Roman-Style Carbonara with Guanciale and Pecorino

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

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A true Roman carbonara made with guanciale, no cream, and perfectly emulsified eggs for a silky sauce. This Mediterranean recipe, ready in about 30 minutes, pairs guanciale, spaghetti, and egg yolks for a weeknight-friendly dinner. Each serving lands at about 650 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 "Build a week of meals around this recipe" 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 650 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: Cook 8 oz spaghetti in a large pot of heavily salted boiling water for 1 minute less than package instructions (about 9 minutes). Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining, then drain spaghetti without rinsing.
  2. Step 2: While pasta cooks, cook 6 oz diced guanciale in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy and fat renders (5-6 minutes). Remove guanciale with a slotted spoon, leaving 2 tbsp fat in the skillet.
  3. Step 3: Whisk together 4 egg yolks, 1/2 cup finely grated pecorino romano, and 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper in a bowl. Set aside.
  4. Step 4: Add drained spaghetti to the skillet with guanciale fat, tossing to coat. Immediately pour in 1/4 cup reserved pasta water and toss for 1 minute until sauce begins to coat pasta strands.
  5. Step 5: Remove skillet from heat. Slowly pour in egg yolk mixture while continuously stirring with tongs for 2 minutes until creamy sauce forms and coats every strand without scrambling eggs (sauce should reach 160°F).
  6. Step 6: Add reserved guanciale and toss gently. If too thick, add more reserved pasta water 1 tbsp at a time until silky. Serve immediately with extra pecorino on top.

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