True Italian 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 drafted and published.

An authentic Roman pasta dish where creamy sauce forms from eggs and cheese without cream, gently tossed with al dente pasta and crisp guanciale. This Mediterranean recipe, ready in about 35 minutes, pairs Spaghetti, Guanciale, and Pecorino Romano for a weeknight-friendly dinner. Each serving lands at about 520 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 "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: 20 min Serves 4 Italian cuisine 520 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: Bring a large pot of salted water (2 tablespoons salt per 4 quarts) to a rolling boil. Add 12 ounces spaghetti and cook for 8-10 minutes until al dente, reserving 1 cup pasta water before draining.
  2. Step 2: While pasta cooks, in a bowl, whisk together 2 large eggs, 1/2 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano, and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
  3. Step 3: In a skillet, cook 4 ounces diced guanciale over medium heat for 5 minutes until crisp and fat renders. Remove from heat, then add 1 cup reserved pasta water to the skillet and stir to combine.
  4. Step 4: Add drained spaghetti to the skillet with guanciale, tossing vigorously to coat. Remove from heat and quickly add the egg mixture, tossing continuously for 1 minute until a creamy sauce forms (do not cook eggs).
  5. Step 5: If too thick, add splashes of reserved pasta water until creamy. Serve immediately with extra Pecorino.

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