Spaghetti Carbonara Recipe

Boil water and cook pasta

Bring a large pot of water (at least 4–5 liters) to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Add 400 g spaghetti and cook until al dente according to package instructions (typically 8–10 minutes). Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

About 1 minute before draining, ladle out and reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta quickly and keep it hot.

Render the pancetta/guanciale

While the pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced pancetta or guanciale (150 g). If using leaner bacon, add 1 tsp olive oil first. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the pieces are crisp around the edges, about 6–8 minutes. Reduce heat to low to keep warm but do not let the meat burn. Remove pan from direct heat if the pasta is not ready yet.

Whisk eggs and cheese

While the pancetta renders, combine 3 whole large eggs and 1 egg yolk in a medium bowl. Add 3 oz finely grated Pecorino Romano and 1 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Add 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper and 1/4 tsp fine sea salt (optional). Whisk until smooth and slightly thickened. The mixture should be cohesive and creamy; set aside.

Important: The egg-cheese mixture will be tempered into the hot pasta using reserved pasta water and residual heat from the skillet — do not return the bowl directly to high heat or the eggs will scramble.

Combine pasta and pancetta

Add the drained, hot spaghetti to the skillet with the rendered pancetta and its fat. Toss to coat the noodles in the fat over low heat for 30 seconds. If your skillet is very hot, remove it from the burner first to avoid scrambling the eggs later.

Emulsify with egg-cheese mixture

Working quickly, pour the egg and cheese mixture over the hot pasta while tossing or stirring continuously. Add 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water to start and continue tossing to create a silky sauce that clings to the spaghetti. If the sauce seems too thick or the pasta is not loose enough, add more reserved water, a tablespoon at a time, until you reach a glossy, creamy consistency. Total added reserved water will be about 1/2 to 1 cup depending on pasta and cheese absorbency.

Adjust seasoning and serve

Taste and adjust seasoning: add more freshly ground black pepper to taste and extra grated Pecorino/Parmesan (about 1/2 oz) if desired. If the sauce is cool or has thickened, briefly return the pan to very low heat while stirring constantly for 10–20 seconds — do not allow the eggs to scramble. Plate the spaghetti immediately and finish each portion with an extra grind of black pepper and a sprinkle of grated cheese.