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Spaghetti carbonara with a fork, ready to be served.
Easy Weeknight

Spaghetti Carbonara Recipe

5 from 1 vote
This is a proper Spaghetti Carbonara recipe, the authentic way Italian home cooks and restaurant chefs make Spaghetti alla Carbonara.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 3 people
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 612
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 8 oz. spaghetti
  • 2 oz. freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese preferred or Parmesan cheese
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt or more to taste
  • Ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 strips guanciale pancetta, or thick cut bacon, cut into pieces
  • 1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley

Method
 

  1. Cook the pasta per the package instructions until al dente.
  2. In a bowl, beat the eggs lightly, then combine the eggs with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, salt and ground black pepper together. Stir to mix well.
  3. Cheese and egg mixture for spaghetti carbonara.
  4. Cut the bacon into big pieces.
  5. Thick-cut bacon.
  6. Heat the olive oil in a skillet and fry the bacon until crispy.
  7. Crispy bacon.
  8. When the spaghetti is ready, drain and add the spaghetti to the skillet with the bacon. Stir to mix well.
  9. Mixing spaghetti with crispy bacon for spaghetti carbonara.
  10. Remove the skillet from heat. Allow to cool slightly, about 1 minute. Add the egg and cheese mixture. Stir to coat the spaghetti. Top the Spaghetti Carbonara with the chopped parsley.
  11. Spaghetti carbonara in a skillet.
  12. Add some freshly grated Parmesan cheese before serving, if you like.
  13. Spaghetti carbonara, ready to serve with a fork.

Notes

Adapted from Antonio Carluccio.
Guanciale is comes from the cheek of a pig. It is traditionally used in authentic Spaghetti alla Carbonara but very hard to find in the United States. The best substitute is Italian bacon or pancetta, or thick cut bacon.