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Carbonara

If there's one pasta dish that defines Roman cooking — and divides the internet — it's carbonara. Made properly, it's just five ingredients: guanciale, egg yolks, Pecorino Romano, black pepper, and pasta water. No cream. No garlic. No exceptions. This is your complete guide to the classic, every variation worth knowing, and all the unexpected places carbonara can go.

From Classic to Creative: Your Complete Carbonara Guide

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The Only Carbonara Recipe You Need to Master First

Carbonara is precise, not complicated. Here's the authentic Roman method — five ingredients, one technique, and the mistakes worth avoiding before you start.

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Carbonara Without Guanciale: Vegetables, Seafood, and Everything in Between

The technique that makes carbonara silky works with asparagus, salmon, shrimp, and more. Here are 8 variations worth trying — no guanciale required.

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Carbonara in a Different Form

Carbonara is a sauce — and it works on more than spaghetti. Risotto, gnocchi, tortelli, baked pasta, and supplì: here's what happens when it leaves the bowl.

Start Here: The Classics

Spaghetti Carbonara

Traditional Carbonara

Pasta alla Zozzona

Beyond Spaghetti

Risotto Carbonara

Gnocchi Carbonara

Tortelli Carbonara

Vegetable Twists

Asparagus Carbonara

Vegetable Carbonara

Zucchini Carbonara

Artichoke Carbonara

Vegan Carbonara

From the Sea

Seafood Carbonara

Salmon Carbonara

Viareggio-Style Carbonara

Seafood Carbonara with Shrimp

Creative & Unexpected

Carbonara Supplì

Fake Carbonara

Fake Saffron Carbonara

Baked Carbonara

FAQs About Carbonara

QUESTION When should you add the eggs in carbonara?

Off the heat — always. Remove the pan completely before adding the egg and Pecorino mixture to prevent scrambling.

QUESTION Why does my carbonara come out dry?

The eggs cooked too fast or there wasn't enough pasta water. Add starchy cooking water little by little while you toss.

QUESTION How do you stop the guanciale from getting too hard?

Cook over medium-high heat until crispy outside, soft inside. Add it to the pasta at the very last moment.

QUESTION How do you get carbonara creamy without cream?

Egg yolks, Pecorino Romano, and pasta water are all you need. No cream required — or welcome.

QUESTION What guanciale should you use?

Aged, well-seasoned guanciale cut into strips. Cook slowly to render the fat, then briefly raise the heat for crispiness.

QUESTION What is the real carbonara recipe?

Spaghetti, guanciale, egg yolks, Pecorino Romano, black pepper. No cream, no garlic, no exceptions.

QUESTION What pasta shape works best?

Spaghetti is traditional. Rigatoni and mezze maniche are excellent alternatives — their ridged surfaces catch the cream perfectly.

QUESTION How many eggs for 2 people?

Calculate by weight: one yolk weighs 16–17g. For two people, use approximately 50g of yolks — usually 3 yolks.

GialloZafferano is the #1 food&cooking media brand in Italy and ambassador of the Italian cuisine in the world. Since 2006, we have been inspiring people in cooking, by creating and sharing over 8,000 recipes for a global audience of 70 million followers.

Discover more

Carbonara

From Classic to Creative: Your Complete Carbonara Guide

The Only Carbonara Recipe You Need to Master First

Carbonara Without Guanciale: Vegetables, Seafood, and Everything in Between

Carbonara in a Different Form

See It Made by Our Chefs

Start Here: The Classics

Spaghetti Carbonara

Traditional Carbonara

Pasta alla Zozzona

Beyond Spaghetti

Risotto Carbonara

Gnocchi Carbonara

Tortelli Carbonara

Vegetable Twists

Asparagus Carbonara

Vegetable Carbonara

Zucchini Carbonara

Artichoke Carbonara

Vegan Carbonara

From the Sea

Seafood Carbonara

Salmon Carbonara

Viareggio-Style Carbonara

Seafood Carbonara with Shrimp

Creative & Unexpected

Carbonara Supplì

Fake Carbonara

Fake Saffron Carbonara

Baked Carbonara

FAQs About Carbonara