Best Classic Italian Spaghetti Carbonara
A creamy, rich pasta dish made with egg yolks, pecorino, and guanciale, perfectly balanced with pasta and black pepper. This Italian-inspired pasta recipe, ready in about 40 minutes, pairs spaghetti, guanciale, egg yolks for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 450 calories and feeds 4, 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.
Ingredients
- 12 oz spaghetti
- 1 lb, diced guanciale
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1 cup, grated pecorino
- 1 tbsp, freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cloves, minced garlic
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup, chopped parsley
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Cook 12 oz spaghetti in salted boiling water until al dente, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
- Step 2: In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and 1 tbsp black pepper, sauté for 1 minute.
- Step 3: Add 1 lb diced guanciale, cooking for 5 minutes until crispy and golden.
- Step 4: Toss 1/2 cup pasta water into the skillet, then stir in 3 egg yolks and 1 cup grated pecorino, mixing until the sauce thickens.
- Step 5: Add the cooked spaghetti to the skillet, tossing to coat in the sauce, and season with additional black pepper.
- Step 6: Garnish with 1/4 cup chopped parsley and serve immediately.
