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Spaghetti Carbonara

A classic Roman pasta dish made with spaghetti, pancetta, eggs, Pecorino Romano, and black pepper for a creamy sauce without cream.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Pasta
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Pasta
  • 400 g spaghetti
  • 150 g pancetta diced
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 cup Pecorino Romano cheese finely grated
  • 1 tsp black pepper freshly cracked
  • salt for pasta water
Optional Garnish
  • extra grated Pecorino Romano

Equipment

  • Large pot
  • Skillet
  • Mixing bowl

Method
 

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook spaghetti until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
  2. Cook pancetta in a skillet over medium heat until crispy and golden, about 5–7 minutes. Remove from heat.
  3. Whisk together eggs, egg yolks, grated Pecorino Romano, and black pepper in a mixing bowl.
  4. Add hot drained pasta to the skillet with pancetta and toss to coat.
  5. Pour egg mixture over pasta off heat, tossing continuously to create a creamy sauce. Add reserved pasta water as needed.
  6. Serve immediately with extra cheese and black pepper if desired.

Notes

For authentic flavor, use guanciale instead of pancetta and avoid adding cream.