Roman-Style Carbonara with Guanciale

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 carbonara made with guanciale and Pecorino Romano—no cream, just silky pasta coated in egg and cheese emulsion, embodying authentic Roman simplicity. 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
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: Bring 4 quarts of salted water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add 120g spaghetti and cook until al dente, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.
  2. Step 2: While pasta cooks, dice 100g guanciale into 1/4-inch cubes. Cook in a large skillet over medium heat for 5-6 minutes until crisp and golden, rendering fat but not burning.
  3. Step 3: Whisk 2 egg yolks, 50g grated Pecorino Romano, and 1 tsp black pepper in a bowl until smooth.
  4. Step 4: Toss drained spaghetti directly into the skillet with guanciale, adding 2 tbsp pasta water to create a glossy coating. Remove from heat.
  5. Step 5: Quickly pour egg mixture over pasta while tossing vigorously for 30 seconds until sauce clings to strands and thickens, adding more pasta water if needed until creamy.

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