Authentic Roman Spaghetti alla 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 where creamy egg and cheese sauce coats perfectly al dente spaghetti without cream, using only guanciale, Pecorino, and black pepper for pure, unadulterated flavor. This Italian-inspired pasta recipe, ready in about 30 minutes, pairs Spaghetti, Guanciale, Pecorino Romano for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 720 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: 10 min Cook: 20 min Serves 2 Italian cuisine 720 cal/serving
Build a week of meals around this recipe → Shop this recipe on Instacart → Shop equipment ↓

Ingredients

Nonstick skillets worth buying → 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 4 quarts of water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add 1 tbsp kosher salt and 12 oz spaghetti, stirring to prevent sticking. Cook for 8 minutes until al dente, then drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water.
  2. Step 2: Dice 4 oz guanciale into 1/2-inch cubes. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and cook guanciale until crisp and golden, about 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
  3. Step 3: Whisk together 2 large eggs, 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano, and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper in a bowl until smooth and pale yellow.
  4. Step 4: Add drained spaghetti to the skillet with guanciale, tossing to coat in fat. Remove skillet from heat and immediately pour in egg mixture, stirring constantly until sauce thickens and coats pasta, about 1 minute (add 2 tbsp reserved pasta water if too thick).
  5. Step 5: Serve immediately, garnished with extra Pecorino and black pepper, before sauce sets.

Related recipes