Authentic Homemade Spaghetti Carbonara

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

A true Roman classic featuring silky pasta coated in a creamy egg and cheese sauce, with perfectly crisp guanciale and freshly cracked black pepper. This Italian-inspired pasta recipe, ready in about 30 minutes, pairs spaghetti, guanciale, Pecorino Romano cheese for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 680 calories and feeds 2, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 15 min Cook: 15 min Serves 2 Italian cuisine 680 cal/serving
Build a week of meals around this recipe → Shop this recipe on Instacart → Shop equipment ↓

Ingredients

The pan we’d use for this → Best Nonstick Cookware for 2026: Top 5 Skillet Picks + Buying Guide

Affiliate disclosure: AislePrompt may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through Amazon links, at no additional cost to you. See our policy →

Equipment for this recipe

Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.

More Cookware & pots → Shop all kitchen tools →

Instructions

  1. Step 1: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil (use 1 tbsp salt per gallon), add 12 oz spaghetti, and cook for 8-9 minutes until al dente; reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining.
  2. Step 2: While pasta cooks, dice 4 oz guanciale into 1/4-inch strips and cook in a large skillet over medium heat for 4-5 minutes until crispy but not browned, then remove 2 tbsp rendered fat and set aside.
  3. Step 3: Whisk 1 large egg, 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano, 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, and 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper in a bowl until smooth.
  4. Step 4: Immediately toss drained spaghetti into the skillet with guanciale, add 1/4 cup reserved pasta water, and stir for 1 minute until glossy.
  5. Step 5: Remove skillet from heat, slowly pour egg cheese mixture over pasta while tossing constantly for 2 minutes until creamy and coats strands without scrambling eggs.

Related recipes