Pasta Alla Carbonara
A classic Roman pasta dish made with eggs, pecorino romano, guanciale, and black pepper, known for its creamy sauce without cream.
By CuocoMitra · Published · Updated 5 June 2026
- Total time
- Prep
- Cook
- Serves
- 4
- Per serving
- 608kcal
- Difficulty
- medium
Pasta Alla Carbonara is a medium Italian recipe that serves 4 and takes 30 minutes (10 minutes prep, 20 minutes cooking). It uses 6 ingredients across 5 steps. Each serving provides about 607.79 calories.
Ingredients
6 ingredients for 4 servings. Open any ingredient for its nutrition detail.
Dry Spinach Spaghettior bucatini320 gSpaghetti, spinach, dry
Cereal Grains and Pastasr_legacyIn this recipe: 320 g, or bucatini
Per 100 g
Calories372 kcalProtein13.4gCarbs74.8gFat1.57gFiber10.6gCommon portions
oz 2 undetermined 57 g Main carbohydrateBaseTexture contributorNeutralEarthyChewy
Guancialediced into 1/4-inch pieces150 gMeat, poultry, and fishPorkIn this recipe: 150 g, diced into 1/4-inch pieces
Per 100 g
Calories623 kcalProtein11.5gCarbs0gFat63.5gFiber0gCommon portions
1 slice (thin) 10 g 10 g 1 serving (diced) 25 g 25 g 1 oz 1 undetermined 28 g 100 g 100 g 100 g Fat sourceUmami builderFlavor enhancerUmamiPorkySalty
Pecorino Romano Cheesefinely grated, plus more for serving50 gPECORINO ROMANO
Cheesesr_legacyIn this recipe: 50 g, finely grated, plus more for serving
Per 100 g
Calories393 kcalProtein28.6gCarbs3.57gFat32.1gFiber0gCommon portions
1 g 28 g Flavor enhancerGarnishUmami builderSaltySharpTangy
Eggsroom temperature, plus 4 yolks3 qtyEggs
EggsIn this recipe: 3 qty, room temperature, plus 4 yolks
Per 100 g
Calories130.98 kcalProtein9.87gCarbs9.93gFat5.34gFiber—Common portions
yolk 1 egg 17 g BinderMain proteinEmulsifierSavoryUmamiSulfurous
Black Peppercoarsely and freshly ground2 tspSpices, pepper, black
Herbs & Spicessr_legacyIn this recipe: 2 tsp, coarsely and freshly ground
Per 100 g
Calories251 kcalProtein10.4gCarbs64gFat3.26gFiber25.3gCommon portions
dash 1 undetermined 0.1 g tsp, ground 1 undetermined 2.3 g tsp, whole 1 undetermined 2.9 g tbsp, ground 1 undetermined 6.9 g SeasoningFlavor enhancerAromaticSpicyPungentEarthy
Plain Saltcoarse, for pasta water1 tspPLAIN SALT
Seasoning Mixes, Salts, Marinades & Tenderizerssr_legacyIn this recipe: 1 tsp, coarse, for pasta water
Per 100 g
Calories0 kcalProtein0gCarbs0gFat0gFiber—Common portions
1 g 1.5 g Flavor enhancerSeasoningSaltyGrittyCrystalline
What you’ll need
6 tools across 5 steps.
Method
- 1
Cook the pasta
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
Don't overcook the pasta! Al dente is key for the right texture.
- 2
Prepare the guanciale
While the pasta is cooking, dice the guanciale. In a large pan or skillet, cook the guanciale over medium heat until crispy and golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside, reserving the rendered fat in the pan.
Cook the guanciale slowly to render the fat properly.
- 4
Combine everything
Turn off the heat completely. Add the hot, drained pasta to the pan with the rendered guanciale fat. Toss to coat. Pour the egg mixture over the pasta and toss quickly and continuously to create a creamy sauce. Add a splash of the reserved pasta water at a time if needed to adjust the consistency. The residual heat of the pasta and pan will gently cook the eggs without scrambling them.
The key to a creamy carbonara is to work quickly and use the residual heat to cook the eggs.
- 5
Serve
Stir in the crispy guanciale. Serve immediately, garnished with more grated pecorino romano and freshly ground black pepper. Enjoy!
Carbonara is best served fresh.
Nutrition
Per serving, across 4 servings.
| Nutrient | Per serving | Whole recipe |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 607.8 kcal | 2431.2 kcal |
| Protein | 20.6 g | 82.6 g |
| Carbohydrates | 64.5 g | 258.1 g |
| Fat | 29.1 g | 116.5 g |
| Fibre | 8.8 g | 35.1 g |
| Sodium | 661.2 mg | 2644.6 mg |
Computed from the matched ingredient data rather than entered by hand, with 100% of ingredients matched. Treat it as a close estimate, not a clinical figure.
How it tastes
- Salty
- 4 out of 5
- Umami
- 5 out of 5
- Spicy
- 1 out of 5
- Rich
- 5 out of 5
Texture
Mood
Good for
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