre-shredded cheese → Hand-grated organic Pecorino Romano — Pre-packaged shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents like potato starch or cellulose which can alter the sauce texture.
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente.
- In a separate pan over medium heat, fry the diced guanciale until it becomes crispy. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, grated pecorino cheese, and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Drain the spaghetti, reserving 1 cup of pasta water before draining completely.
- Add the hot spaghetti to the bowl with the egg mixture. Toss quickly over medium heat, adding some reserved pasta water if necessary to achieve a creamy sauce.
- Fold in the crispy guanciale and toss until everything is well combined.
- Serve immediately, garnished with additional pecorino cheese if desired.
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