Spaghetti Carbonara

Name: Spaghetti Carbonara
Total time: 26 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 2 tsp Black peppercorns; 100 g Pecorino Romano; 6 piece Egg yolks; 2 piece Egg; 4,000 ml Water; 20 g coarse salt; 400 g spaghetti; 200 g guanciale

26 min · 13 min active · makes ~4.95 l · Medium

Creamy Roman pasta with guanciale, pecorino romano, and raw egg yolks emulsified into a silky sauce. Serves 4.

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Spaghetti Carbonara

Creamy Roman pasta with guanciale, pecorino romano, and raw egg yolks emulsified into a silky sauce. Serves 4.

See more →

TOTAL TIME

26 min

ACTIVE TIME

13 min

QUANTITY

~4.95 l

DIFFICULTY

Medium

CUISINE

—

Who’s eating

Cooking for A typical adult.

This should leave everyone comfortably full.

Portions & fullness

Ingredients0/8

Tools0/12

Ingredients

0/8 gathered · 4 servings

2tsp

100g

6piece

2piece

4,000ml

20g

400g

200g

#	Quantity	Notes	State
1	2tsp	—	—
2	100g	—	—
3	6piece	—	—
4	2piece	—	—
5	4,000ml	—	—
6	20g	—	—
7	400g	—	—
8	200g	—	—

Tools

13 items

Serveware

1 item

Procedure

20 steps

1 of 20

Grind the black peppercorns coarsely into the small bowl using a pepper mill.

Black peppercorns · 2 tsp

⏱ 30s

ResultFreshly ground black pepperused in step 5

2 of 20

Grate the Pecorino Romano finely over the large bowl using a microplane so it falls in a light, powdery pile.

Pecorino Romano · 100 g

⏱ 1 min

ResultFinely grated pecorino romano

3 of 20

Separate 6 eggs one at a time over the bowl, letting each white fall away, and drop the yolk in with the Pecorino.

Egg yolks · 6 piece

⏱ 20s

ResultFinely grated pecorino romano and egg yolks

4 of 20

Crack the 2 whole eggs into the bowl with the yolks, discarding the shells.

Egg · 2 piece

⏱ 10s

ResultFinely grated pecorino romano and egg yolks and egg

5 of 20

Tip the ground pepper into the bowl with the eggs and cheese.

Freshly ground black pepper · step 1

⏱ 5s

ResultEgg yolk and egg mixture

6 of 20

Whisk the eggs, yolks, Pecorino and pepper together until the mixture is smooth, thick and pale.

⏱ 30s

ResultCarbonara sauce baseused in step 19

7 of 20

Pour the water into the large saucepan and set it over a high heat.

Water · 4,000 ml

⏱ 15s

ResultMeasured water

8 of 20

Add the coarse salt to the water.

Coarse salt · 20 g

⏱ 5s

ResultMeasured water and coarse salt

9 of 20

Bring the salted water to a full rolling boil over a high heat.

⏱ 12 min

ResultSalted boiling water

10 of 20

While the water comes to the boil, lay the guanciale pieces into the cold frying pan in a single layer.

Guanciale · 200 g

⏱ 10s

ResultGuanciale

11 of 20

Set the pan over a medium-low heat and cook the guanciale, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered completely and the pieces are golden and crisp at the edges.

⏱ 8 min

ResultCrispy guanciale with rendered fat

12 of 20

Slide the pan off the heat entirely so the fat stops sizzling and the guanciale does not overcook further.

⏱ 5s

ResultRested guanciale

13 of 20

Lower the spaghetti into the boiling water, fanning it out so the strands separate.

Spaghetti · 400 g

⏱ 10s

ResultSalted boiling water and spaghetti

14 of 20

Cook the spaghetti, stirring once or twice, until just al dente — tender but still with a little bite at the centre.

⏱ 8 min

ResultAl dente spaghetti

15 of 20

Ladle about 300 ml of the starchy pasta cooking water into the heatproof jug before draining.

Al dente spaghetti · step 14

⏱ 15s

ResultAl dente spaghettiused in step 18

16 of 20

Drain the spaghetti through the colander, shaking it once to shed the excess water.

Al dente spaghetti · step 15

⏱ 10s

ResultDrained al dente spaghetti

17 of 20

Tip the drained spaghetti straight into the frying pan with the guanciale and its fat.

Drained al dente spaghetti · step 16

⏱ 5s

ResultDrained al dente spaghetti and rested guanciale

18 of 20

Pour the reserved pasta cooking water into the frying pan over the spaghetti.

Pasta cooking water · step 15

⏱ 5s

ResultDrained al dente spaghetti and rested guanciale and pasta cooking water

19 of 20

Pour the carbonara sauce base over the spaghetti in the frying pan.

Carbonara sauce base · step 6

⏱ 5s

ResultDrained al dente spaghetti and pasta cooking water mixture

20 of 20

Toss everything together vigorously with tongs, off the heat, lifting and turning the strands continuously until the sauce turns glossy and creamy and clings to every strand without any trace of scrambled egg.

⏱ 45s

ResultCarbonara

Total Time26 min

#	Product	Action
1	2 tsp	Grind the black peppercorns coarsely into the small bowl using a pepper mill.⏱ 30sResultFreshly ground black pepperused in step 5
2	100 g	Grate the Pecorino Romano finely over the large bowl using a microplane so it falls in a light, powdery pile.⏱ 1 minResultFinely grated pecorino romano
3	6 piece	Separate 6 eggs one at a time over the bowl, letting each white fall away, and drop the yolk in with the Pecorino.⏱ 20sResultFinely grated pecorino romano and egg yolks
4	2 piece	Crack the 2 whole eggs into the bowl with the yolks, discarding the shells.⏱ 10sResultFinely grated pecorino romano and egg yolks and egg
5	Freshly ground black pepperstep 1	Tip the ground pepper into the bowl with the eggs and cheese.⏱ 5sResultEgg yolk and egg mixture
6	—	Whisk the eggs, yolks, Pecorino and pepper together until the mixture is smooth, thick and pale.⏱ 30sResultCarbonara sauce baseused in step 19
7	4,000 ml	Pour the water into the large saucepan and set it over a high heat.⏱ 15sResultMeasured water
8	20 g	Add the coarse salt to the water.⏱ 5sResultMeasured water and coarse salt
9	—	Bring the salted water to a full rolling boil over a high heat.⏱ 12 minResultSalted boiling water
10	200 g	While the water comes to the boil, lay the guanciale pieces into the cold frying pan in a single layer.⏱ 10sResultGuanciale
11	—	Set the pan over a medium-low heat and cook the guanciale, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered completely and the pieces are golden and crisp at the edges.⏱ 8 minResultCrispy guanciale with rendered fat
12	—	Slide the pan off the heat entirely so the fat stops sizzling and the guanciale does not overcook further.⏱ 5sResultRested guanciale
13	400 g	Lower the spaghetti into the boiling water, fanning it out so the strands separate.⏱ 10sResultSalted boiling water and spaghetti
14	—	Cook the spaghetti, stirring once or twice, until just al dente — tender but still with a little bite at the centre.⏱ 8 minResultAl dente spaghetti
15	Al dente spaghettistep 14	Ladle about 300 ml of the starchy pasta cooking water into the heatproof jug before draining.⏱ 15sResultAl dente spaghettiused in step 18
16	Al dente spaghettistep 15	Drain the spaghetti through the colander, shaking it once to shed the excess water.⏱ 10sResultDrained al dente spaghetti
17	Drained al dente spaghettistep 16	Tip the drained spaghetti straight into the frying pan with the guanciale and its fat.⏱ 5sResultDrained al dente spaghetti and rested guanciale
18	Pasta cooking waterstep 15	Pour the reserved pasta cooking water into the frying pan over the spaghetti.⏱ 5sResultDrained al dente spaghetti and rested guanciale and pasta cooking water
19	Carbonara sauce basestep 6	Pour the carbonara sauce base over the spaghetti in the frying pan.⏱ 5sResultDrained al dente spaghetti and pasta cooking water mixture
20	—	Toss everything together vigorously with tongs, off the heat, lifting and turning the strands continuously until the sauce turns glossy and creamy and clings to every strand without any trace of scrambled egg.⏱ 45sResultCarbonara
Total Time		26 min

Serving

Twist a generous nest of carbonara into each of 4 warm bowls using tongs, piling the crispy guanciale on top.

Nutrition

per serving

Estimated · pre-cooking · 100% ingredients covered

Nutrient	Per serving
	906kcal
	42g
	46g
	18g
	78g
	0.7g
	4g
	3,100mg

Ingredients0/8

Tools0/12

Recipe

Spaghetti Carbonara

Creamy Roman pasta with guanciale, pecorino romano, and raw egg yolks emulsified into a silky sauce. Serves 4.

What you’ll doYou will render guanciale until crisp while whisking egg yolks with cheese and pepper into a smooth paste. Boil salted water, cook spaghetti al dente, then combine everything off the heat with reserved pasta water, tossing vigorously until the sauce turns glossy and creamy without any scramble.

Serves4

Total26 min

LevelMedium

Ingredients

Black peppercorns2 tsp
Pecorino Romano100 g
Egg yolks6 piece
Egg2 piece
Water4,000 ml
Coarse salt20 g
Spaghetti400 g
Guanciale200 g

Tools

Large saucepanTongsPepper millSmall bowlHeatproof jugLarge frying panMicroplane zesterLarge bowlWhiskColanderLadleServing bowlMicroplane

Method

Grind the black peppercorns coarsely into the small bowl using a pepper mill.

Result · Freshly ground black pepper · used in step 5

30sSmall bowl, Pepper millBlack peppercorns · 2 tsp

Grate the Pecorino Romano finely over the large bowl using a microplane so it falls in a light, powdery pile.

1 minLarge bowl, MicroplanePecorino Romano · 100 g

Separate 6 eggs one at a time over the bowl, letting each white fall away, and drop the yolk in with the Pecorino.

20sLarge bowlEgg yolks · 6 piece

Crack the 2 whole eggs into the bowl with the yolks, discarding the shells.

10sLarge bowlEgg · 2 piece

Tip the ground pepper into the bowl with the eggs and cheese.

5sLarge bowlFreshly ground black pepper · step 1

Whisk the eggs, yolks, Pecorino and pepper together until the mixture is smooth, thick and pale.

Result · Carbonara sauce base · used in step 19

30sLarge bowl, Whisk

Pour the water into the large saucepan and set it over a high heat.

15sLarge saucepanWater · 4,000 ml

Add the coarse salt to the water.

5sLarge saucepanCoarse salt · 20 g

Bring the salted water to a full rolling boil over a high heat.

12 minLarge saucepan

While the water comes to the boil, lay the guanciale pieces into the cold frying pan in a single layer.

10sLarge frying panGuanciale · 200 g

Set the pan over a medium-low heat and cook the guanciale, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered completely and the pieces are golden and crisp at the edges.

8 minLarge frying pan

Slide the pan off the heat entirely so the fat stops sizzling and the guanciale does not overcook further.

5sLarge frying pan

Lower the spaghetti into the boiling water, fanning it out so the strands separate.

10sLarge saucepanSpaghetti · 400 g

Cook the spaghetti, stirring once or twice, until just al dente — tender but still with a little bite at the centre.

8 minLarge saucepan

Ladle about 300 ml of the starchy pasta cooking water into the heatproof jug before draining.

Result · Al dente spaghetti · used in step 18

15sHeatproof jug, LadleAl dente spaghetti · step 14

Drain the spaghetti through the colander, shaking it once to shed the excess water.

10sColanderAl dente spaghetti · step 15

Tip the drained spaghetti straight into the frying pan with the guanciale and its fat.

5sLarge frying panDrained al dente spaghetti · step 16

Pour the reserved pasta cooking water into the frying pan over the spaghetti.

5sLarge frying panPasta cooking water · step 15

Pour the carbonara sauce base over the spaghetti in the frying pan.

5sLarge frying panCarbonara sauce base · step 6

45sLarge frying pan, Tongs

Twist a generous nest of carbonara into each of 4 warm bowls using tongs, piling the crispy guanciale on top.

Result · Carbonara

20sServing bowl, TongsCarbonara · step 20

Printed 7 October 2026