Creamy Authentic Spaghetti Carbonara
A quick and easy recipe for creamy, authentic spaghetti carbonara featuring smoky pancetta, Pecorino Romano cheese, and a silky egg-based sauce that clings perfectly to pasta.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 ounces (340 grams) dried spaghetti
- 6 ounces (170 grams) diced pancetta (or guanciale or thick-cut bacon)
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup (about 100 grams) finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- 1 to 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- Salt, for pasta water and seasoning
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (optional, for cooking pancetta)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (about 4 quarts or 4 liters of water with 1-2 tablespoons salt). Cook spaghetti according to package instructions until al dente, usually 8-10 minutes.
- While pasta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced pancetta and cook until crisp and golden, about 5-7 minutes. Stir occasionally. Remove from heat but leave pancetta fat in the pan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 large eggs, 1 cup grated Pecorino Romano, and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper until smooth and creamy.
- Reserve 1 cup (240 ml) of pasta cooking water before draining the spaghetti.
- Drain the pasta well but do not rinse.
- Add drained spaghetti directly into the skillet with pancetta and its fat. Toss over low heat for 1-2 minutes to coat pasta evenly. Remove pan from heat.
- Slowly pour the egg and cheese mixture over the pasta while tossing quickly and continuously to create a creamy sauce. Add reserved pasta water a little at a time if sauce is too thick.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with more black pepper if needed. Be cautious with salt.
- Serve immediately, optionally garnished with extra Pecorino Romano and black pepper.
Notes
Use room temperature eggs to prevent scrambling. Remove pan from heat before adding egg mixture and toss quickly. Add reserved pasta water gradually to adjust sauce consistency. Freshly cracked black pepper is essential for authentic flavor. Substitute guanciale for pancetta for a more traditional Roman taste. Thick-cut bacon can be used if pancetta is unavailable.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 1/4 of the rec
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 700
- Fat: 20
- Saturated Fat: 7
- Carbohydrates: 65
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 25
Keywords: spaghetti carbonara, creamy carbonara, authentic carbonara, Italian pasta, pancetta pasta, easy carbonara recipe