Pasta alla Carbonara with Guanciale and Black Pepper

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 Roman classic made with authentic guanciale (not bacon), no cream, and perfectly emulsified egg yolk sauce for true al dente texture. This Italian-inspired pasta recipe, ready in about 35 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 680 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.

Prep: 15 min Cook: 20 min Serves 4 Italian cuisine 680 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: Bring a large pot of salted water (10g salt per liter) to a rolling boil. Cook spaghetti until al dente (1 minute less than package instructions), reserving 1 cup pasta water before draining.
  2. Step 2: Dice guanciale into 1 cm cubes. Fry in a skillet over medium heat until crisp and fat renders, about 8 minutes; remove with slotted spoon, leaving 1 tbsp fat in pan.
  3. Step 3: Whisk egg yolks, grated pecorino, and black pepper in a bowl until smooth and slightly thickened.
  4. Step 4: Toss hot drained spaghetti into the skillet with guanciale fat. Add 1/4 cup pasta water and toss vigorously until sauce clings to pasta.
  5. Step 5: Remove skillet from heat. Slowly pour in egg yolk mixture while continuously tossing, until sauce thickens and coats pasta evenly.
  6. Step 6: Add more pasta water (1 tbsp at a time) if needed until sauce is silky and glossy, never curdled.
  7. Step 7: Plate immediately, top with reserved crispy guanciale and extra black pepper.

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