• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Always From Scratch
  • Old School Italian Recipes
  • Italian Chicken Recipes
  • Italian Summer Recipes
  • Recipe Index
  • About Me
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Old School Italian Recipes
  • Italian Chicken Recipes
  • Italian Summer Recipes
  • Recipe Index
  • About Me
    • Email
    • Instagram
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Old School Italian Recipes
    • Italian Chicken Recipes
    • Italian Summer Recipes
    • Recipe Index
    • About Me
    • Email
    • Instagram
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Italian and American Pasta

    Bucatini Amatriciana

    Published: Apr 17, 2023 · Modified: Sep 23, 2024 by Vinny · This post may contain affiliate links · 1 Comment

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    A creamy and savory red sauce Roman classic, Bucatini amatriciana will always impress. A hint of spice and a delicious crunch of rich guanciale make this my absolute favorite pasta dish. Plus it's done in under 30 minutes.

    bucatini amaatriciana

    Looking for more classic Italian pasta? Try our Spaghetti Carbonara, Authentic Fettuccine Alfredo, or Pasta alla Norma.

    Jump to:
    • Classic Roman-Italian Dish
    • The Five Simple Ingredients for Amatriciana
    • Substitutions for Ingredients in Bucatini Amatriciana
    • How to Make Bucatini all'Amatriciana
    • Pro-Tips
    • What to serve it with
    • Recipe FAQs
    • More Delicious Pasta
    • 📖 Recipe
    • Reviews

    Classic Roman-Italian Dish

    Bucatini Amatriciana is one of the four classic Roman-Italian Dishes. It's a slightly spicy tomato sauce made with rich cured pork jowl, pepper, and pecorino. It is simple, high-quality ingredients that make this delicious and complex dish. It's not as spicy as a dish like Shrimp Fra Diavolo with Linguine, but it has a specific kick to it.

    Amatriciana has a long history and originally was a white sauce, similar to pasta alla gricia. It wasn't until tomatoes were introduced in Italy that they became a regular part of the dish and that wasn't until Columbus sailed the ocean blue. Originally, in the town of Amatrice, farmers would get together and cook fresh pasta with guanciale (pork jowl) and cheese together with pasta. They used bucatini because it was easy to make the pasta and wrap it around the wire to dry and travel with.

    Today, bucatini isn't the only pasta to make amatriciana with. I always see people making it with rigatoni and other popular pasta. Bucatini is the way to go with this dish. The way the pasta fills with sauce makes this dish worth every second. The guanciale is so uniquely flavored, probably the best part of the animal. Sort of like how Sandor Clegane loves pig feet, I love pork jowl.

    The Five Simple Ingredients for Amatriciana

    Ingredients for the recipe.
    • Guanciale. A rich cured pork jowl. The oil created from the guanciale is what makes bucatini amatriciana so unique.
    • Pecorino romano. Pecorino is only pecorino if it is made from sheep's milk. It is more earthy and sharp than parmigiano and has a slight tanginess.
    • Black Pepper. I like to add the tiny bit of spice with black pepper. Other recipes call for crushed red pepper. It's my preference but the black pepper is more traditional too.
    • Peeled plum tomatoes. The chunkiness of the peeled plum tomatoes breaking down in the oil gives this dish more texture.
    • Bucatini. This tubular pasta has a tiny hole in the middle that allows the sauce to enter inside the pasta. Bucatini is the traditional pasta served with amatriciana.

    Substitutions for Ingredients in Bucatini Amatriciana

    Italians go crazy when you mess with the four Roman dishes, spaghetti carbonara, pasta al gricia, cacio e pepe, and bucatini amatriciana. I've been doing this long enough to know what recipes I can mess with and which I can't.

    But, and that's a BIG but, you can substitute pancetta for guanciale in any of these recipes. It won't be exactly the same. It's a fact. Bucatini Amatriciana is so delicious but it will also be delicious with pancetta. Pancetta just tastes different than guanciale, so it's a different flavor. The dish will still be delicious but most people would agree that it is no longer bucatini all'amatriciana.

    As for the pecorino romano, you can substitute parmesan if you don't care about the authenticity of the dish. Which I genuinely don't, good food is good food. But when you make bucatini amatriciana the right way, you'll understand why they use these four ingredients, specifically.

    How to Make Bucatini all'Amatriciana

    Four ingredients and a few simple steps. Bucatini Amatriciana is not a difficult dish to make. It requires patience though. The 30 minutes you need to cook this, means you need to be in front of the stove for 30 minutes. It all happens really quickly and you need to be right there to pull it off at the right time!

    Pecorino grated on a cutting board.

    Before you start cooking, The Pecorino needs to be grated into the thinnest pieces your grater can make. This will prevent it from becoming globular when added to the sauce.

    Chopped guanciale in strips on a cutting board.

    I also like to prepare my guanciale into strips like this. I feel like you get a whole lot of flavor in your mouth when you cut it this way compared to little squares.

    Guanciale in a cold pan about to fry.

    Step 1: Place the guanciale strips in a frying pan and bring to medium heat. The fat will begin to render and the rest of the guanciale will become crisp and golden brown.

    Golden brown guanciale frying in a saucepan.

    Step 2: Remove the guanciale from the pan with a slotted spoon, leaving at least 3 tablespoon of oil. Don't let the guanciale burn. It should have a reddish-brown tinge and appear as above when finished.

    Whole plum tomatoes added to the oil from guanciale.

    Step 3: Hand-squeeze the peeled tomatoes into the oil. Bring the sauce to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer. Ground the fresh black pepper into the sauce.

    Black pepper added to the sauce and simmering.

    Step 4: Let the sauce simmer for 10 minutes. While it's simmering boil a large pot of water. Salt the water and add the bucatini. Cook until 1-2 minutes before al dente. Save pasta water for the sauce. Add ¼ cup of pasta water into the sauce and mix well.

    Bucatini pasta added to sauce in saucepan.

    Step 5: Toss the bucatini into the red sauce and let it simmer with the sauce for 2 minutes.

    Bucatini combined with sauce and topped with pecorino in sauce pan.

    Step 6: Combine the pecorino with the pasta and sauce in the saucepan off the heat. Then serve immediately topping it with the guanciale.

    Pro-Tips

    1. Always cook guanciale starting in a cold pan to render the fat and make the meat golden-brown and crispy.
    2. When simmering the sauce keep the pan at a high enough temperature to keep a strong simmer. Bring the sauce back to a simmer after you add the pasta water. The pasta needs to cook in the sauce to let the sauce soak into it. You can't just pour the sauce over the pasta in bucatini amatriciana.
    3. Make sure to save extra pasta water for this dish. You will finish cooking the pasta through in the sauce, and you may need to add a little more pasta water once it is al dente if the sauce gets too thick.
    Bucatini amatriciana with guanciale and pecorino.

    What to serve it with

    Serve Bucatini amatriciana with some veggies and extra serving of protein!

    • Serve with a chicken dish like Restaurant-Style Chicken Saltimbocca, Restaurant-Style Chicken Francese, or Fennel Chicken Thighs in Red Wine.
    • Serve it with a pork or beef main dish. Some of our favorites are Authentic Italian Braciole, Italian Ring Sausage (Chevalatta), and Classic Italian Fried Meatballs!
    • Always add a veggie to the side like Italian Lacinato Kale Recipe (Tuscan), Sauteed Rapini with Garlic, or Garlic Parmesan Green Beans.

    Recipe FAQs

    What is the difference between pancetta and guanciale

    Guanciale is pork jowl while pancetta is cured pork belly. Guanciale tends to be a softer bite while pancetta will be slightly tougher. They have similar tastes but guanciale has a richer flavor.

    Is there a difference between spaghetti and bucatini?

    Yes, bucatini has a tiny hole in the middle of the tubule which makes it great for amatriciana because the sauce can find its way through the pasta.

    Does Bucatini Amatriciana have chili flakes?

    Some recipes call for it. But in the very classic original dish, the four ingredients were peeled plum tomatoes, guanciale, pecorino romano, and black pepper.

    More Delicious Pasta

    • shrimp scampi without wine
      Shrimp Scampi Without Wine
    • Linguine puttanesca topped with olives and capers in a bowl.
      Classic Linguine Alla Puttanesca
    • linguine with clams in red sauce on a plate.
      Linguine with Red Clam Sauce
    • busiate with trapanese pesto
      Busiate with Pesto Trapanese

    Be sure to leave a comment or review below! We love to hear from you! Follow us on Instagram @vindelgiudice or Tiktok @alwaysfromscratch.

    📖 Recipe

    bucatini amatriciana

    Bucatini Amatriciana

    Vincent DelGiudice
    A classic Roman pasta dish served traditionally with guanciale and pecorino romano. Bucatini amatriciana was invented in the late 1800s.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 15 minutes mins
    Total Time 30 minutes mins
    Course Dinner
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 2 people
    Calories 1191 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 large saucepan

    Ingredients
      

    • 6 oz guanciale
    • ½ lb bucatini
    • ⅔ cup pecorino romano
    • 1 teaspoon black pepper
    • 14 oz peeled tomatoes

    Instructions
     

    • Chop guanciale into strips or pieces. Place the guanciale in the saucepan and bring to medium heat. Fry for about 8 minutes or until the fat renders and the guanciale is golden brown. Remove from the pan, leaving at least 3 tablespoon of oil.
    • Hand-squeeze the peeled tomatoes into the sauce. Ground fresh pepper into the sauce. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer.
    • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water and add the bucatini. Cook until 1-2 minutes before al dente. Save pasta water for the sauce.
    • Add ¼ cup of pasta water into the sauce and mix well. Drop in the bucatini and toss in the sauce. Let it simmer for 2 minutes.
    • Add pecorino romano to the sauce and toss to combine. Serve immediately, adding the crispy guanciale on top of the pasta.

    Notes

      1. Always cook guanciale starting in a cold pan to render the fat and make the meat golden-brown and crispy.
      2. When simmering the sauce keep the pan at a high enough temperature to keep a strong simmer. Bring the sauce back to a simmer after you add the pasta water.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 1191kcalCarbohydrates: 94gProtein: 36gFat: 75gSaturated Fat: 30gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 126mgSodium: 2582mgPotassium: 655mgFiber: 6gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 371IUVitamin C: 18mgCalcium: 441mgIron: 4mg
    Tried this recipe?We'd love for you to Leave a Review!

    More Italian and American Pasta

    • Fettucine in alfredo sauce in a pan with tongs.
      Authentic Fettuccine Alfredo
    • Marinara sauce in a pan garnished with basil.
      The Ultimate Guide to Marinara Sauce
    • A square of lasagna on a plate.
      Authentic Italian Lasagna
    • Pasta alla gricia served on a plate and topped with guanciale.
      Pasta Alla Gricia

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Vinny

      June 21, 2024 at 12:19 am

      5 stars
      This is one of my favorite recipes to order when I go out to eat but I love making it at home! If you want to learn how to make it at home follow our recipe!

      Reply
    5 from 1 vote

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Vinny in the Kitchen.

    Vinny DelGiudice, MS CCC-SLP

    My name is Vinny. I am an Italian-American home cook, a photographer, and previously, a speech pathologist specializing in swallowing and voice disorders. I share the recipes I grew up eating in my home and the recipes that I cook for my family. Always From Scratch is about cooking homemade meals and eating with family.

    More about me →

    Italian Spring Recipes

    • A grilled pork chop stuffed with feta and sauteed spinach and garlic served on more sauteed spinach.
      Grilled Stuffed Pork Chops

    • Kale and Cannellini Bean salad in a bowl topped with pine nuts.
      Kale and Cannellini Bean Salad

    • eggplant caponatina
      Eggplant Caponata

    • Chicken piccata in a saucepan.
      The BEST Chicken Piccata

    • Chickpea and feta salad in a bowl topped with pistachios
      Chickpea Cucumber Feta Salad

    • Finished Italian green bean salad
      Italian Green Bean Salad

    Our Top Recipes!

    • Italian wedding soup
      Italian Wedding Soup

    • finished rapini served on a plate
      Sauteed Rapini with Garlic

    • bowl of salad next to a small bowl of caesar dressing.
      Traditional Caesar Dressing

    • A dutch oven filled with escarole and beans along with a bowl of the same.
      Escarole and Bean Soup

    • chicken spiedini
      Chicken Spiedini

    • Chickpea and feta salad in a bowl topped with pistachios
      Chickpea Cucumber Feta Salad

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility
    • Terms & Conditions

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up!

    Contact

    • Want to work with us?
    • Video Editing Service
    • Instagram
    • About

    Disclaimer: I may earn from affiliate links on this page. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2025 Always From Scratch

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.