Carbonara is stupidly simple when you don’t mess with it. No cream, no onions, no peas. Just guanciale, eggs, Pecorino, pepper, pasta. That’s it. Start the guanciale in a cold pan so the fat slowly melts out; let the bits go crisp and a little chewy in the middle. Meanwhile whisk eggs with a pile of very finely grated Pecorino until it looks like thick paint.
Cook the spaghetti till just shy of done. Scoop it straight into the pan with the guanciale and a spoon or two of starchy pasta water. Kill the heat. Now the only thing that matters: toss in the egg–cheese mix and keep everything moving. Lift, stir, fold. The residual heat turns it glossy and creamy instead of, you know, breakfast. If it tightens, splash more pasta water. If it tastes flat, it’s not salt—add Pecorino or more pepper.
Finish with a proper rain of freshly cracked black pepper. Eat immediately. It’s salty, silky, a little spicy, and honestly one of those five-ingredient miracles. I’d say the only “secret” is timing… and not overthinking it.
For the carbonara
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400 g
spaghetti
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150 g
guanciale, cut into strips
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3
large eggs
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1
egg yolk
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100 g
Pecorino Romano, finely grated
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to taste
freshly ground black pepper
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to taste
salt (for pasta water)
Author
Mario Kapustic
Hi! I’m Mario from Croatia. I love cooking and sharing recipes that combine tradition with creativity. I started Tasty Empire to share my family’s recipes — the ones from Mom and Grandma — and all the little tricks I’ve picked up along the way. I especially enjoy pasta, risottos, homemade breads, and desserts, always looking for little ways to enrich flavors.
Prepare the sauce base
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Cook the guanciale
In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the guanciale until golden and crisp, rendering its fat. Remove from heat but keep the fat in the pan.
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Mix eggs and cheese
In a bowl, whisk together eggs, yolk, Pecorino Romano, and a generous amount of black pepper until smooth. This forms the creamy sauce base.
Cook the pasta
Combine and finish
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Toss with guanciale
Add the drained spaghetti to the skillet with guanciale and its fat. Toss well to coat.
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Create the sauce
Remove skillet from heat. Add the egg-cheese mixture to the hot pasta, tossing quickly to create a creamy sauce. If too thick, loosen with a splash of reserved pasta water.
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Serve
Plate immediately with extra Pecorino and freshly cracked black pepper on top.
Note: Always use Pecorino Romano, not Parmesan, for authentic Roman flavor.
Updated: August 30, 2025