Roman-Style 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 genuine Roman dish featuring al dente pasta tossed with a creamy sauce of egg yolks, Pecorino, and crispy guanciale—no cream, just pure tradition. This Italian-inspired pasta recipe, ready in about 27 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 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 "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: 12 min Serves 2 Italian cuisine 650 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: Bring 4 quarts of water to a rolling boil in a large pot, adding 2 tsp kosher salt. Cook 8 oz spaghetti until al dente (8-10 minutes), then drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
  2. Step 2: Dice 4 oz guanciale into 1/4-inch cubes. Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat and cook guanciale for 4-5 minutes until crisp and golden, stirring occasionally until fat renders.
  3. Step 3: Whisk 2 large egg yolks, 1/2 cup grated Pecorino, and 1 tsp black pepper in a bowl until smooth.
  4. Step 4: Remove skillet from heat. Add drained spaghetti to guanciale, tossing to coat. Immediately pour egg yolk mixture over pasta while continuously tossing, until sauce coats strands (about 1 minute), adding 2 tbsp reserved pasta water if too thick.
  5. Step 5: Serve immediately with extra Pecorino and black pepper, ensuring the sauce is creamy but not scrambled.

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